Sweet torment. He liked the sound of that. “Precisely.”
“Give me a cloth so I can cleanse myself.”
“You would have to drop your shroud to do that,” he pointed out. Please do.
“You could turn your head.”
“Or not.”
“Give me the damn cloth.”
He laughed and held the cloth away from her. “I like seeing the woman dew glistening on your curly hairs.” Come closer, my little bug. This spider would like to spin some more dew in you.
“I don’t have curly ... Oh, good gods, that is perverted.”
“Not even nearly.” He walked over to the bed and lowered himself to lie with his arms folded under his head.
“You look ridiculous,” she said.
“So do you.”
“I meant you look ridiculous because of that ... that thing standing up in the air.”
“Dost think so?” He gazed down at himself. It looked mighty impressive if you asked him.
“Surely you do not think it would fit.”
“I know it would fit.” Come closer, little bug, and I will show you how.
She shifted uneasily from foot to foot, probably wondering if she should run.
That would be a sight to titillate the jaded courtiers. A naked Varangian chasing a naked Viking princess down the halls. Mayhap we can try it later. Or not.
“There is still time to end this farce, Sidroc.”
Thor’s breath! She is still talking. “Only if you tell me your secrets.”
“I cannot. Not yet.”
He shrugged. In truth, he would rather have her than her secrets at the moment. “Come to bed, Drifa, and fulfill your bargain, or could it be you have some special entertainment planned for me?”
She made a snorting sound that should have been disgusting, but, on the contrary, was rather adorable. “Like what?”
He shrugged again. She made being a spider so easy. “Nude dancing. Nude acrobatics. Nude self-pleasuring.”
Her jaw dropped with each of his suggestions.
Hmmm. Those ideas sounded pretty good to him, if he did say so himself. Mayhap later.
Suddenly he reached out a long arm and yanked on the edge of her covering, thus causing her to lurch forward. He caught and lifted her all in one motion, ending up with her lying atop him, her shroud on the floor. “Got you!” he crowed.
She gasped and tried to squirm out of his embrace, to no avail, of course. Instead he adjusted her so that her breasts nestled in his chest hairs, and his favorite body part nestled in her nether hairs. A perfect fit, in his opinion.
He was caressing the soft skin of her back, from shoulders to buttocks, over and over.
A full-body shiver rippled over her.
He was fairly certain it was due to his touch and not distaste.