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"I'm sure Slade has servants for that," Bain said. "Viva might need both of our help."
"Viva is fine," I said, irritated they were talking about me like I wasn't there. "I don't need to be babied." I managed to get out of bed, with Knox's help, and leaned against him when my knees wanted to buckle.
"Sure you don't." Knox wound an arm around me. "I don't mind helping you."
"Neither do I." Bain moved to the other side of me, hands poised in case I fell.
I looked from him to Knox and back again. "This is one of those dick things, isn't it? Like whoever walks away right now doesn't have as big a dick as the other."
Men.
"We just want to help," Bain said. "You might need your back washed."
"I'm sure you're hoping to be the one to do that," I said, more sourly than intended.
He gave me a long, searing look that made my knees weaker than ever.
Yes. Yes he did hope that. And more, unless I missed my guess. Presumably, that meant he didn't want me dead. That was good. I wasn’t ready to lower my guard though.
I looked over to Knox. "And you too, I assume?"
He gave me a smile that made me want to tear his clothes off there and then. "I've never made any secret of how I feel about you."
"That's true," I said. He would happily have been my real lover, rather than my fake one, up there on the mountain. The only thing that made me pause now was remembering who his brother was. If there was ever a chance he'd be Alpha, he couldn't be with a freak like me. The shifters would demand a shifter heir. Wouldn't they?
It was a long trail of what ifs, but I had to take them all into consideration. On the other hand, maybe he wasn't thinking about more than a fuck or two. It wasn't as if he got down on one knee to propose. Or however they did it here.
I wasn't sure I could screw either of them without feelings getting involved. I've never been one to take part in meaningless sex. Although, what I felt for some of the guys was never more than friendship and momentary lust.
"I should have a bath," I said as they led me to a huge bathroom. "Then I won't need help to stand up."
"I can still wash your back," Knox said quickly.
"You're nothing if not persistent," I told him. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. I was flattered, of course, but at the same time I wondered if I should keep my distance. Let Knox find a nice shifter girl and live happily ever after.
At the same time, I would kill to have his tongue circling my clit.
Lust, I told myself,will get you into trouble. Worse than that, it was more than lust I felt for him. And Bain and Dex. All the more reason I should keep away from them.
"If you can start the water, I'll be okay," I said reluctantly. I should have packed a vibrator in my overnight bag.
"All right." Knox didn't try to hide his disappointment. "I'll stay close if you need me."
I leaned on him for a while longer, while Bain started the bath and tossed in a couple of handfuls of bath crystals from a bottle on the shelf. Rose scented, but I avoided breathing in too deeply.
"I'll go and speak to the Watcher, if he's up," Bain said. "He'll want to know you're okay."
I nodded and waited until both guys were out of sight before I stripped and dropped my clothes on the floor. Someone had taken off my boots and socks, thank Hades. I wasn't sure if I could manage to pull those off without sitting on the floor. If I did that, I might not get up again.
I stepped into the bath and sank into the water. It was deliciously hot and soothing to every muscle in my entire body. Except my clit. Was that a muscle? Whatever, it still wanted to be touched.
"I'm sorry, I'm all you've got," I said to it. I looked over my shoulder. Surely it wouldn't hurt if I got Knox's help with that? Just this once.
No, that wouldn't be fair to him if I did. I cared about him too much to lead him on, or let him fall for me. I had to protect myself, and that included my heart.
I closed my eyes and let the water wash away my cares, and the dust from the road. I exhaled just as something grabbed the top of my head and pushed me under the water.
My eyes snapped open and I struggled against whatever it was. Through the water, I could only make out a rippling figure standing beside the bath.
