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Not that I was complaining about that. I definitely wasn’t complaining about that. It had been the most stimulating performance I’d ever sat through. If she decided to put on an official show at the theatre in Umbral Square every week, I’d buy every single seat in the house to be the sole member of the audience. I’d happily attend all viewings, including the matinees. I wouldn’t mind taking a late lunch and working overtime for that.

“Would you mind putting more water on the coals?”

I jumped again when the unfamiliar voice cut through my thoughts, and stared blankly at the human guy until I realised he was talking to me. Glancing at the coals to my left, I leaned over to grab the ladle. “Sure.”

“Thanks, man.” He settled back with a sigh as the coals hissed with fresh steam.

After dropping the ladle back into the bucket, I sat back and grimaced when the cooled cum on the inside of the towel slid over my stomach. God, did cum always feel this slimy? Maybe I should look into supplements that would give my cum a silkier, more pleasant texture.

I knew I should leave and cool down, but Anita was still in here, and I didn’t want to seem like a total dick by just sauntering out without a word after what we’d just done. And I still wanted to know what the fuck it had actually been about, but now we couldn’t talk about it. I gave the other human in the room the stink eye, then quickly smoothed out my expression when he glanced over at me.

“Hey, uh, you’ve got something…” He gestured at his own chin.

Frowning, I reached up and wiped a hand under my chin, then stared in horror at the globule of black cum smeared over my knuckles. My ears went wild as I hurriedly rubbed my hand over my towel. I’d had cum dangling from my chin this whole time?

I heard a faint snort from the other end of the sauna, but at least the human guy didn’t seem to have realised what it was. I gave Anita a betrayed glare as she elegantly rose from the bench, tucking her towel tighter around her chest.

As her delicate, bony feet padded over the wooden floor toward the door, she looked over at me, something flashing in her dark eyes.

“Nice to see you again, Mr var Rorik,” she said quietly before slipping out of the sauna.

I was officially confused as fuck, but I still found a wide grin spreading over my face.

Human guy’s brow quirked as he looked over at me, no doubt wondering why two acquaintances had been sitting at opposite ends of the room. “You know her?”

Still grinning, I spread my arms out over the bench behind me and tipped my head back. “Somewhat.”

Chapter Eighteen

Anita

W hat was wrong with me?

Seriously, there was something wrong with me that I’d never discovered before. Was this a midlife crisis? Was I

accidentally throwing something mind-altering into my green smoothie every morning?

I’d always been a stickler for the rules. I’d never done anything that could get me in trouble. I always coloured inside the lines as a child, did all my homework, kept the house tidy for Mum and Dad, got my first job at fifteen so I wouldn’t have to rely on them for pocket money.

I wasn’t a wild person in my day-to-day life. I didn’t do reckless things. Sex was probably the one activity where I actually allowed myself to let go and loosen the rigid control I kept over myself, but it had still always been within the confines of my orderly life. Like, actually in a private location. Well, and a few times in the back of my college girlfriend’s car.

Not exposing myself in a public sauna and masturbating for a big demiurgus man who I’d already told I would not be having sex with again.

God, he must be confused. And probably a little pissed off, which was completely justified. I was pissed off at myself. I had no idea what I’d been thinking—and then I’d stopped thinking altogether when I saw those ridiculous, tiny shorts he’d been wearing.

I needed to apologise. I was just… generally really bad at apologising or admitting I was wrong. But I knew I had to suck it up and do it. He deserved an apology.

The problem was, how did I apologise for that without being obvious? It wasn’t as if I could use my work email to send a message to his work email saying, ‘Sorry for what happened in the sauna’. Too risky. Way too risky.

I could call him, but… the thought of that broke me out in a cold sweat.

I’d been guzzling water since my vigorous session in the sauna, so I was up and down to the bathroom all morning, but I still got a lot done, workwise. Apparently, seeing var Rorik for a stimulating sauna session in the mornings was great for my productivity.

Until his name popped up on my computer screen just after lunch, a new email sitting in my inbox with the subject line, Clarification needed.

I immediately stopped what I was doing as my belly fluttered uncontrollably. Oh god, okay. No more avoiding it. Taking a deep breath, I reached for my mouse and clicked on the email.

Anita,