breakfast.”
Bastian shut his eyes and moved his hands. He didn’t want
to see whatever it was that had latched on to him. Instead, he felt Elinor’s
fingers on his most private area. Despite the pain, he was aroused. And
ashamed. And scared he was going to lose a chunk of his cock to some damn fish.
Then what? Who would want him then?
“I think I’ll be able to save most of it,” Elinor said, her
tone grave. “Just hold still. Keep your eyes shut and don’t look, Bastian.”
Bastian did as she said.
A few more agonizing seconds and it was over.
“Don’t open your eyes yet.” Elinor’s hands were no longer
on him.
A cold breeze drifted across his body. He kept his eyes
squeezed shut. He didn’t want to open them. He was afraid to know what was
left, if anything. The whole area throbbed and stung.
“Now, Bastian,” she said, hesitating, “I don’t want you to
think that anything has changed. You’ll still be able to…perform.”
He moaned. How bad was it?
Then he heard it. The small twitter. The shaking in her
voice. It wasn’t long until Elinor was full out laughing. Bastian’s eyelids
snapped open. He glanced down. Other than two little teeth marks, everything
was fine.
He sat up. “You lied!”
Elinor wrapped her arms around her stomach and gasped for
air. “I’m so, so sorry.”
“You’re a healer! Do you make fun of all your patients like
this?” Anger rose in his chest. He wanted to shake her, to make her see what a
horrible thing she’d done. He glanced at the ground next to her, where the fish
lay. It was a small thing. Barely bigger than his thumb. How could such a small
fish hurt so much?
A blush crept
over his cheeks. He didn’t have to see himself in a mirror to know. It was the
curse of his red hair. He blushed too easily and without warning. If he would
have taken a moment in the water to look at himself, he probably could have
removed the fish, tossed it to the side, and no one would have been the wiser.
Instead he’d lain on the ground, his bum squished in mud,
dripping wet and exposing every inch of his naked body to a woman he’d just met.
And she was laughing at him.
“I wish you would have said something before going in the
river. I would have warned you.” Elinor averted her eyes, her giggles subsiding
into deep sighs.
“I didn’t want to wake anyone up.” Bastian grumbled as he
pulled his shirt over his head. He yanked it down and covered himself as best
as he could. “If you don’t mind leaving, I’d like to rinse the mud off my legs
and put my pants on.”
Elinor nodded, looking toward the cave. “Of course. I
should check on your friend anyway. He may need my help more than you do.”
Bastian watched her walk away, her hips swinging
confidently. She looked far different without her heavy cloak. Another breeze
swept across his skin, reminding him he wasn’t fully dressed yet. With a grunt,
Bastian stood up and stepped into the river again.
This time he kept his eyes on the clear water around him,
washing the mud off his skin. As soon as he was done, he climbed out and pulled
his pants on. Next time, he’d be more aware of dangers lurking in the river.
He made his way back to the cave, curious to see if Connor
was awake yet. He wanted to ask him so many questions. Elinor stood outside the
cave, wringing her hands. “Oh good, you’re back. You need to go in and talk to
your friend. Something’s not right.”
Chapter Eleven
Bastian strode into the cave. Connor sat propped up against
one of the eggs, Bastian’s cloak wrapped around his shoulders. Connor looked up
at him, his eyes bloodshot and eyelids swollen.
“How are you?” Bastian asked. He sat down next to his old
friend, hands on his knees. He wasn’t sure if he should hug Connor or punch him
on the arm like they always did as kids. It had been months and so much had
changed, but Connor was still his best friend.
Connor eyed him. His lips trembled as they slowly parted.
“Who are
Bastian shut his eyes and moved his hands. He didn’t want
to see whatever it was that had latched on to him. Instead, he felt Elinor’s
fingers on his most private area. Despite the pain, he was aroused. And
ashamed. And scared he was going to lose a chunk of his cock to some damn fish.
Then what? Who would want him then?
“I think I’ll be able to save most of it,” Elinor said, her
tone grave. “Just hold still. Keep your eyes shut and don’t look, Bastian.”
Bastian did as she said.
A few more agonizing seconds and it was over.
“Don’t open your eyes yet.” Elinor’s hands were no longer
on him.
A cold breeze drifted across his body. He kept his eyes
squeezed shut. He didn’t want to open them. He was afraid to know what was
left, if anything. The whole area throbbed and stung.
“Now, Bastian,” she said, hesitating, “I don’t want you to
think that anything has changed. You’ll still be able to…perform.”
He moaned. How bad was it?
Then he heard it. The small twitter. The shaking in her
voice. It wasn’t long until Elinor was full out laughing. Bastian’s eyelids
snapped open. He glanced down. Other than two little teeth marks, everything
was fine.
He sat up. “You lied!”
Elinor wrapped her arms around her stomach and gasped for
air. “I’m so, so sorry.”
“You’re a healer! Do you make fun of all your patients like
this?” Anger rose in his chest. He wanted to shake her, to make her see what a
horrible thing she’d done. He glanced at the ground next to her, where the fish
lay. It was a small thing. Barely bigger than his thumb. How could such a small
fish hurt so much?
A blush crept
over his cheeks. He didn’t have to see himself in a mirror to know. It was the
curse of his red hair. He blushed too easily and without warning. If he would
have taken a moment in the water to look at himself, he probably could have
removed the fish, tossed it to the side, and no one would have been the wiser.
Instead he’d lain on the ground, his bum squished in mud,
dripping wet and exposing every inch of his naked body to a woman he’d just met.
And she was laughing at him.
“I wish you would have said something before going in the
river. I would have warned you.” Elinor averted her eyes, her giggles subsiding
into deep sighs.
“I didn’t want to wake anyone up.” Bastian grumbled as he
pulled his shirt over his head. He yanked it down and covered himself as best
as he could. “If you don’t mind leaving, I’d like to rinse the mud off my legs
and put my pants on.”
Elinor nodded, looking toward the cave. “Of course. I
should check on your friend anyway. He may need my help more than you do.”
Bastian watched her walk away, her hips swinging
confidently. She looked far different without her heavy cloak. Another breeze
swept across his skin, reminding him he wasn’t fully dressed yet. With a grunt,
Bastian stood up and stepped into the river again.
This time he kept his eyes on the clear water around him,
washing the mud off his skin. As soon as he was done, he climbed out and pulled
his pants on. Next time, he’d be more aware of dangers lurking in the river.
He made his way back to the cave, curious to see if Connor
was awake yet. He wanted to ask him so many questions. Elinor stood outside the
cave, wringing her hands. “Oh good, you’re back. You need to go in and talk to
your friend. Something’s not right.”
Chapter Eleven
Bastian strode into the cave. Connor sat propped up against
one of the eggs, Bastian’s cloak wrapped around his shoulders. Connor looked up
at him, his eyes bloodshot and eyelids swollen.
“How are you?” Bastian asked. He sat down next to his old
friend, hands on his knees. He wasn’t sure if he should hug Connor or punch him
on the arm like they always did as kids. It had been months and so much had
changed, but Connor was still his best friend.
Connor eyed him. His lips trembled as they slowly parted.
“Who are
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