Page 30 of Held

It took several minutes for Briar to realize he was leaning back into her, pressing back against her hands.

“Hey,” she said gently. “Sit up properly.”

Wick made a sleepy noise and straightened.

First massage, Briar reminded herself. It got her thinking about theotherfirst times she’d given him—a fact that she still couldn’t believe. Before her, he had never put that gorgeous cock in anything. It was a waste. And it made it more surprising that he kept holding himself back when he was fucking her. Anyone else would have taken advantage.

She wondered if he had kissed anyone. If he’d gotten that far with any of those unfortunate creatures he’d attempted to fuckbefore the blood frenzy took over. She hoped so. It would be sad if he got given sex before a kiss.

Briar had come close to kissing him last night. Just for a moment, just when she had been gazing into his fiery eyes and feeling their warmth on her cheeks. She didn’t know how she could feel such fondness for black orbs filled with flames, but somehow Wick made it easy.

Wick slumped, his shoulders drooping.

“Feels good?” Briar asked gently.

Wick rumbled. His tail curled absentmindedly against Briar’s arm.

Affection surged through Briar’s chest as she watched his tail grip loosely around her wrist. Whether he meant to do this or not, it was deeply cute. It made her think of how closely he held her at night, of how much he was leaning into her touch right now. He obviously enjoyed the closeness. And he’d so obviously been starved for it.

A dozen impossible futures raced through Briar’s mind. She shoved them down and pushed harder against Wick’s lax back.

He’ll have all the chances in the world to find someone to cuddle with after he cures his blood frenzy,she reminded herself.Once they stop screaming, anyway.

Her kneading slowed until she was sitting there with her hands flat against his back. He was breathing slowly, peacefully. An ancient monster, utterly sweet and lovely under her touch.

She smoothed her hands over his back one last time. Then she leaned back, pulling up a smile.

“I think that will do the job,” she said with more softness than she would usually allow.

Wick hummed. But he didn’t move.

Briar leaned around him. Wick’s fiery eyes were closed, his head drooping toward his chest.

“Hey.” Briar pushed him gently. “Wakey-wakey, Mr. Skullstalker.”

Wick grunted. He listed sideways, leaning against the wall of the cave. Falling asleep, Briar realized.

Briar touched the tail that was curled around her wrist and thought about curling up beside him. Feeling those big arms close around her like she’d felt for several nights now. Letting him get closer than most men she slept with, especially any man since she’d been cursed.

But it was a slippery slope. Briar knew herself enough to know that she couldn’t let herself get too close. The longer this journey went on, the more danger she was in.

Briar pulled his tail from her arm and gave it a soft tug.

Wick’s head jerked up. He twisted to look back at her, blinking sleepily.

“Come on, big boy,” Briar said. “We need to get moving.”

Briar was right, the massagedidhelp.

But only so much. Wick could fly a few hours at a time. Which still made for fast travel, but it cut Briar’s estimated travel time by several days.

“We’re reaching the edge of the forest,” Briar told him as they prepared for another night in a mossy clearing. “Mountains are coming up.”

“I can smell them in the air,” Wick said.

His voice was strange. Briar paused in the middle of stamping out their campfire and looked over.

Wick was standing in the middle of the clearing, staring up at the trees. His head was raised, like he really was smelling them.

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