Page 31 of Hated By the Gargoyle

“I have soap.” I lifted it to show her.

Her face flushed a lovely shade of dark red.

Lovely?

My chest set ablaze.

She reached for it, but I held it out of her reach.

“I am your… friend.” I stared at her unblinking. “Friends wash one another.”

“No, they don’t.”

“You tended to my wounds,” I reminded her. “Please. Allow me to care for you.”

She seemed reluctant at first, so I waited patiently for her answer. Eventually, she turned her back to me and I stalked forward, wrapping my thick arm around her delicate waist, and pulled her back to the shallower end. For a moment, we stayed pressed together. Her back against my abdomen. Her body, though warm, shivered.

Inhaling her natural scent became addicting, something I could not–and did not–control. I slowly released my hold, my claws raking gently over the plump flesh of her breasts. She gasped against my touch, but said nothing as I pressed closer still, lifting her wet strands of hair from her shoulders. The coils had tangled together, and I used my claws to set about untangling them, softly, slowly, to not pull at her scalp.

After a few moments, she leaned into it, her body relaxing against my ministrations. The action of caring for her hair brought me peace, something I was scarcely familiar with, but recognized instantly. My own shoulders slowly fell and my quick work of untangling the strands also lulled into a rhythm of comfort. In no hurry to urge the moment along, I kept that steady pace, listening to her quickened breathing and soft groans, until every curl was untangled completely. I then ran soap through her curls and carefully handled them as they seemed easily susceptible to twisting together.

“You’re good at this.” She sighed deeply, leaning back.

“Hm.”

“Thank you.”

“We are friends,” I grumbled. Though my cock still ached for a taste of her. It strained against her backside the entire time I touched her, but she did not comment on the monstrosity that wept her name.

“Right.”

“And a husband cares for his wife.”

“R-right.”

“I will prove to you that I can provide.” She doubted me. It was why she denied me, even after completing the mating rituals. But I could show her the truth, and she would take our marriage seriously and know that I would as well despite our beginnings. “I will prove I can care for you.”

“Qanek…”

“Do not speak, feral creature.” I wet the soap and dragged it across her bare back. “Let me clean you. You are filthy.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Hm.”

The soap created smooth friction across her skin. I trailed over it, again and again, dipping into the water to move across her bottom. She flinched briefly at the contact, but settled. I dipped lower, to her legs, until her entire backside was clean and then I moved to the front, starting at her neck, lower across her breasts. I could not help but stare at the way her sharp points jutted out of the surface, tightening even more when I ran soap across them.

Lucero moaned.

I needed to press myself against her back, but I refrained. Instead, I focused on her body, slipping between her legs…

“Q-Qanek!”

The sound sent fire to my cock.

I jerked away from her, clearing my throat, forcing down the desire that choked me. I ached for her fiercely. I needed her the way I needed to live.

But I could not.