Page 66 of Ravaged From Fate

“I’m not going to ask her out.”

“Why not? Come on, everyone can see how you pine after her.”

“It’s harder said than done, Elsa. You’re a woman.”

“So what? What does being a woman have to do with anything?”

“Well, you’ve never asked out someone. Caspian pursued you. It’s hard for guys to ask out a girl they like.”

I roll my eyes again. “This is Juniper we’re talking about. You reckon you’re the toughest guy in the world, but this girl at the gym frightens you.”

“Elsa, it’s not like that at all.”

“How about I help you ask her out? I can run you through a few scenarios.”

That makes Cyrus laugh. “You technically don’t have many experiences of hooking up with a girl, Elsa. You’re the last person I’d turn to for advice about something like this. It’ll kinda be like asking an antelope how a lion should eat it.”

“Ew.”

“Yeah, just what I think when you say you can help me.”

I sigh. “Well, what about Caspian?”

“What about him?”

“He could offer you some advice.”

“You think?”

“Well, he’s caught me. That ain’t too bad.”

Instead of laughing away my suggestion, Cyrus actually mulls it over. His eyes shoot upward as he thinks.

“Maybe I will. Do you think he’ll talk to me about it?”

I shrug. “I think he might. If you’re polite.”

Cyrus nods, the idea becoming even more plausible. “Yeah, maybe I will talk to him. Maybe I will.”

31

ELSA

“How’s the gym going?” I ask Caspian as we lie in his bed together. His hand doesn’t stop caressing my hair gently as I question him.

“Good.”

“Ah, another one-word answer from the king of one-word answers.”

“Should I say it’s going good, thanks, Elsa?”

“That sounds better.”

Moments ago, we were in the midst of lovemaking. I was on top of the man, my hands running up and down his firm abs. I still can’t believe that I can fuck the brains out of this guy. This wide, muscular, manly man of my dreams.

As I lie next to him, my heart still pounding from exertion, I play with his beard. He’s so rough. So masculine with the way he handles himself. I love that I can feel safe with him. That, with him, I don’t have to be the know-all professional nurse with the polite bedside manner everyone in East Springs knows me for. That, with Caspian, I can be a dirty little feminine slut, just for this big man. I can concede all control over him, something I would not even dare to do during daylight hours. Boy, does it turn me on just thinking about it.

“Are you going to keep going?” I ask him as my finger loops around a strand of beard hair. “The gym, I mean.”