Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 169943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 850(@200wpm)___ 680(@250wpm)___ 566(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 850(@200wpm)___ 680(@250wpm)___ 566(@300wpm)
Hawk goes still.
Immediately, I feel like an arse. Like I pushed too far.
“I suppose I deserved that,” Hawk says, moving to get off me.
I reach up and caress his cheek—or at least what I think is his cheek—before he does. “Neither of us deserves any of this.”
It’s as close to an apology as I’ll get. I’m still hurt from the spy comment.
He gazes down at me, and nips at my fingertips when I move them nearer to his mouth. “Is the trust between us gone, Aspeth?”
“Do we need to trust each other for the Conquest Moon?” I ask, keeping my voice light. It seems a safer thing to ask than Did you ever truly trust me?
“I suppose not.”
But the moment is still ruined. And when he nuzzles my forehead and climbs off the bed, I let him go. He moves across the room and pours some water from a pitcher into a basin, washing up. I watch him, fixing my own clothing and torn between offering to touch him and wanting to check on Lark and the others. I’m aware he didn’t come. Very aware. My body is throbbing and I can see the outline of his cock pressing against his pants, and part of me wants to sink to my knees in front of him and touch him again, because I enjoyed it. I loved touching him, loved the power it gave me over him. Loved watching him fall apart at my inexperienced caresses. It made me feel connected to him, and I want that again.
But we’re too busy lashing out at each other, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Still, I can’t stop myself as I move to his side. I slip my arms around his waist and press my cheek to his broad back, ignoring that I’m probably going to have to clean my spectacles again after all this face rubbing. “We’ll get this figured out, you and I. I promise.”
Hawk covers one of my hands with his bigger one. “I do want this to work between us, you know. Not just because of the Conquest Moon. I like you, Aspeth. I think you’re smart and clever and driven. I’ve never met anyone like you. And I do want to try to make this work between us…however long we have together.” He rubs his thumb over the back of my hand. “I’ll stay close to the nest until the Moon’s hand stops pressing on me. Stay close to you. We can spend more time together.”
Oh no. This might be the absolutely wrong thing for our plans. “But the guild…you’re one of the only Taurians left in the city…what if they need you?”
“Then they’ll have to hire someone else.” He half turns, pulling my hand to his mouth and kissing my knuckles. “I have a wife I have to prepare to take my knot.”
I blush. Hearing that shouldn’t be as thrilling as it is.
“And I should wash up,” he says, and I could swear that red gleam is in his eyes again. “And then I’m happy to wash you, too.”
“We need more water,” I say brightly, detangling myself from his grasp and grabbing the pitcher. “I’ll get it and return. Be right back!”
He reaches for me but I slink away before he can pull me into his arms again. I flash him a quick smile and hug the pitcher, practically running for the door. Squeaker follows behind me, no doubt traumatized after watching me get viciously (and delightfully) fingered on the bed.
I pump fresh water in the kitchen and look around for the others. I can’t stay out for long or Hawk will come looking for me.
“Gwenna?” I whisper, pouring the water out of the pitcher and filling it slowly again just to waste time. “Lark? Mereden? Kipp? Someone?”
There’s a scrambling sound and then Lark bursts into the kitchen. “Spoke with my aunt,” she pants. “She’s in. You keeping Hawk distracted?”
“Mostly?” I eye the pitcher, now full. “I’m about to head back in. We need to talk about plans because he’s going to stay close for the next few days, until the Conquest Moon is over.”
She groans. “That’s a nightmare. Okay, I’ll talk to my aunt again, figure something out. Did you hide the artifact?”
Shit. It’s still on a ribbon around my neck. Hawk didn’t notice it because he only shoved a hand in my pants, but if he wants to bathe after this, he’s for sure going to see it and ask questions. I hastily slip it off and hand it to Lark. “Give it to Gwenna.”
Lark races away again. “Talk more in the morning!”
If I don’t collapse from stress first, sure.
THIRTY-THREE
ASPETH
1 Day Before the Conquest Moon
“All the requests were denied,” Gwenna whispers to me over breakfast the next day.
Immediately my appetite curdles. “Already? But that’s so fast!”