Page 8 of The Physician's Barbarian
Relieved, I patted my clean hand around until I snagged the towel I’d seen earlier and wiped off my hand and his belly before settling on the bed and turning away from him. I didn’t want him to notice my erection and think I was interested in more. I’d given him what he wanted. Hopefully that was enough.
GODR
I laid there, too shocked to move, staring up at the ceiling until my breathing returned to normal and my body stopped tingling from such a strong release. I hadn’t expected Ambrose to touch me like that. I hadn’t asked for it. But when he started, I fell under his spell and couldn’t make myself push him away. I thought about it, tried to say something, but he seemed to know exactly how to touch me to make my mind go blank. He’d volunteered as tribute, as Matthew had, Uttin told me so, so perhaps he knew what he wanted?
I thought to touch him too, to share our pleasure, but when I reached for him, he sped his hand up until I couldn’t think straight. Now that my head was clear, it felt unfair that I’d gotten off, and he hadn’t. But when I rolled to face him, he had his back to me. Maybe he was shy? My blood brother’s bondmate was shy and had come to me with questions about how things worked when they first got together. Perhaps Ambrose was the same?
Slowly, I shifted until I was pressed against his back. He was stiff, and I could feel the tension coming off of him. If he was inexperienced like most of the other bondmates had been, then he might be nervous. I didn’t want to push him too far, but I didn't want him to think I was a selfish lover, either. I would only reciprocate his touch, so he would have no reason to fear.
Wrapping my arm around his waist, I rested my hand on his belly. I didn’t think he could get any more tense, but somehow he did. I couldn’t imagine having to deny my desires for so long that I reacted in such a way. I felt bad for Ambrose for having to wait so long. He showed me his bravery by touching me first and showing me his desires. I wasn’t going to deny him the same thing.
Sliding my hand down, I pulled at his tunic until it came free of his legwear. His breathing picked up and a fine tremble racked his body. I wasn’t surprised to find him hard beneath. What surprised me was when he grabbed my wrist tightly to stop me. Like he was too shy to let me continue.
“It’s okay,” I murmured, knowing he couldn’t understand me but hoping he could hear what I meant in my tone anyway.
I didn’t push, not wanting to frighten him, and waited for him to decide. He didn’t release me, but his fingers relaxed little by little. When his grip was loose enough, I wrapped my fingers around his length. My stomach quickened at the feel of him. He had perfect proportions. I couldn’t help but think the length and thickness would feel amazing inside me. I ran my fingers along the veins, just teasing. His body would make demands eventually and override his shyness, I was sure of it.
I started jerking him steadily, and he cut off a moan and thrust abruptly into my hand when I made the twisting motion I enjoyed over the head of his cock. If he allowed it, I would take great joy in showing him everything he’d been missing out on before now. Later. Right now, he needed to get off. I could feel it in the way he trembled.
Tightening my grip ripped another moan from him, and it took only a few more strokes before he was coming into my hand. He made such sweet noises when he came, and I wanted to go again just to hear more, but I didn't want to push him too far. This was new for him. Once was enough for tonight.
I’d show him more in the morning.
Six
AMBROSE
Iwas still reeling from the mutual hand jobs when I woke the following morning. I was grateful that Godr hadn’t demanded more, but my reaction to his touch surprised me. I’d had to bite my tongue to stop myself from begging for more. It had been a while since I last was intimate with someone, but I didn’t think it’d been that long. Maybe I was wrong. Being that pent up would explain why I’d gotten hard listening to a man. It might also explain why I was hard again when I woke.
Godr’s arm tightened around my middle when I tried to edge away from him, and he made sleepy grumbling noises of protest. I needed to put some distance between us before he noticed my arousal, but in his sleep, he clung to me like a child would a stuffed bear, and every time I tried to extricate myself, he pulled me back. He wasn’t doing it consciously, I could tell by the way his breathing remained deep and even. I almost found myself laughing because of it. I was considering elbowing him away from me when a loud whinny startled him awake. He sat up abruptly and was out of bed in an instant, hopping from footto foot as he yanked on leggings and tugged on boots without a second glance in my direction. He was gone in a flash, and I could only gape at where he’d stood a moment earlier. What just happened?
I shook off the confusion, readjusting my clothes that were still disheveled from the night prior, and grabbed my glasses from where I’d hidden them the night before. All my mental effort went into not thinking about the events from last night. I stepped out of the tent and into the cool morning air, taking in a deep breath to clear my head.
Godr’s voice cut through the quiet morning, pulling my attention to the field on my right. He sounded like he was arguing with someone, and I headed in that direction automatically to see what was happening. Leaning against the fence, I searched the field, but I couldn’t see who he was talking to. The only creatures around were the stallions in the field.
“He thinks they can understand him,” a quiet voice said near my elbow.
I jerked around, surprised. A smaller blond man gave me an apologetic smile, hugging his middle in an embarrassed gesture.
“Sorry. I usually spend the morning with Godr while my bondmate is hunting. I didn't mean to startle you.”
This clan wasn’t at all shy about talking to outsiders. I thought I’d be a pariah because I wasn’t one of them, but the few people I’d interacted with so far were friendly. It wasn’t at all what I expected for my time here.
“Do they not let us go anywhere alone?” I asked.
The man wore the same type of clothing as the barbarians, except for the tunic which the other barbarians seemed to leave off, but there was no way he was one of them. He was several hands shorter than me, and there wasn’t an ounce of muscle on him that I could see. If he was a true-born barbarian, I’d eat my boots.
He flushed and wrinkled his nose. “They do. Once you’ve been introduced to your clan, you’re free to go where you wish. I’m a special case. My bondmate is overprotective, and he feels better knowing I’m being watched over when he’s gone. I don't mind it. Godr lets me sit in the field and write while he tends to the horses. And later in the day, I’ll be teaching the language classes for the new tributes, so he doesn’t have to watch me all day long.”
Goddess, that would irritate me. Having a spouse who hovered like that would drive me insane. I was too busy to cater to that kind of behavior. Then again, I wasn’t sure what I’d be doing as a tribute. Were we even allowed to work? Had I given up my practice as well as my freedom? With all the chaos, I hadn’t even thought about it until right now.
The smaller man tipped his head, studying me with big innocent eyes that softened when he took in my expression. “I know you have questions. That’s normal, and I’m going to answer as many as I can during our lessons. Just know that you’re safe here. No one is going to hurt you.”
I wasn’t sure I believed him. I got the feeling it was more that they wouldn’t hurt us as long as we did as we were told. And that wasn’t how I wanted to live my life. I’d fought tooth and nail to get out from under my father’s thumb only to throw myself into a new situation where I was forced to obey to stay alive. If I didn’t love my sister so much, I’d resent taking her place. Only knowing she was safe kept me from acting out.
“Oh!”
The man’s surprised exclamation drew me back to reality just as a stallion stood directly in my line of sight and nudged me with its large head. Huffing a laugh, I stroked its nose, admiring its strong features. I’d always loved horses. When I was still a child, I’d wanted to be a horse trainer so I could be around them all day long. I grew out of the obsession, especially when Evelynpointed out that I’d have to shovel manure, but I still loved them. My lifestyle didn’t allow me to have one, though. It would be cruel to the creature to keep it cooped up all day while I worked. My mind swayed again to my son. I never took him riding. I was always too busy. The ache in my chest doubled as regret swelled. I shoved the thought aside. I couldn’t dwell on Sebastian right now. The pain would eat me alive and I needed to focus on the here and now. I’d figure out what to do about my son when I was sure it was safe.
