AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The noise of the party had dimmed to nothing, there was just us, Roan and me, the whisper of the Woods around us. I tried to pull away, to say something to break the spell between us. But I couldn’t. I can remember vividly the heat of his breath ghosting across my cheek as his eyes had searched for something deep in mine.
I hadn’t been able to take it anymore, launching myself up to my tiptoes to press my lips to his. They were cold at first, from the chill of the night, and hard. He hadn’t been prepared for my attack, and he had stood unmoving for one heartbeat, and then two, while I raised my hands from his waist to tangle my fingers into his long waves. But then, by the Gods, he’d opened his mouth, sweeping his tongue against my lips, forcing them to part for him.
In that moment I think he owned me. Nothing had ever felt like that kiss. A rough growl rattled between us, as he bent lower to take more of me. Devour me. I had whimpered,whimperedas his mouth danced over mine, desperate to get as close as possible.
I wanted to climb inside him.
My fingers had pulled tighter at his hair, and his hands, his glorious hands cupped my jaw, possessive yet delicate, his fingers stroking my neck until I trembled.
Roan pushed his body harder against me until I was shoved against the unrelenting tree trunk behind me. I felt the heat from his whole body against me, making me even more aware of the places we weren’t touching. With no thought other than that I would die if he stopped kissing me, his tongue plundering my mouth, I’d jumped and wrapped my legs around his waist, forcing him to catch me with those big hands I had suddenly become obsessed with.
Pressed together like that, I’d felt his cock, hard and impossibly thick, straining against his pants, as though it were trying to break free. Grinding my own leaking dick against his felt glorious. So I’d done it again. And again.
But then, I made the mistake of needing oxygen. On a particularly pathetic cry, I pulled back, breath heaving, sucking down lungfuls of air, his forehead dropping to the bark beside my head. My hips hadn’t stopped riding his.
In my delirium it took me too long to realise that, while I was basically dry humping him like a dog, he was still. The humiliating realisation, the fact he was attempting to hold his hipsbackfrom mine, the way his fingers dug into my ass, the pain no longer pleasurable, soured my stomach.
I’d unlocked my legs from where they were crossed behind him, his fingers squeezing me once more, before releasing, and I’d dropped to the ground.
“I’m sorry, Theo.” Well fuck. My heart had dropped out, and my stomach soured.
“I - I. What?” I’d stammered incoherently, my brain unable to keep up with the whiplash ofthatkiss being followed by an apology.
“I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was wrong. You’re vulnerable and -”
“NO! Don’t worry. It’s fine. Just—it’s fine.” My voice was harsh, laced with hurt. But then, I’d just had hands down, the very best kiss of my life, not that the list was long, but still, and he gets all shamey about it? Way to ruin the moment.
The idea that he didn’twant me, that he just felt sorry for me made me feel sick. Hot tears had welled in my eyes, but I’d been damned if I was going to let him see them. So, I’d shoved him off me and stalked back to the centaur camp.
It had taken him a moment to readjust and chase after me, but I’d only hurried faster in the dark, running from the sounds of him crashing through the trees.
“Theo,wait!” I’d heard him just as his hand landed on my shoulder, but I’d shrugged him off. I didn’t want to hear any more of his apologies. I didn’t want to hear all the ways he didn’t want me, all the ways I didn’t measure up. I’d heard it enough in my life.
“I don’t want to hear it, Roan.” I continued shoving my way through the branches, ignoring his huff behind me.
“You’re going the wrong way.”Annoyed, embarrassed,horny, I’d turned to face him, or where I thought he was, in the dark, my hands on my hips. “Camp, it’s that way.”
I’d thought I saw him throw a thumb over his shoulder, but refused to speak to him any more. Instead, I’d stomped off in the direction he’d pointed.
It was late when we’d returned to camp, with everyone fast asleep. Edith was gone as usual, Seff had disappeared, and I wasn’t about to cuddle up with my brother and Caelan for the night. I’d already done that and waking up with them snuggling and rubbing all up against each other in their sleep once had been enough. Which only left Roan.
I had managed to set up our bed on one of the unused blankets, pinching another from a sleeping centaur to form a barricade between us for the night.
That had been then though.
And now I just have to open the door of my room. I twist the sleeves of the overly long sweatshirt around my hands. Seldon might be slim like me, but he has a lot more lean muscle on him. Plus, he has a serious height advantage, making his clothes make me look even more like a child.
One deep breath. In and out.
With my book in one hand, all the better to ignore anyone who wants to talk, I open the door and make my way out of my room.
The socks on my feet are silent as I pad into the dimly lit hallway. My shoes are long gone, the sneakers I’d been rescued in had only been fit for the fire by the time we’d made it back to the Black Stump. I’d been lucky that I’d been wearing them to keep warm in the basement cell when Marieth had taken me that final morning, otherwise they would have burned in the fire too. The walk back was tough enough without doing it barefoot.
The hallway is all dark woods, with a handful of doors leading to separate bedchambers. A richly patterned runner runs the length of the hall, a riot of greens and yellows, embroidered spring flowers, and bright gold tassels.
Considering it is late, though I am not quite sure how late due to the whole hermit thing, the hallways are lit with brass sconces glowing with soft yellow light.
The Black Stump itself has no electricity, so the light had to be coming from a magical source. If I’d still had my gift, I would have known without a second thought, but now I had to, I don’t know, guess? Howdoregular people figure things out? I’d always just…known.
