“No. I didn’t let her.”
“Why not?”
“She didn’t know what I was. She couldn’t see, so I took advantage of it. I let her believe I was a man like any other. For a long while, she didn’t know about the stitches.”
“But you’re letting me.”
“You know what I look like.”
She moved to his throat, and he tipped his head back. She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. She ran the washcloth over his clavicle, his chest, lower down his abdomen.She was looking at him now, with wide, fascinated eyes. At some point, she stopped seeing the stitches. Once she accepted they were part of him, they didn’t matter. Her eyes followed the thin line of dark hair that started at his navel and dipped below the waist of his linen drawers. She shifted on her knees.
“I won’t try again,” he said out of the blue.
“Huh?”
“To end my life. It’s not possible, and it only hurts the people around me. Makes a mess for them to clean up.”
“Oh, yes. Smart decision.”
She swallowed heavily and forced her gaze back up to his face. Linen, when soaked, wasn’t as concealing anymore.
“I’ll wash your hair now,” she declared.
She stood up and positioned herself behind the tub. She lathered his hair and started massaging his scalp gently. She felt him lean into her. When she brushed a certain spot behind his ears, he let out a low grunt. Heat spread through Briar’s belly. She’d never been with a man before. This was the first time she was seeing a man nearly naked. And touching him so intimately.
She was doing something wrong, yet she couldn’t stop herself. How many Pater Nosters and Ave Marias would the priest give her next time?
“That feels good,” Rune said.
“Does it?” She was surprised she could still talk.
When the molten heat in her belly moved lower and threatened to drip down her inner thigh, she grabbed a pot, dipped it into the bucket, and poured water onto Rune’s head to clear the soap. She gave him a towel for his hair and leaned over him, her hands reaching for the scarf that still covered half of his face.
“I must wash this.”
His hand came up to her wrist.
“No.”
“It’s all right. Just hold the towel over your face, and I won’t see anything.”
After a moment of hesitation, he nodded and did as she said.
Briar tried to untie the scarf, but the wet knot proved to be stubborn. She leaned even closer, until their faces were inches apart. As she worked the knot, her eyes drifted to his lips. Before she knew what she was doing, she pressed her mouth to his.
It was brief, soft, more of a brush of lips than a kiss. A single exchange of breath. Rune didn’t move. It was over in a second, Briar pulling away horrified.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me… I… I didn’t mean that to happen.”
The corner of his lip lifted slightly. She wasn’t sure it was even a smile.
“You lost your balance,” he said. “Let me get the knot.”
Face burning all shades of red, Briar turned away and waited for him to untie the scarf and hand it to her. Once that was done, she grabbed the rest of his clothes and rushed out of the bedroom.
“I’ll wash these and hang them to dry,” she said but didn’t wait for his answer, slamming the door shut behind her.
She rubbed a hand over her face. He’d given her an out. She’d acted like a fool, and he chose to pretend like it didn’t even happen. To protect her honor, for sure. Her fingers stopped over her lips. Her first kiss. She’d given it to a man who hadn’t wanted it.
