Page 75 of Tusks & Saddles
Or maybe that was his groin.
“Are you okay?”
“I—” Welborn’s brows furrowed, blinking as if it would bring him back to the present. “I’m fine. I’m fine—ah,betterthan fine! I’m the best I’ve ever been and—”
“You’re nervous. I can tell. It’s okay.”
“I… A little bit.”
Miss Eaves mouth curled into a smile that Welborn only knew was there because he could feel it against his chin. He tried not to tremble.
“You haven’t ever…”
Kissed a woman? Held a woman in my lap? Thought about a woman’s mouth? Thought about what that woman would look like beneath her armored corset?
“I haven’t done a lot of things with…ah, with a woman before.”
The heat in Welborn’s cheeks could have set him on fire. A deep, dark green coloring his face in a way that would have had Boone doubled over laughing when they were younger. Welborn had always been quick to embarrass.
Miss Eaves hummed. Was it his imagination, or had her thighs tightened around his hips? Her breath tickled his neck, broken as if she were winded after running. Welborn did jump when she leaned closer, her lips brushing his earlobe.
“Would you like to?”
Before Welborn could stop himself, he cursed. If he wasn’t already blushing, he certainly would be now that Miss Eaves was laughing softly in his ear at his reaction.
This isn’t happening. There’s no way this is happening right now. This is a dream. This has to be a dream!
He must have temporarily blacked out, or his spirit had ascended to the spiritual realm, because Miss Eaves was no longer pressing close. Welborn felt panicked as she withdrew, shifting backward and hands falling to his chest as if to push herself away. Panic drove Welborn to grip her hips and hold her still.
“I—”
“I’m sorry, Welborn,” Miss Eaves sighed. “I didn’t even think about the implication of what this means for you. I didn’t want to assume, but if you’re god requires you to not partake in physical plea—”
“It doesn’t!” he exclaimed. “The All Seer doesn’t require their followers to take a vow of celibacy! In fact, it’s the opposite of that!”
Miss Eaves froze, her hands still against his chest.
“Really?”
“Really! The All Seer is the god of curiosity. We’re encouraged to explore, ah, to try new things!” Welborn said, eyes large behind his dirty glasses. “I’ve never explored this before, and I don’t see how they would….disapprove.”
Desperation may have had a heavier hand in his explanation, but it wasn’t a lie. New experiences were encouraged; curiosity wasmeant to pave a road toward discovery. Being a follower of the All Seer was to pursue such fascinations, to gain first-hand knowledge of the unknown.
And up to this point, Miss Eaves had been so unknown to him, but Welborn was resolute to know more. Heneededto know more about this woman, but…
“But,” he licked his lips. “I’m afraid I’m completely out of my depth here.”
Miss Eaves sank back into his lap. The comforting weight nearly made Welborn sigh with relief. Or perhaps it was the welcoming pressure of her body against the very prominent problem at the front of his pants. Her hands found purchase on his shoulders again, and Welborn didn’t dare move an inch for fear that she would disappear with her veil blowing in the wind.
“Do you trust me?” Miss Eaves asked.
The question was still fresh in the air when Welborn squeezed her hip in acknowledgment.
“Explicitly.”
Miss Eaves smiled.
“Good. Try to relax. We’ll go slow. I’ll tell you what to do.”
