Page 71 of Brody
“And you look like you’ve been dragged backward through a thornbush, Thornbern,” I retorted, eyeing his equally disheveled locks.“Fitting, I suppose.”
He grinned, toothpaste foam making him look like a rabid wolf.“You love the rugged look.Admit it.”
“I admit nothing before coffee,” I said firmly, rinsing my mouth.“It’s against my religion.”
The domesticity of the moment, standing naked beside each other, trading barbs while performing this mundane morning ritual, hit me with unexpected force.This simple act felt more intimate than our physical proximity in the pool, more revealing than our confessions by firelight.This was… ordinary.Routine.The kind of moment shared by people who built lives together.
I caught him watching me in the mirror, those amber-flecked eyes seeing far too much.Toothbrush still in his mouth, he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, breaking the moment before it could become too weighted.
He spat into the basin, rinsed, then said, “Just thinking how easily we fall into sync.Even in this.”
I finished rinsing before responding.“Don’t read too much into basic dental hygiene, Thornbern.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”His smile told me he was doing exactly that.“Though I notice you use the precise optimal amount of toothpaste, not too much, not too little.”
“Are you actually admiring my toothpaste-application technique?”I asked incredulously.“That’s a new low, even for desperate men.”
“Not desperate,” he corrected, his eyes twinkling.“Observant.You know, for science.”
“I’m getting dressed,” I said, unsuccessfully fighting a smile as I headed back toward my pack.“And then breakfast.We have a long day ahead.”
“I’ll help,” he offered, following me.
“With getting dressed?Thanks, but I mastered that skill around age four.”
“Spoilsport,” he murmured, but his smile remained.“I was offering advanced services.”
I pulled clothes from my pack, the hairs on my neck standing up with the electric awareness of his gaze on my bare skin.Unlike the shadowed intimacy of the hot spring, the daylight left nothing to the imagination.I dressed deliberately, without hurry or attempt to hide, jeans, sports bra, flannel shirt.Practical attire for hiking, though Brody’s appreciative gaze as I pulled on each item made the simple act feel like a private show.
“You’re staring,” I observed as I buttoned my flannel.
“I’m conducting a comparative anthropological study,” he replied, using my own words against me.“The ritualistic donning of clothing among modern researchers.Fascinating cultural practice.”
I tossed his jeans in his direction.“And you’re still naked, in case that escaped your notice.”
“Has it escaped yours?”He caught the jeans one-handed, making no move to put them on.“Because I could stay this way if you prefer.”
“Put your pants on, Thornbern.Your data point is distracting, and I need coffee.”
He dressed with theatrical reluctance, sighing heavily as if I’d demanded he donate a kidney rather than simply clothe himself.“The sacrifices I make for your comfort.”
“Truly, your selflessness knows no bounds,” I said dryly, heading for the kitchen area.“They should erect statues in your honor.‘Here stands Brody Thornbern, who heroically put on pants when asked.’”
His laugh followed me, warm and genuine.“I’d prefer my statue to be pants-less, if I get a vote.”
The kitchen area offered welcome distraction.Brody heated water while I investigated the cooling box, finding fresh fruit that looked impossibly perfect.“The Fae do seem to know their comforts,” I observed, arranging berries on a plate.
“Life’s too long not to appreciate the finer things,” he replied, turning to face me fully.His eyes caught mine, amusement fading into something more intense.“Speaking of appreciation, thank you.For last night.”
“For the massage?It was just practical.We both needed to relax before…”
“Not that.”His voice dropped lower.“For trusting me with your story.About your mother, Oxford.I know that wasn’t easy for you.”
I busied myself with slicing strange bread that smelled of honey and spice, avoiding his gaze.“Yes, well.Temporary insanity brought on by magical hot springs.Don’t read too much into it.”
His hand covered mine on the counter, stilling my nervous movements.“Rozi.Look at me.”
Reluctantly, I met his eyes.
