Harwal, book 3

Chapter 17

"Want to fuck?" I ask. Harwal's expression doesn't budge as the words leave my lips, he just keeps staring. I squirm and wet my lips. "Is that a no? I-I mean it would be just sex. I won't blame you if you say no, you can say no—obviously, i-it's just something that came to my mind. Stress relief, you know? Surely you have sex for that too, right?"

"Are you asking for a bet?" Harwal asks.

"No!" I ball my eyes at him, horrified that he understood the girls making the bet if they could get him to bed. He's a much better person than I for not reacting to it. I wetten my lips again and watch keenly as he slightly shifts his position.

"Then why?"

I stare at his chunky arm resting on the table and bite my lip. "Honestly, it's been on my mind a bit," I say hoarsely, and then clear my throat. "It doesn't mean anything, just sex. I just want to clear my head."

"This is unexpected," he says, but his expression says otherwise. He definitely figured out where I was going with my barrage of questions.

"A quick five to ten minutes," I say and nudge my brow up. "Don't read too much into it, really."

Harwal stares at me silently for a while, and then he huffs through his nose, finding something amusing. I mean, I guess it's funny I'm asking for it when I've acted as I have. I suppose I shot my shot and that's that.

"Five to ten minutes," he repeats with a husky tone. "Is that how long humans fuck?"

I swallow hard, not sure what to say. I'm not about to explain quickies. "Just… a yes or no will suffice."

"You have gotten over your fear of me, and now you want to fuck," he states and rubs his cheek. "I'm not dense. I'm only trying to understand why the change."

I frown and squeeze my thighs together, trying to quench my want. He's really being difficult. "Do I have to explain myself to someone I just want to fuck?"

Harwal huffs again. "I'm curious."

"So was I," I mumble and roll my eyes. "Forget I even asked."

He tilts his head and leans towards me. He nudges my chin up with a finger and forces eye contact. "I want to know what changed."

I gasp as he captures my jaw and keeps me put. I don't hate it, I think. I would've thought any attempt at control would make me want to scream, but my insides clench so joyfully I want to moan at the touch.

"I… don't know. You've been so kind, I guess," I whisper, enchanted by his icy blues.

"Kind?" He repeats and narrows his eyes. "So you want to thank me with sex?"

"You can think of it however you want," I immediately say, not thinking for even a second. I grab his wrist, feeling the warm suave-like skin. I bite my lip and flutter my eyes at him. "If you need a dog, I can bark."

"A dog?" He says, and I realise what the hell I just said.

"You're really fucking up my brain right now," I mumble and press my fingers on his palm. "Just tell me if we're fucking or not. If we aren't, you need to let go of me."

A door bangs and we both jump in surprise, Harwal releases me and we turn to the sound. "Good morning," Grandma chirps, just out of her bedroom.

I bite my lips together and ball my eyes at the table. I forgot she's home.

"Why didn't you wake me? It's already ten in the morning," she continues and shuffles past us to the bathroom.

I squeeze my eyes shut and let out a stifled groan. God, what bad timing.