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My fingers twitch when his hand lifts up in question, and I shake my head. “No, it’s fine. You can touch me. I mean, I can wash my hair. You don’t have⁠—”

“Stop talking.” The low, sensual command has my lips pressing together to hold in a whimper. “You need to heal, and I am healing you. This is part of the process. Now be good and obey me.”

A pulse in my cock sends a twitch through me, and my mind empties of all thoughts as each stroke of the cloth leaves behind a flushed, sensitive stripe of skin. I stare at the ceiling with hooded eyes, lips parted, as I lose myself in the pleasure of his touch. The scent of his cologne overpowers the herbal steam, and I gulp it down in hungry breaths.

He shifts smoothly to perch on the tub’s edge beside me, half leaning over to continue his quiet cleansing. The water hits the swollen head of my cock, and the hot pleasure after being numb has me jumping. My hands slam into the sides of the tub to grip for dear life, the hand mirror clanging against the porcelain as I do, but Valen doesn’t stop. He slides the cloth and water down my legs before dipping in to glide up my thigh.

His calm, controlled words finally draw out that whimper I was holding. “The potion sends your blood pumping through your body to speed up the healing. Are you feeling sensitive from it?”

I nod, eyes closing as my heartbeat pulses throughout me to pool in a building, maddening pressure between my legs.

“Interesting. Tell me, magician. Now that I’m nearly done with cleansing you, would you like me to alleviate some of this… other discomfort?”

I swallow, gasping when my cock twitches with a bolt of needy desire. The sides of the tub press against my legs, and I have no recollection of spreading myself. Oh fuck, I want that. I want that so damn much. Memories of our only time together flash before me, twitching my hips and increasing my pulsing heart. His talented hands, his skillful tongue, and his filthy fucking mouth.

But his letter. I don’t know how I’d handle the aftermath of just going back to being strangers afterwards. My heart is bruised. The memories of all I’ve lost are awakening to haunt me, my pain at leaving Tori and Jinx imprisoned ever present.

I blink my eyes open when his touch leaves me, and suddenly all I can see is Valen. I fall into his bright blue gaze, his hair escaping the pomade to fall forward. His hands are braced on either side of the tub so that he’s leaning over me, waiting for an answer.

My breath catches and a pressure builds when I whisper, “Would it be wrong with Tori trapped?”

His head tilts, but his gaze remains locked on mine. He replies equally softly, like he understands the deep fissures of vulnerability behind my question. “Biding our time while we wait in an enjoyable way does not mean we do not love and miss her.” He wets his lips, and a shadow flickers over his face to reveal a hint of hidden pain. “I will confess that I could use the distraction and…”

His lips part like he’s going to say something else, but he stops himself. I search his face, trying to unearth what it is that he’s holding back from. My chest hurts, and I guess at the word he couldn’t say. “Comfort.”

His jaw tenses, eyes flickering. His head jerks with a small nod, and the air in the room shifts. We no longer gaze at each other like two men who were forced together by our love for one woman, or by an intense sexual chemistry that haunts us. Valen flinches, but doesn’t withdraw from the vulnerability.

I pant, chest pumping, and growl, “Fuck it.”

I snap my arms around Valen’s neck, the stupid mirror still in my hand, but I can’t seem to let it go. I half haul him down, half arch up into him, as our mouths collide. The kiss is hot, consuming, and fuck, is it damn good. I’m stronger than him and use it to pull him down. Valen gasps and tumbles into the slicked porcelain with me, the last few inches of potion water splashing as it continues to drain. The tub is so large, it’s like we’re hidden from the world by its tall sides. We moan into the kiss, and Valen eases his fully clothed body on top of mine, my thighs framing his hips and my cock throbbing when his trapped erection presses against mine.

I grumble against Valen’s lips, “You better make this worth it.” And I let go of his neck to grab his stupidly decadent shirt and vest. I rip them open, buttons raining down on me and clattering against the porcelain. I am more than ready to have the orgasm of my life.

Valen smiles into my kiss and lifts up, only to whip off his ruined shirt and vest and toss them over the side of the tub. “I swear. I’ll make you see the Weave. How do you want me, magician? My hands? My mouth? My cock? In you? On you?”

“All of it. Just give me all of it.” His slacks are soaked from the water spraying from the abandoned nozzle and it hinders my process of yanking them down his hips.

He hums and takes my hands in his, kissing my palms. “No matter how much I’d love to be inside you, or vice versa, I worked very hard on healing you, and need your knee to stay well. Once the bandage falls off, it will be fully better. But for now…” Valen releases my hands to smooth his palms down my thighs to encourage both to remain wide open. His heated gaze rakes up and down me. “Stay as you are and let me help you.”

I bite my lip viciously to keep a deep moan from escaping, but it’s no use. It echoes within the marble bathroom as Valen grips my shaft. Our eyes meet, and he strokes slowly. My head clunks against the tub as I gasp, hips shifting. He stares at me with those glowing eyes of his and drinks in my pleasure.

Then he releases to slide trailing fingers down to press against my ass. And waits.

I nod furiously. “Yes. Whatever you want.”

His wet middle finger penetrates me, lips parting and eyes brightening when I desperately rock against it. “Fuck, magician. You are my good boy, aren’t you?”

A strangled moan is all I can manage as the gentle burn gives way to pleasure. He’s slow, teasing, and I want him hard and punishing. I want him to fuck me to the edge of my life. I want to forget everyone and everything and fall into the headiness that is Valen’s body.

But guilt-filled thoughts fill my head. As Valen’s long finger rubs inside me maddeningly slow in time with his pumping hand, all I can think of is Tori trapped in a statue. And I’m here, spread out like a whore begging for pleasure. Shame hits me hard, and I meet Valen’s gaze to ask him to stop. I don’t deserve this.

The words catch in my throat. Valen is gazing down at me with a desperate, starved look on his face. He’s so hard, so flushed, and I remember that this isn’t just about me. No, this is about both of us. Valen needs it, too, and that thought eases my guilt and brings me back to him.

I lick my lips. “Valen.”

“Say it again.”

“Valen,” I gasp.