Page 21 of Wagered to the Orc
At my laughter, his scowl deepened, so I pressed my palm to my mouth. “You forgot my advice, did you not?” I managed, despite the muffling hand.
“I didnaeforgetit,” he admitted with a put-upon sigh. “I merely chose to allow the mare to toss me down a hillside. I got theplarketsthough.”
My laughter ceased. “You fell? Are you hurt?”
He cocked his head at me. “You would care?”
This again? I clucked my tongue and held out my hand. “Give me Mags. Thanks to your teachings, I know enough to rub her down safely.Yougo straight to the stream and start washing that gunk out of your hair.”
Looking a little surprised—as hard as it was to tell beneath the layer of mud—he handed me the reins, and I admit I was proud that I was now familiar enough with the horses to lead her to her stall and care for her.
After, I climbed up on the stool to reach the upper shelf near the cabinets and pulled down the flower-scented soap. I had been surprised when Korvak first left it out for me—it seemed such a delicate scent for such a male—but he often surprised me.
My hands were already untying the laces of my bodice by the time I realized what I was doing.Almost unconsciously I hung my gown on the hook beside his spare kilt, which I took down and folded. ‘Twas as if my body knew what needed to be done without my mind interfering.
When I stepped out of the cottage, barefoot, clad only in my chemise and carrying his clean plaid, my eyes went right to Korvak.
He was sitting in the middle of the stream where the water was deepest. Were he to stand, the water might come to his shins, but seated, his arse was covered. His arse and…his crotch.
Because he was very, very naked.
As naked as he had been last night when I had made the bold decision to climb into bed with him.
As I watched, he threw himself backward, completely submerging his head in the shallow water as he scrubbed his fingers through his dark hair, trying to remove the mud. The angle gave me the view I had been aching for.
Korvak’s cock was thick, thicker than I would have imagined, and ridged. My eyes widened, as my steps took me closer, curious.
I was no stranger to men’s cocks and the force they could wield, but this one…I wanted to touch it. I wanted totasteit.
The Supplicant Swan. ‘Twas what he had threatened me with the first night, but now I wanted that.
That, and so much more.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the stream just as he sat up, dripping, mud still caked to him. I did not bother stifling my giggle.
He whirled to face me, but his habitual scowl eased when he saw me picking my way barefoot toward him. His gaze seemed to lighten slightly as it raked me, and I wondered how sheer my chemise was in the sunshine.
“Effie,” he murmured, and I could confess that his voice was like a caress, making me shudder.
I held up the soap. “I wanted to help. There is no way you will be able to get it all out on your own.”
“I’ve managed well enough so far,” he grumbled, but he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “But verra well, have at me.”
Oh, I think I might.
The water was above my knees by the time I reached him, and I knew the linen surrounding me was now almost useless in terms of preserving my modesty.
I stepped up behind him, admiring the way the droplets glistened in his hair. Since he sat with his back upstream, the force of the water pushed my legs against his back, but I braced my knees and knew he would notlet me be swept away.
When I placed my palm on his shoulder, I swear I saw him shudder.
Slowly, almost reverently, I washed him. His back, his shoulders, his arms. I dragged the soap over his skin, rubbing lather as I went. With the bubbles still on him, I addressed his hair. I worked the soap into his scalp, using my fingertips and nails and combed through each strand.
When my nails scraped across his scalp, he released an audible moan, so I did it again.
I snuck a peek at his face. His eyes were closed and an expression as close to bliss as I had ever seen on him was stretched across his face.
I scratched his head again, grinning when he made another little happy noise which ended on a sigh.
