Page 67 of Theirs to Crave
Litha was exquisitely still. I couldn’t even see her breathing. The only thing that moved were her eyes, and they licked me all over.
Ohhhh, this was dangerousandstupid.
It felt fantastic.
I flipped my hair and bent to pick up my dropped sarong. It was a little awkward, since I was also arching my back and squeezing my boobs together with my elbows, but the strangled moan from the pool made it worth it.
When I rose, Litha was mere inches away. She let her gaze trail leisurely down my body. Humming, she raised her eyes to mine.
“Toum seh, Estrayuh,” she whispered.
I couldn’t look away from her dark honey eyes. Helplessly, I followed her into the pool—a part of me amazed that she backed in without slipping, tripping, or breaking eye contact, another part wishing I knew whattoum sehmeant—letting her position me on a ledge like an eager puppet.
Yep, dangerous and stupid. I was too horny for femme fatale games.
We soaked for a while, none of us talking. My muscles relaxed, aches loosening, but my tension just ratcheted higher. The damned Teterayuh keptpettingeach other. Sweet, simple caresses, nothing overtly sexual. Nothing I hadn’t seen every day since we got here—they were a physically affectionate people.
But after their reaction to my little strip show, I was feelingstimulated, and watching languid fingers trailing over wet, glistening bodies had me squirming. What would they do, I wondered, if I slipped a hand below the water, and...
Okay! Time for a distraction.
I flailed about for something to focus on. A strand of my hair caught my eye, curling in the eddying water. Grasping it—literally and figuratively—with both hands, I started picking out the knots.
My hair—which had been my crowning glory—was in pretty bad shape. It needed a trim and a full wash day routine with the heavy-duty hair mask, and that was just to start. The curl pattern was a mess. It was frizzy from the humidity. And with only my fingers, I couldn’t keep it untangled to save my life. I thought longingly of my wide toothed comb, diffuser, and the painstakingly collected army of sweet-smelling products that had filled my bathroom back home.
“Khah hellt?” Zafett asked, huskily.
Was he really offering to help me untangle my hair? I looked up, and my jaw dropped. He was holding acomb! A real comb, carved from deep jade-colored wood, and a pair of clay pots. I nodded so hard my face jiggled. “Het! Het! Relyat!”
I reached out, but he pulled the comb away. I tried again, and he swatted my hand with his tail. “What the hell, Zafett?”
“Ra hellt,” he growled, emphasizing the first word. “Ihelp.” He looked offended, wildly enough.
“Oookay...” My eyebrows furrowed, but I dropped my hands. How was this supposed to work?
Zafett nodded, satisfied. He set the glorious comb on the rim between our pool and the one above, then plucked me out of the water as if I weighed nothing at all, setting me back down in the higher pool.
“Zafett!” I cried, laughing.
He grinned, his tail high, and tilted his head to the side.
Litha climbed up beside me and turned around, leaning her head on the rim of the pool. Revik began unbraiding her hair with swift, practiced fingers, and the lightbulb went off.
I flipped around so fast the water sloshed, moaning unashamedly when Zafett started massaging my scalp.
His fingers paused for a split second, then he spoiled me.
I’d appreciated their shiny, silky fur. And last night, in their bed, I’d noticed howgoodthey smelled. I hadn’t really thought about what that might mean as far as bathing went.
The Teterayuh were serious about self-care.
Zafett slathered my hair with something that smelled like guava with a hint of freshly cut lumber before carefully working the knots and tangles free and combing it thoroughly. After rinsing, he washed it withsetkuhsoap, then did the guava wood and comb routine again before rinsing it a final time.
I wrapped a soft curl around my finger, wonder and gratitude making me feel like I was glowing.
There was some shifting around, then Zafett was beside me with Litha’s fingers massaging his scalp. I turned to find Revik below, arms outstretched.
Whatever you want, Daddy.