Page 59 of The Hunter

Alarmed, she caught his wrists. “Telok!”

His glowing green eyes met hers. “I said I am taking care of you.”

The firmness with which he’d spoken brooked no argument. He was going to do this, wanted to do this. For her.

Lacey had never been comfortable showing her body. She’d overcome that discomfort with Ahmya, Callie, and Ivy, but only out of necessity. It wasn’t like everyone had private bathrooms in Kaldarak, so communal bathing was the only real choice. And though Telok had admitted to spying on her, though she knew he’d seen her naked, he’d never seen her body from this close.

If he undressed her now, he’d see everything. Every stretch mark, every scar, every imperfection.

Her eyes flicked downstream. She could hear the others, but they were out of sight. “What happened to privacy? You know, human modesty and all that.”

“You have privacy.”

“But not from you.”

Telok cocked his head, narrowing his eyes. “Ah. Kir’ani vi’jatai is afraid.”

He didn’t have lips, but she swore he was smirking at her.

Lacey scrunched her nose. “I’m not…scared.”

“Good. I will protect you.”

He moved to continue undoing her lacing, but she tightened her grip on his wrists, keeping his fingers at bay. “Telok, wait!”

Telok caught her chin with a lower hand, forcing her eyes to lock with his. “You need no privacy from me, Lacey. Let me take care of you.”

Lacey stared at him, worrying her bottom lip as she warred with herself. Why was he doing this? Why was he trying to care for her when he’d spent months doing all he could to keep her away? Was it really because he wanted to fuck her? Would things go back to the way they’d been once he got what he wanted, once he scratched his itch? Would he…

Would he abandon her as soon as he was done with her?

No. Telok wasn’t like that; he genuinely cared about her. There had to be more to this. Why would he have stalked her, watched over her, protected her, if she didn’t mean anything to him? Why would he be here with her now, tending to her?

She loosened her grip on his wrists.

A gentle trill escaped him as he stroked her chin with his thumb. Releasing her, he resumed removing the lace with his upper hands, slowly pulling it free. The vest fell away, baring her breasts.

Telok’s eyes flared briefly before darkening with lust. She’d thought that only happened in books, yet here it was right in front of her.

Moving with the slowness and wonder of someone caught in a dream, he dropped the lace to the ground and leaned closer. His breath, hot and heavy, brushed over her chest, making her skin pebble and her nipples harden. Telok’s mouth opened slightly.

Had he extended his tongue and licked her nipple, she wouldn’t have stopped him.

She curled her toes against the mossy rock underfoot as heat gathered in her core.

He raised his upper arms. Lacey’s hands fell away from his wrists, and it was all she could do not to bury her fingers in his hair and draw his head closer. Those big hands covered her shoulders, thumbs hooking beneath the fabric of her vest, and he slowly slid the garment down. She shivered from the rasp of his palms over her skin.

Telok inhaled deeply and groaned, the sound descending into a growl. He tossed the vest to join her other belongings and leaned back, raking his gaze down her torso, his upper hands now hovering mere inches from her breasts with fingers curled.

Touch me. Touch me, please…

They were so close to her breasts she could almost feel them. She was desperate to feel them.

Hesitantly—as though it pained him to do so—he moved those hands down to grasp her waist. His upper hands held her in place while the lower pair caught the ties on her pants and unfastened the knot. Once her waistband was loosened, he peeled the pants down her legs, keeping her steady as she stepped out of them.

Leaving her completely naked.

Telok’s fingers tightened around her waist, pressing his claws into her skin. A swift but subtle shudder coursed through him, and his next exhalation was shaky.