Page 94 of The Lost Art of Seducing a Mage Warrior

Perian eyed him uncertainly.

“To take to Molun and Arvus’s.”

Oh. Thatwasthe last thing he’d told Brannal, wasn’t it? And Brannal hadn’t been present for the further discussion with his friends. Perian had also made very clear what would happen if Brannal tried to decide what Perian was going to do in the future.

“Molun and Arvus have very kindly extended an open invitation. But when you’re not being an ass, I rather like being here.”

The tense stance of Brannal’s shoulders relaxed a little.

“Yeah?” he asked cautiously.

Perian nodded. “You have a very comfortable bed, and I really like it when we’re in it together.”

“Me too.” Brannal looked rather wistful.

“Then that’s definitely what we should do,” Perian said cheerfully. “I will let you know if I need some space. But just at the moment, I would like to cuddle somewhere that’s not as hard as the floor.”

Brannal’s face softened. “I’d like that too. And maybe to put on some clothes that are dry.”

Perian nodded. “Yes, Molun is very good with the deluge.”

They carefully cleaned up and made use of the water closet. Brannal hovered a bit, but Perian didn’t really mind. He hadn’t had a lot of people be that concerned when he was injured as an adult, though he thankfully hadn’t gotten hurt often.

He hoped Brannal wasn’t being too motivated by guilt. He’d keep an eye on it. For now, it was helpful having someone to assist him with all the things he usually did with his right hand.

Perian couldn’t help but grumble as they climbed into bed, even as he realized this would probably not help with Brannal’s feeling of guilt.

“Think of all the things that I usually do with my right hand! This is going to be really annoying.”

Perian wondered if he could train himself to block fireballs with hisleftarm. Or, you know, anything that might be dangerous and flying at his face. It would still be painful and annoying, but not quite as much of an inconvenience.

“I’ll help you,” Brannal promised.

They actually had to rearrange the entire way theysleptbecause Perian couldn’t lie on his side with his right arm against the bed.

He grumbled some more. “This is going to be so hard.”

Brannal cuddled up to him so that Perian’s back was plastered against Brannal’s front. His right hand settled on Perian’s hip.

“I’d be happy to help with that.”

It was a similar group of words, but the tone wasentirelydifferent, voice lower and warmer. His fingers brushed across the fabric of Perian’s sleep trousers, toying with the waistband.

Perian could feel his body begin to respond immediately, and he could feel thatBrannal’sbody had begun to respond, a thickening pressure against Perian’s ass. He sucked in a breath.

“Uh,” Perian said intelligently.

A finger slipped under the waistband but didn’t venture any further.

“Would you like that?” Brannal asked. “For me to help with everything that’s sohardright now?”

Perian huffed out a laugh. He’d been so busy complaining that he hadn’t noticed all the innuendo. The finger brushed along the skin of his hip just under his waistband, making him shiver.

“Would you like that?” Brannal repeated, his finger still just moving back and forth slowly, lighting Perian up.

“I, uh, would really enjoy that,” he admitted, his voice thick, “but there’s a ‘but’.”

Brannal’s finger froze immediately, and Perian mourned the loss of sensation.

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