The Charmer

31

“I’m sorry, cousin,” Keilor answered politely, with just a touch of distance. “I’m afraid it would be only courteous of me to assist the other ladies as well.” He extended a hand to Rihlia while Urseya walked off, trying to hide her disappointment.

Much to Jasmine’s amazement, Rihlia took it.

“When in Rome,” she murmured, and hopped out of the pool with all speed. She jogged off to the falls.

Jasmine boggled at her.

Keilor looked at Jasmine. He extended his mud-dampened hand.

Jasmine slouched a little deeper into the muck. “Um, I think I’ll just hang out here for a while.”

Keilor c****d his head. “Is there some problem?”

She closed her eyes and jigged her head a little, arguing with herself. She decided to just tell him. “I’m naked.”

His voice deepened with amusement. “I had assumed as much.”

She swallowed. Suddenly nerve endings she’d sworn were fried began hopping. Yippee, I’m healed, she groaned silently. Talk about bad timing. “Where I come from we’re taught not to walk around n***d in public.” It sounded prissy, under the circumstances. It was obvious he was just being polite.

He raised a brow. “We’re hardly in public.”

“You’re the public,” she said, hoping he would take a hint before she managed to die of embarrassment. She risked a glance at the others. They were leaving. That did it. She was definitely staying put until someone came to rescue her. No way was she going anywhere near him covered in only a thin layer of mud.

He was silent a moment. “Has anyone spoken to you of the mud borer?” he asked gravely.

She looked at him as if he were insane. What was the man talking about?

“It’s about this long,” he measured a space of about nine inches between his index fingers, “and hollow, like an intestine. About that texture, and slimy as well.”

Jasmine shuddered. What nasty little creatures they had on this world!

He looked at the mud and then around at the manicured lawns. “Not that we’ve had any here in nearly a month,” he murmured, almost too softly to catch.

Jasmine gulped. He was pulling her leg, wasn’t he? He made to leave.

“Wait!” He looked at her inquiringly and she bit her lip, reluctant to play the fool, but… “So what does this mud borer do? Suck blood?” she said, attempting to joke.

Keilor frowned. “I thought no one had mentioned it.” He glanced at the smooth surface of the mud. “It is hatching season, but still…” He shrugged. “I wouldn’t worry about it.” He turned away.

He didn’t get three steps before she called urgently, “Wait!” There were little swirls in the viscous pool now and then, and sometimes she almost though she felt a brushing...like...a soft little body….

“Yiieee!” she yelped, and leapt out of the mud, splashing brown gunk everywhere. Hastily she backed away from the pool, actually forgetting for about five seconds that she was stark n***d.

He didn’t.

For all of five precious seconds Keilor could neither think nor move as his entire attention riveted to her gloriously mud slicked body.

She crossed her arms over her breasts and spun around, giving him her back.

It was every bit as enticing as her front had been. This was a body he would have wanted even without her charmer spice. With it… “Beautiful,” he murmured.

Her shoulders hunched. “Go away!”

Instead he moved beside her and offered his hand. She turned her back on him again, and he sighed. “This could get dull.”

With an exasperated breath, she spun around and marched towards the pool. It felt like the longest walk of her life. The water was waist deep, and she immediately sank down to her neck. The foaming water made a nice screen. “You’re a real jerk, you know that?”

He made himself comfortable on a small boulder beside the pool. “It seems you’ve said that to me before…near a tree, as I recall.”

She gaped at him, shocked he would bring that up. “I’ve probably called you that on more than one occasion. Difficult to remember them all.”

He gave her a slow, heated smile. “I remember everything about you.” His voice dropped an octave. “I remember the fire in your eyes as you first fought me. I’ve never been so challenged by a woman. You excited me.”

She looked down, unable to meet his eyes, but he could see the telltale rise and fall of her chest. “I can almost see the curves of your sweet body, and the way it twisted as you fought to deny my touch and your own passion.” She shuddered, and a ghost of a smile touched his lips. “I’ll never forget the fury in your eyes when I dressed you, denying us our release. I dream of it.”

She didn’t interrupt.

"I was cruel that night,” he admitted. “To both of us.” He waited until she chanced a look at him out of the corner of her eye. “I knew you’d claim yourself forced, that you’d fight us both until release and after. It was tempting to do it anyway.”

He reached out and released her hair from her twist. She stiffened as the mass tumbled softly down her back. His eyes were glowing golden with proof of his desire. His hand traced the curve of her ear. “Even now I know you feel it. Your trembling speaks for itself.”

She pulled away. “I’m not a dog, Keilor. I don’t do tricks, and I won’t lie down on command.” Her jaw clenched. “Nor will I be petted by whoever takes it into their head to play with me.”

He let his hand fall. “You think I play with you?”

“I’ve seen you with Urseya. Tell me you haven’t played this game before.” She gave him a hard look.

He was silent too long.

She’d expected as much. “What is it excites men like you, huh? The thrill of the chase? Some stupid male need to stalk and conquer?”

His eyes narrowed, but she didn’t care. “Save it for someone who appreciates it.” Her gaze swept past him and focused on Rihlia, who stood at the end of the path. “I’ll be right there,” she called. Without sparing him a glance, she exited the pool. She passed very close, and unwittingly teased him with the scent of charmer desire.

His hand shot out to grip her upper thigh, uncaring of who watched. She jerked to a halt with a gasp.

His gaze traveled slowly to hers. “Tell Rihlia to leave, Dragonfly. Give me one minute to prove to you this is one hunter you wish to be caught by.” She trembled, and he knew she was tempted.