Chapter 38: 38__Dirty thoughts

Walking through the pretty village with Harald was much more pleasant and much less daunting than it had been when she’d woken up earlier. The village was more alive now that people had returned to their homes. With Harald beside her, she got many waves and smiles from the children who had earlier bolted away from her.

It was a wholesome place to be and, feeling the warmth she received from the people, Amethyst couldn’t ignore the dark trepidation she felt when she tried to imagine the kind of horrors these kind people had faced.

“Here!” Harald chirped, cutting her thoughts short.

Amie looked to her left and saw a brown, stone house with a neat green lawn. “Gunnar’s?”

“Right.” Harald casually threw open the gate and strode up to the house. Amethyst expected him to knock, but he simply burst into the place.

A moment later, he screeched and came flying out.

“Bloody hell, Gunnar!” he complained, picking himself off the ground as Gunn came to the doorway.

“We’ve spoken about barging in like that, Harry,” he grumbled, looking flatly at Harald.

“I had a reason this time!”

Gunnar spotted Amie and drowsily raised a brow. “Oh? Hello.”

“Hi, Gunnar,” she said, coming a little closer. “Sorry, were you asleep?”

“It’s okay, I need to shower first anyway. What’s the matter?”

“She needs somewhere to freshen up,” Harald offered.

“Riona—”

“Rye’s using her place right now, we need somewhere else. Come on, lend a hand. They say ‘We live a living by what we give and we make a life by what we get!’”

Gunn blinked puzzledly at Harald as Amie bit back a snort at the boy’s incorrect quote. “Sorry to bother you, Gunnar. We just thought we’d check if your place was available, we’ll go elsewhere.”

“What about Steel’s place?”

Harald sniffed. “If you’re here, then his place is occupied for sure.”

“So? He’s asleep, she can bathe while he sleeps.”

Amie’s eyes went wide and she exchanged looks with Harald.

“Won’t Steel get mad?” Harald seemed unsure.

Gunnar scoffed. “As if he’ll wake up quickly enough to know. And even if he does… so what?” Humour played carelessly in his brown eyes. “Take Amie over, let her freshen up.”

Thinking it over for a moment, Harald finally shrugged and cheerfully took Amie’s arm. “Off we go, me lady!”

They carried on through the village and, not too far from Gunnar’s, they came to a house perched high on a rocky elevation. Much like Riona’s, there were stone steps in a zigging order along the small hill leading up to the place.

Taking her up to the front door, Harald wheezed and waved her tiredly inside. “Go on, now. I’ll dip down to see Jonno and them, I’ll be back soon.”

Without waiting for her answer, he trudged back down the stairs.

She looked up at the narrow, double-story stone house and sighed at the upstairs window she assumed was his bedroom. She could admit to herself that she was glad she’d be using Thoran’s place. Ironically, she was most comfortable with him.

Quietly, she made her way inside.

The house was simple, but she could tell that even the armchair and rug by his living room fireplace had been placed there by someone else. Someone who cared about his taste, considering how well the giant, black armchair suited Thoran. She suddenly wondered if that someone was Riona.

Waving away the useless thoughts, she went past the kitchen and crept slowly up the stairs. She had to find his bathroom.

She found it upstairs but, wrecked with useless curiosity, she decided to peek into his bedroom first.

It was dark and she blinked to adjust her vision, trying to spot him in the giant bed. Finally, she saw his form, making out that he had an arm thrown over his face. Her gaze dipped and fell right on the hilly bumps of his chest muscles.

She whipped her head out of the room, eyes wide. Did he sleep naked?! Not wanting to find out, she carefully closed the door. Her heart was hammering at the mere thought of it, she wouldn’t risk catching a glimpse of anything she couldn’t handle.

Her throat dried, her mind’s eye suddenly browsing through different images of what he could possibly look like under the covers. With a harsh smack on the side of her head, she snapped herself out of it. How improper she was to try and imagine what his body looked like. The hard planes of his chest were none of her business! Neither were the carved muscles of his torso, the powerful trunks of his legs… the thick meat between his thighs—

Amie gasped. Appalled at her own thoughts, she covered her mouth with both hands, frozen in place. How could she have allowed such an image into her head? That was too much, even for her romance novel-tainted mind!

With spots of red on her cheeks, she marched herself into the bathroom and shut the door. Her thoughts were under strict control as she undressed and turned on the shower tap, waiting for the water to heat. Unlike his bedroom, the bathroom was brightly lit, a window allowing natural light to fall on the shower, sink and toilet so they sparkled.

She took a strap from the waist of the trousers she’d worn and used it to tie her gem against her neck. She could easily wash beneath the cloth and still keep her gem attached to her. Occupied with the gem, she momentarily avoided any untoward thoughts.

Sadly, the moment she was naked in the shower, her undisciplined mind strayed once more. Why, she couldn’t help it, could she? Not when she was standing in the very place he’d been naked countless times.

With much effort, she dragged her thoughts back to the side of propriety and dignity. To think that she had never even gone as far as a kiss and yet she had thoughts so unclean. The only difference between a seasoned wanton and her, right now, was practical experience.

She was halfway through washing her hair when she recalled the thought about her lack of experience in kissing. An uneasy feeling filled her chest.

Unable to figure out exactly why she was feeling so edgy, she went through the rest of her shower.

She finished and opened the bag that had been prepared for her. Oddly, there were only undergarments in there. However, they were pretty, white and frilly, as girly as girly could be. The brassier cupped her breasts perfectly, lifting them in a way that made Amie blink at her own chest.

With a glance at her clothes, she quickly decided she didn’t want to put them on again.

They were dirty, stained by her journey in them as well as the fight she’d had with the physician, it made her shudder to think of putting them on her clean skin.

There was no other way. Thoran would have to provide her something clean to wear. Putting her fur slippers and cloak back on, she trudged quietly out of the bathroom.

The darkness of his bedroom welcomed her once more, beckoning her inside and making her hesitate at the same time. She bit her lip, quietly sneaking in. Once inside, her eyes could better adjust to the darkness and she was able to see Thoran better. He was still on his back, his arm draped over his eyes and the other stretched out beside him.

She clutched her cloak together, halting when she lowered her gaze from his face and trailed it down his torso. Had she been right? Did he really sleep naked? With one hand, she covered her own mouth. His bed covers were low on his body, pooled around his hips. Low enough to make her suspect he was bare beneath them but not low enough to confirm her suspicions.

She whipped her gaze away. This was ridiculous. She’d come here with the innocent goal of stealing his clothes, ogling the man wasn’t a part of that.

Resolutely, she turned in the direction of what appeared to be a closet. Sneaking over, she gently pulled on the handles, but the doors didn’t open. Frowning, she jerked them harder, earning herself a *clang* sound.

Alarmed, she looked back at Thoran. He didn’t move. With a sigh of relief, she weakened against the closet doors. Why on earth did he lock his clothes away? She just wanted a shirt she could pass for a dress, darn it. There had to be a key.

Sighing, she looked around and spotted the bedside table and it’s two drawers. She didn’t think twice.

Hurrying over on silent feet, she dropped to her knees and reached for the first drawer.

A hand grabbed her wrist.

Amie squeaked, nearly jumping out of her skin. He was awake?! Horror!

The arm Thoran had stretched out beside him had easily reached her and he had her firmly in his grasp. With a heavy exhale, he shifted his other arm off his face and tugged on her hand.

“What are you doing?” he grumbled.