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“And what a shame that would’ve been.”
I breathe out a laugh, prodding at his skin to figure out the best way to close it. Little does he know it’s not the first time stitches have been given in this bathroom. Neither was the lattice incident.
Sebastian’s skin is so warm, and the art that covers it is a masterpiece. The detail of his tattoos must’ve taken so long… I want to run my hands over it and trace the contours of muscle in his arms. My cheeks flame as I try to force myself to focus on the task at hand.
“Thank you,” he murmurs, his voice rough and low. The baritone of it sends heat coursing through me in ways I didn’t know existed.
“Of course.” I purse my lips, tying the last knot. The man didn’t even flinch throughout the entire procedure. His pain tolerance is impeccable… and slightly scary. “I’m afraid it’ll likely scar still, but hopefully it’ll heal faster this way.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, it wouldn’t be my first.”
Oh… I noticed.
His hand runs over the long-jagged mark beneath the tattoos on his chest, and I want to ask what made it, but don’t. If he wanted me to know, he’d tell me. Then there’s the two short ones on his ribs. Multiple small ones on his arms. I’m afraid to look elsewhere.
I pull up on the thread to cut it. “Sorry,” I murmur, feeling a pang of guilt. I’m sure tugging on it doesn’t feel great.
“It’s fine,” he assures me with a tight smile. “You did better than I expected, actually.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Take it as you wish.” His lips twist into a grin before pulling wide enough to reveal his white teeth. I always thought pirates would look scraggly and dirty, nothing like him.
Before I can stare for too long, I pull the chain to empty the tub, then start to refill it with fresh, warm water. I motion for Sebastian to sit up, intending to use the bucket to gently pour water over his head to rinse away any lingering blood and grime, but he bats me away.
“Just pump the handle. I can get this part.”
“Alrighty, then…” Pumping the handle, a stream of warm water cascades into the tub.
Sebastian dips his head beneath the flow, and as he sits back up, he flips his hair back, and streams of water dribble across every hard plane of his body. My mouth goes dry. His dark locks cling to his face, framing his striking features, and I open my mouth but fear I’ve forgotten how to speak. What I wouldn’t give to be a bead of water right now… I snap my mouth shut, watching the rivulets roll over his body.
“Time to strip, princess,” he says, smirking as if he’s caught on to my thoughts. But before I can protest or argue, he adds, “You promised. Now it’s my turn to play maid.”
“I—Um, okay,” I concede, and he stands from the tub, grabbing the towel I placed on the table nearby. Water drips from his body, and I turn away, letting him dry off without prying eyes.
His gaze lingers on me, and I can feel it in my soul. The room feels a degree warmer, or maybe it’s just the heat rising to my cheeks. While I fidget with the fabric of my dress, he steps closer, the towel wrapped snugly around his hips. Sebastian lifts my chin with a curled finger and my breath catches.
“Are you alright?”
I nod, my voice lost somewhere in my throat. My heart races in my chest and I swallow hard. He gives me a knowing look like he can tell I’m the furthest thing from being okay.
“Are you nervous?”
“Yes,” I answer honestly. “I’ve, um, never done something like this with someone before.”
“I heard the king promising virgins, but I didn’t think it was true.”
“I’m not… I mean, to my father I am. I cheated the physical inspection, but you’ve been so nice to me. It doesn’t feel right to lie about it to you.”
Sebastian smiles, his eyes searching mine, but I have no idea what he’s looking for.
“Breathe, Scarlet. It’s okay. I don’t care who you’ve been with. I care even less about what your father thinks, but we’ll have to see each other naked at some point. I’m a man of my word.”
“I thought pirates were only loyal to their own?” The question is out of my mouth before I can stop it.
He chuckles, helping me to my feet. “True, but the moment you were bound to me, that applied to you, too. I have no intention of hurting you, Scarlet. I promise. Do you trust me?”
“Not a chance,” I whisper, taking a deep breath to steady myself.
