Page 174 of Feralheart

“I suppose.” Not really. Selira was the feral one, not me.

“I’ll only use it when we’re alone. Something between only us.”

What was I supposed to say to that?

Shouts echoed. Someone called his name.

Both of us knew I had to leave. He wasn’t wearing much, just an undergarment, and I shouldn’t be noticing, but I couldn’t drag my gaze away from his muscular thighs. The way his cock pressed against the thin cloth.

He lifted my chin, making me meet his gaze. Humor lurked in his eyes, but it faded. “Don’t die today.”

“You either.”

He brushed his thumb across my lips, so briefly I might’ve imagined it.

“I’ll saddle Aristus for you,” I said.

“I appreciate it.”

I helped him dress in a clean shirt, taking care not to jar his bandaged shoulder.

“You know,” his voice had gone low and rough, “I’m perfectly capable of dressing myself.”

I guided his arm through the sleeve.

“You’re perfectly capable of bleeding through your bandage too. Put your legs into your pants.” I held them in place.

“You’re bossy.”

“I won’t deny it.”

He found my shoulders for balance, and the warm weight of his hands stayed after he let go. I tugged the waistband up, my knuckles grazing the curve of his hip. We both went rigid. I secured the fastening with feverish hands, doing my best not to think about how warm his abs were. How much I wanted to stroke the hard ridges.

That dream…

The same feelings swirled through me now.

After smoothing his tunic into place, I looked him up and down. “There. You’re presentable.” It was all I could do to strangle out the words.

“Am I?” He caught my hand before I could step away. “Because I’m fairly certain I look like I was just stabbed.”

“You were just stabbed.”

His mouth curved even further, and my chest pulled tight along with it. “You ran here barefoot.”

I looked down. Grass and mud coated my feet. I’d sprinted across the camp without shoes because I’d heard he was dead and nothing else had mattered.

My face overheated. “I was in a hurry.”

I’d thought he was dead, and it felt like someone had reached into my chest and stopped my heart. I’d run without thinking because my body knew before my brain caught up that I couldn’t let him be gone.

“I noticed.” He stroked once across the inside of my wrist, directly over where my pulse was trying to punch through my skin.

“Don’t get stabbed again.”

“I’ll try my very best.” He released my arm, his fingers trailing across my palm. “Eradin? I’m glad you were the one who came.” His voice had gone intimate in a way that made the tent feel even smaller.

The air between us filled with something I didn’t have words for.