male, or a more awkward one.
Yet, he wasn’t awkward when he was in scientist mode. The intelligence and assurance he’d displayed proved attractive.
Which made no sense.
Amazons prized males for their virility. Strong men made strong babies. Thing was they weren’t much fun to talk to. Apart from a handful—who annoyingly enough had wives or partners—she rarely met a man who not only boasted physical strength but also a modicum of intelligence. Or at least enough wits to verbally spar with her.
While she might tease Adexios about the fact he liked to read, the truth was she read in secret too. Secret because her friends would make fun.
She knew what Luddite meant, and she’d spotted all the same things he had when they came across the puddles, but she didn’t mention it aloud. Why not? Of all people, he was the least likely to make fun of her for geeking out, and yet a lifetime spent pretending she was just a dumb warrior stuck.
She liked it that way. It gave her the element of surprise, and that, in turn, helped her win more fights.
But Adexios isn’t a fight. He’s a man. A wiry, smart, very well-endowed man who was like nobody she’d ever met.
He was also the only man to not try and seduce her when she made her intentions clear. The only man to not toss her on a table and give her five minutes of fun. The only man to treat her with respect.
What a jerk.
What a challenge.
I’ll teach you to ignore me.
Chapter Eight
“Distraction and dereliction might earn points with Lucifer, but on the Styx, it could get you swallowed and digested for centuries.” As preached by his father the first time Adexios got eaten by a sea beast while reading a book.
Why is she so hard to ignore?
The question plagued Adexios as he feigned sleep in the extremely comfortable bed, more comfortable than his own, he should add. He would really have to think about perhaps breaking the lease on his apartment and finding a permanent spot to park his cabin once this was all over.
If he survived. And by survived he didn’t mean the mission. He meant the torture of being around Valaska.
The woman was crazy. Utterly fearless. Absolutely splendid, and scarier than the fucking abyss.
She teased him at every turn, had even invited him to take a taste. Yet, he couldn’t. Wouldn’t. Not because he didn’t want to. I definitely want her. But because he feared what would happen if he did.
He couldn’t shake a nagging belief that an erotic moment with her would ruin him for all others. A foolish thought with absolutely no basis. He’d had sex before and knew it felt good. But given his intense attraction to Valaska, he could almost predict sex with her would scream past good to mind-blowing.
And his mind was the only thing he had going for him.
Given his restlessness, which he didn’t understand since his body was quite tired, he fell back on a trick he’d used as a child to relax himself. He counted things.
One. One stupid mission.
Two. Two days since he’d met her.
Three. Three minutes since he’d crawled into bed.
Four. Four-eyed geek who kicked ass—at Scrabble.
Five. Five fingers to jerk off with. Or was that four because of his thumb.
Six. Six skip ahead to nine because, combined, that led to lots of fun.
Back to seven. Seven thrusts to make him come.
Eight. Eight fucking hours until dawn.
Nine. Hanging with six still being sixty-nines were fun for everyone.
Ten. Ten could fuck itself. This wasn’t working. He was now officially even more wound up than before. Hyperawareness sucked, especially if you wanted to get out of bed and find a snack.
Except he didn’t know what Valaska was doing. He’d taken the bed, leaving her the couch—again, showing his support of women’s lib and treating her like an equal. Despite listening intently, he’d not heard the groan of furniture as she lay upon it. He’d not heard a damned thing since he stalked off to bed.
What is she up to?
The cabin proved awfully
Yet, he wasn’t awkward when he was in scientist mode. The intelligence and assurance he’d displayed proved attractive.
Which made no sense.
Amazons prized males for their virility. Strong men made strong babies. Thing was they weren’t much fun to talk to. Apart from a handful—who annoyingly enough had wives or partners—she rarely met a man who not only boasted physical strength but also a modicum of intelligence. Or at least enough wits to verbally spar with her.
While she might tease Adexios about the fact he liked to read, the truth was she read in secret too. Secret because her friends would make fun.
She knew what Luddite meant, and she’d spotted all the same things he had when they came across the puddles, but she didn’t mention it aloud. Why not? Of all people, he was the least likely to make fun of her for geeking out, and yet a lifetime spent pretending she was just a dumb warrior stuck.
She liked it that way. It gave her the element of surprise, and that, in turn, helped her win more fights.
But Adexios isn’t a fight. He’s a man. A wiry, smart, very well-endowed man who was like nobody she’d ever met.
He was also the only man to not try and seduce her when she made her intentions clear. The only man to not toss her on a table and give her five minutes of fun. The only man to treat her with respect.
What a jerk.
What a challenge.
I’ll teach you to ignore me.
Chapter Eight
“Distraction and dereliction might earn points with Lucifer, but on the Styx, it could get you swallowed and digested for centuries.” As preached by his father the first time Adexios got eaten by a sea beast while reading a book.
Why is she so hard to ignore?
The question plagued Adexios as he feigned sleep in the extremely comfortable bed, more comfortable than his own, he should add. He would really have to think about perhaps breaking the lease on his apartment and finding a permanent spot to park his cabin once this was all over.
If he survived. And by survived he didn’t mean the mission. He meant the torture of being around Valaska.
The woman was crazy. Utterly fearless. Absolutely splendid, and scarier than the fucking abyss.
She teased him at every turn, had even invited him to take a taste. Yet, he couldn’t. Wouldn’t. Not because he didn’t want to. I definitely want her. But because he feared what would happen if he did.
He couldn’t shake a nagging belief that an erotic moment with her would ruin him for all others. A foolish thought with absolutely no basis. He’d had sex before and knew it felt good. But given his intense attraction to Valaska, he could almost predict sex with her would scream past good to mind-blowing.
And his mind was the only thing he had going for him.
Given his restlessness, which he didn’t understand since his body was quite tired, he fell back on a trick he’d used as a child to relax himself. He counted things.
One. One stupid mission.
Two. Two days since he’d met her.
Three. Three minutes since he’d crawled into bed.
Four. Four-eyed geek who kicked ass—at Scrabble.
Five. Five fingers to jerk off with. Or was that four because of his thumb.
Six. Six skip ahead to nine because, combined, that led to lots of fun.
Back to seven. Seven thrusts to make him come.
Eight. Eight fucking hours until dawn.
Nine. Hanging with six still being sixty-nines were fun for everyone.
Ten. Ten could fuck itself. This wasn’t working. He was now officially even more wound up than before. Hyperawareness sucked, especially if you wanted to get out of bed and find a snack.
Except he didn’t know what Valaska was doing. He’d taken the bed, leaving her the couch—again, showing his support of women’s lib and treating her like an equal. Despite listening intently, he’d not heard the groan of furniture as she lay upon it. He’d not heard a damned thing since he stalked off to bed.
What is she up to?
The cabin proved awfully
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