Page 10 of A Winter Crush

This will be my last visit.

Ori placed his hands over his groin. It wasn’t his fault that his cock was half-hard. Wareth was just so attractive. Still, Ori felt deflated. Defeated.

Wareth didn’t want him here, and Ori didn’t want to bother him. Furthermore, Ori had some sense of self-preservation. He had no interest in pining for someone who would never return his feelings.

“I brought the ellfish,” he said, indicating the fish over his shoulder. “Is Sariah here?”

“She’s in the front,” Wareth mumbled.

Before Ori had time to respond, a crash and scream filled the air, coming from the front room. Wareth was on his feet in a second, clay completely forgotten as he ran, Ori on his heels.

ChapterSeven

Wareth couldn’t breathe. Sariah had to be all right. He dashed to the front room. On the floor lay shards of shattered pottery and Sariah, clutching her hand to her chest, stood amongst the debris.

“Are you all right?”

She swallowed and nodded. “I… I tried to get a plate, but the bowls teetered and…” She took a shaky breath.

“Come,” he said, placing a hand on her waist and guiding her to the other room.

Ori stood in the doorway, watching them. Wareth had forgotten all about him. Ori backed away, giving them space to pass. Wareth guided Sariah to a wooden chair in the studio, near the wood stove. He looked at her hand, which she still clutched against her chest. No blood. That was a good sign.

“Does it hurt?” Wareth asked.

“A little,” she said. She gave a weak laugh. “It’s my fault. I tried to get a plate out from under a bunch of bowls. The bowls started moving, and I grabbed them as they fell, but they were too heavy. It all happened so quickly.”

Wareth grimaced. He should have made sure the pottery was stored more safely, not haphazardly on top of one another. This was his fault. He’d been careless, and Sariah had suffered.

“I don’t think I injured it too bad.” She lifted her hand from her chest and slowly rotated it. She winced.

“We should go see Dr Taten,” Wareth said.

“It’s not that bad,” she said, trying to smile. Unshed tears shone in her eyes.

“We are seeing Dr Taten,” Wareth said more firmly.

She stared at him for a second. “All right.”

He nodded.

“Look at you.” She gave a weak laugh. “I’ve never seen you so worried and concerned. I knew you cared about me.”

“Of course I do.” He stood. “I’ll grab your coat.”

He turned and almost ran into Ori. His pretty silver eyes watched Sariah with concern.

“Do you need me to do anything? I can keep an eye on the studio?”

Wareth didn’t want to deal with Ori right now. “The studio will be fine.”

Ori flinched at his tone.

Wareth felt guilty, but he pushed it away. He didn’t have time for this. He needed to look after Sariah. He stepped around Ori and went to grab their coats, pulling his on over his bare chest. No time to grab a shirt. He carried Sariah’s coat towards her. Despite the pain, she frowned at him, clearly displeased with how he had snapped at Ori.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do?” Ori asked.

“If you like, you can help me to the doctor,” Sariah said.