Dark Hair's furskin felt like wet velvet under his hands. He didn't stop until he'd massaged every bit of her back and neck. "Rinse?"
She slid down in the water and then sat back up. With one easy movement, she stood.
Pietas braced himself on the tub's edge as he stood, fighting not to wince at the pain. He offered his hand as she stepped out of the tub.
Naked, she stood before him like a queen, as confident and powerful as if she wore robes of state.
He picked up a thick towel, as lush as any aboard his vessel. Clean, white, soft. He dried her and took care to keep his touch from being intimate. When he knelt to dry her clawed feet, she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You look up, nahee."
He met her gaze.
"Who you serve before me?"
"Serve? You mean"-- He motioned with the towel --"like this?"
Dark Hair nodded.
He thought of Cyken. "A king."
"King." She stooped before him, peering into his eyes. "Was king to you. But you are king."
Had he let something slip? He'd taken care not to bring anything that gave his true identity. "Why would you say I'm a king?"
She kissed him, her lips gentle against his, and then pulled back. "I see in everything you do. You not servant." She caressed his face. "You have power. I feel. But you hold inside. You not take power for you. You give this power." She flattened one hand over his chest. "You king with servant heart."
Pride and gratitude brought tears to his eyes, and he turned his head and blinked them away.
Book Hooks is a weekly cooperative meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
I’ve read and enjoyed the book
Thank you so much :) <3
Sounds like he can’t hide much from her, and he seems to appreciate that. Enjoyed the excerpt!
Thank you. :) Yeah, she’s pretty savvy, and she can literally smell a lie.