Chapter 28: XXVIII. Shameful Gratification

Her wet hair clung to her face, dripping onto her clothes.

A thin, long sleeved shirt was all Agnar had given her. She shivered, not even the heat from the fire enough to warm her from the cold. Not enough to shield her from her shame.

She shifted toward the bed the moment Agnar stood from it. He reached behind him, pulling his shirt over his head before throwing it to the ground.

Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes travelling down the length of his torso. Tan and chiseled muscles covered him, playing with the light and dancing shadows.

She gripped the hem of the shirt, dropping herself on the edge of the bed and looking toward the fire when he began to remove his pants. Her breaths shook with every inhale and exhale and her stomach swam in sour swirls.

With her eyes closed, she fought to calm her breathing. She thought of Eksel breaking down the door and saving her. She thought of marrying him instead of the man before her.

The water sloshed in the basin as he dropped himself in and Elva swallowed the lump in her throat. She pressed her legs together and tightened her arms around her torso.

“Elva,” His voice was low, but deep.

She pressed her lips together, her stomach still twisting in painful spirals. The last thing she wanted to do was look at him. She already felt as if she had betrayed Eksel.

She was already loosing that thin thread that held on to her sanity.

“Elva,” He quipped.

His tone had her finally looking away from the fire and toward him. She inhaled sharply when she saw that he held out the soap toward her.

He wanted her to wash him.

She hugged herself tighter, shifting her eyes across the room.

His breath turned heavy enough for her to hear it clearly and when she fixed her gaze on him again, he was glowering at her. His eyes were cold and sharp while his nostrils flared impatiently.

With one quick shift of his gaze to the soap, Elva knew she had to listen. With a quivering breath she stood from the bed and dragged her feet as she made her way to him.

He lifted his gaze, watching her as she neared him, his eyes turning languid with heat.

She took what he offered and lowered herself to her knees. He leaned back into the basin, laying his arms on the edge of the metal tub.

Elva avoided his gaze. Avoided the space between his legs and focused on his chest. The soap lathered between her fingers as she began to rub them against his skin.

He hummed to himself as she worked, trailing his fingers through her wet hair. Elva felt the tickle in her scalp, but schooled her expression, determined not to give him the satisfaction.

The only sound in the room was the trickle of the water as it fell down his body and the crackling of the fire. It made Elva too aware of her heavy breath.

His fingers brushed her heightened skin, down her arm, down her torso. Her breath caught in her throat when he pressed his fingers to her waist.

“So beautiful,” He muttered.

She stilled, recoiling back when his fingers grazed the skin on her thigh.

“Wh-what are you doing?” She whispered, though she still refused to lift her eyes to his.

As she began to push against the edge of the basin he gripped her wrist, pulling her hand back against his chest.

“Keep washing,” He grunted.

His hand kept tracing circles on her thigh and she shuddered against him. She focused on the soap she lathered on his skin, dipping her hands in the water to run it over him.

Her vision blurred with tears, enough so that she could imagine that it was Eksel that touched her. She remembered how her body lit on fire for him, remembered his soft lips against hers.

Her lungs constricted when he caressed the inside of her thigh, climbing higher. She tried to pull back, but he only gripped her wrist tighter, pulling her closer.

She burned for oxygen, but the shock had her frozen. He pressed his fingers to her lips, parting them with a devious smile on his lips.

“Keep washing,” He whispered.

A whimper left her lips but she began to lather the soap on his arms.

He traced the inside of her lips, growling in his chest when she attempted to close her legs.

“Please,” She begged him to stop.

Agnar inhaled deeply, mistaking her pleas as her urging him to continue. He assumed she would not deny herself the pleasure.

He pressed the pad of his finger against her clit.

Her breath shook, her hands halting for a second before she continued cleaning his arms. She could feel his burning gaze on her face, but she refused to look at him.

Shame burned through her. Her body was reacting in ways she did not want it to. In ways she thought were only reserved for Eksel.

His muscles tensed and he circled her clit, increasing the pressure.

She closed her eyes tightly, her nostrils flaring. Her body shook with a wave of pleasure and she begged for control. The feeling was unwelcome, no matter how good it felt.

She held her breath, hoping the ache and pain in her chest would be enough to stop the increasing gratification between her legs.

Her breath turned shallow, her hands stilling against his chest.

He pressed another finger to her entrance, teasing her. She jerked, pressing herself to the basin and struggling for control.

She was on the edge, about to topple over.

“Please,” She whispered between labored breaths.

Agnar smirked, “Please what?”

She snapped her eyes open, peering at him, hoping for an ounce of compassion.

“Please, don’t,” She whispered.

His gaze hardened, his fingers pausing over her pulsing clit.

Rage filtered through his eyes, “You want me to stop?”

She swallowed, “Yes.”

He circled his finger once, she shifted in response.

“This is your first,” He mused.

Humiliation crawled up her chest in the form of a blush. Was it so obvious that she had never felt the heights pleasure at the hands of a man?

Maybe if she were more experienced, she would not have allowed herself to be in such a vulnerable position.

With his other hand, he trailed a finger down her neck. He pushed down the collar of his shirt until it fell down her shoulder.

His eyes fluttered down to her now exposed breasts, fixated on the beautiful brown crowns that adorned them.

She shuddered, ready to pull herself away when he gripped her wrists, tight. He held them together even as she struggled, even as she tried to pull away.

He continued his ministrations, rubbing her clit with increasing strength.

“Stop!” She yelled.

But he only pulled her closer to him pressing his nose to her cheek, breathing into her ear.

He circled her clit, sending waves through her body. She trembled in his hold, attempting to pull away, but his hold on her was tight enough to burn her skin.

“You will give this to me,” He snarled.

She inhaled loudly, brokenly, a sob playing at the back of her throat. She could feel the building pressure in the bottom of her stomach.

It ached and she begged her body not to fall victim to its spell. It pushed and pulled against her insides until her muscles could only react to the increasing pleasure.

She bucked against him.

“No! Please,” She begged.

But nothing could stop the onslaught of nerve-firing ripples that fluttered through her. She tensed, a groan escaping her lips as her body fell into his.

He hissed, slowing the movement of his fingers, feeling her juices coating his skin.

Her breath turned into hallow pants, and he slowly released his hold on her wrists. She let herself fall to the ground and quickly thrusted herself as far away from him as she could muster.

She gripped the hem of her shirt and pushed it between legs, covering herself to try and dim the pulse that still throbbed there.

He chuckled deeply from his spot and Elva looked at him with disdain in her eyes.

He only smiled at her and brought his finger to his lips.

“Delicious,” He murmured, painting his fingers with her juices before licking them.

Elva’s lips trembled as she watched him, tears streaming down her face.

He stood from the basin, water dripping down his body. He made no attempt to cover himself, forcing Elva to snap her gaze away, unwilling to look at his naked form.

“No!” She screamed, trying to crawl away as his shadow loomed closer to her.

She flailed her arms and kicked her legs when he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her against his chest. He walked them over to the bed, placing her down gently before crawling in behind her.

She gripped the edge of the bed, attempting to pull herself away from him but he wrapped his arm around her waist like a steel band, pressing her to him.

He pressed soft kissed to the back of her neck and she quietly sobbed into her hand.