“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he bit out.
I wrung my hair out and tried shaking the droplets from my hands.
“What is taking so long?” His voice was strained and his balled fists were held firm to his side.
“I don’t want to get dressed wet. It will take my clothes forever to dry without the sun.”
“Come take my hand.”
“Absolutely not. Repeat naked tackling? Surprisingly, not a life goal of mine.”
“I can help you with the water.” He shook his head.
“Promise not to look?”
“I’m not going to look.”
I stood behind him, still trying to cover my naked body with one hand and put the other on his stupid shoulder. “Good enough?”
His shoulders rose and fell as a breath shuddered through him. He said nothing as he placed his hand over mine, and then all the water from my dripping body ran down and suddenly I was chilled but dry.
“Thank you,” I whispered, still in awe of magic. I dressed quickly and put my pack on, lifting the hood of my cloak so he couldn’t see my embarrassed face. And then I felt really dumb. I pressed my palm to my forehead, remembering the magical clothing would have dried me. “Okay, you can turn around.”
He looked me over, and I felt a distant ache in my body from the water wraith’s seductive words. I had to remind myself those were not his feelings or desires. We had only just lost the chain.
“What form did she take?” he questioned, trying not to meet my eyes.
He was just as embarrassed as I was, and gods help me, I couldn’t let that go. Nor could I let him know the truth. I stepped so close to him his breathing hitched. I ran a finger up his muscled arm and whispered, “She looked like Greeve, naked.” Without pause, I turned and sauntered away.
“You are such a gem.”
“I know,” I called over my shoulder.
Swaying my hips back and forth for good measure, I could feel the warmth of his gaze as he watched me go. I had frozen him in place, and I loved it more than I should. I turned back to face him, but he was right behind me.
“Enjoying yourself?” His voice moved like tendrils up my sensitive spine.
“Kind of.” I smirked.
“Don’t taunt me, Ara. I only have so much self-control.”
“About this much?” I asked, pinching my fingers together.
“Every time I’m near you, I feel it all the way to my bones. I can’t explain it. The minute I think you might be in danger, I’m overcome with this debilitating rage.”
I crossed my arms. “I’m not in danger now. I’m sure the water wraith scared you, but she’s gone now.”
“I was not scared.” There was that familiar ire. He jammed his fingers into his thick black hair and looked away. Struggling. “Just promise me you’ll let us take this journey with you.” He looked back to me, softening. “I trust you, I do. But I need a promise now that we aren’t chained together.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and tried to make it all work in my mind. I wasn’t used to the company, the friendship, the chatter. I was used to being alone. But I couldn’t see past the fact that he was worried for me. I hadn’t realized how much I missed someone caring until those words wrapped around me like my father’s arms, and somewhere deep within those arms was home. Not that he needed to know any of that. “I’ll make a deal with you.”
“I’ll take it.”
“Blindly? That’s just reckless.” I squinted my eyes at him.
“Yes, blindly, because I want you to see that you’re in charge.”
“Fine, the deal is you hand over your crown, and I’ll kiss your ass like your lackeys do for five whole minutes.”
