Page 65 of Obsidian and Frost

I reached out and grasped his hand.

His eyes shone as he squeezed it back.

And that was about all I could handle of the stark open emotional vulnerability.

I eased my hand away, then hopped out of bed, heading to a desk in the corner—actually it was two worn wooden tables pushed together. And when we’d come in here last night, although I’d been in too much of a state to pay it detailed attention, Ihadnoticed all the sketches over the desktop. “Did you do these?” I asked him over my shoulder.

“Yeah, I doodle once in a while.”

I picked up one after the other, studying them. They were all landscapes—fog-draped forests, still lakes, graveyards at twilight. No people, just stillness. They were predominantly done in charcoal, everything grayscale with some brief hints of red.

“These are more than mere doodles.”

“You can consider it art therapy.”

I put them down and looked back at him sitting up in his bed. “Do you need that? Therapeutic hobbies like this, then? Is that why you live out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“I like the quiet. It helps me to recharge. To center myself. And, being out here makes it easier to engage in my vigilante activities without drawing undue attention to myself. Obviously, attending Wraeven complicates that.”

“You were forced to attend, right? Because you got caught doing the vigilante stuff?”

“Yes.”

“Why do you do it?”

“Because I can.”

I went to ask more, but he gestured the length of me. “I suggest you head into the shower within the next couple of seconds, or my control is going to snap at the sight of youmoving about my bedroom delectably naked, while still wearing my cum on your exquisite cock.”

Oh shit.I’d forgotten I was stark-naked.

I guess I’d been so relaxed that I hadn’t even thought about it.

Relaxed?Here with him? In his bedroom? Waking up in his bed? After fooling around with a man last night for the first time in my life and fucking relishing every moment of it?

Wow.Last night really had shifted things.

The thought of it all had me grinning out at him. “Worried about jumping me, almighty necromancer?”

His eyes flashed. “I’m worried for you. Because if you don’t head into that bathroom right fucking now, I’m going to be across the room, shoving your face into the wall and teasing that hot little ass with my cock.”

My breath hitched, a hot thrill running through me.

But it also clashed with something else… uncertainty.

“Are you ready forthat?”he asked.

It wasn’t a challenge. It was concern.

I could see it all over him.

I looked way—breaking eye contact. Me?Shit.

“I’ll make breakfast,” he announced, easing out of bed. “Meet you out there.”

With that, he sauntered out, snapping his fingers and covering himself in a black and red striped bathrobe as he went.

I sank against the wall, taking a beat.