AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Feeling like I had a thousand sets of eyes on me instead of sixteen, I pressed the backs of my hands against Turik’s groin. He jerked and hissed out a breath—definitely a pained sound.
“Keep going,” he encouraged.
There was absolutely something wrong with me. There had to be. Why else would I turn my hands and publicly grope his testicles while grinning into his chest like a madwoman every time he flinched? A few of the other fey chuckled as they packed up the fishing gear.
I knew the moment my hands started to warm, and it had nothing to do with regaining dexterity. The flinching ceased, and Turik’s hold on me eased from locked-in-place to gently anchored.
Withdrawing my hands, I stepped away from him.
“I’m not a fan of your technique,” I said.
“Next time, I will warm your hands,” Vorx said from behind me. “My technique will be much better, and I will flinch less.”
I snorted and shook my head at the pair of them.
“Next time, I’m going to keep my hands warm so they don’t get shoved where they don’t belong.”
“Challenge accepted,” Turik said. “If Shelby does not stay warm on her own, Vorx can attempt to warm her better. After that, I try again. Best three out of four attempts.”
“Wait, what?” I asked.
“Agreed,” Vorx said over me, his wolfish grin gleaming.
“I will wager my mattress that Turik warms her best,” one of the nearby fey said.
“I will take that wager against a box of chocolate bars,” another answered.
“You’re all ridiculous,” I said, secretly loving their playful banter.
Once the poles were packed and the canoes hefted overhead by the others, Turik picked me up, and our group set out for the next lake. The fey maintained a grueling pace, and the wind lashed my hair and leeched away my warmth. Unsure whether they’d been serious about their bet, I tucked my hands up under Turik’s shirt within the first thirty seconds.
He chuckled and pressed another kiss to the top of my head, as if saying, “you’re so cute thinking you have a chance.” And he wasn’t wrong. I truly fought a losing battle this time around since I wasn’t starting out fully warm.
By the time we reached the next fishing spot, my legs and backside stung.
Vorx was right there when Turik put me down, and I quickly held up my hands.
“They’re warm. See?”
He touched them, and that knowing smirk curved his lips.
“Good. Your hands weren’t what I was hoping to warm. Tell me what’s cold, Shelby.”
“Nothing.” My damn body betrayed me with a shiver.
Vorx’s grin widened, and behind me, Turik chuckled. Vorx waved to the other fey then pointed to a small cottage at the edge of the water not far from where we stood. Two of them jogged to the structure and disappeared inside.
“Would you like to walk or should I carry you?” Turik asked.
I pouted a bit, crossing my arms as I pretended to think it over. All the while, I held Vorx’s gaze.
“How about none of the above? I’m fine. We’re here to fish, not to waste time talking.”
“We promised to keep you safe, and we will keep our promise. Even if we have to keep you safe from yourself,” Vorx said. “You’re too cold to fish. Let me warm you.”
“Only if it involves lighting a fire.”
He grunted, and a second later, I was up in Turik’s arms. I knew better than to believe that grunt was an agreement to a fire.
