CAGED (#3, of Crows and Thorns)

Chapter 76

Half an hour later, both of us had discarded our soaking wet underwear, and I left a trail of wet footprints across the carpet as I made my way back to the bathroom with the medical cooler Penn had delivered to my residence. Penn hadn't said anything about my attire, or lack of it, when I'd answered her knock on the door in just a towel hooked around my hips and water drizzling down my body, with the oaty scent of the soothing itch treatment wisping off my skin. I didn't offer an explanation either, but I figured she knew where both of us were and why, judging by the way she'd clamped her teeth down on her bottom lip to stop the smile when she'd turned to leave.

When I re-entered the bathroom, Nelle was submerged up to her neck in the milky water, covertly scratching away at her hip. She glanced over and her gaze slid eagerly over the medical cooler as I carried it to the vanity. "The antidote for poison oak, fresh from Lower House Simonis," I said, popping the cooler on the vanity's counter and opening the box up. Plucking the antidote out, I held the vial pinched between my fingers. The gummy liquid was the color of pomegranate flesh.

Nelle snatched the antidote out of the air when I tossed it to her. She quickly uncapped the vial and tipped her head back to swallow the concoction down. Her nose wrinkled and mouth puckered at its foul taste as she smacked her lips. She leaned over the side of the bath to offer back the empty vessel, and I placed it back inside the cooler, clicking it shut.

Unwinding the towel from my hips, I wandered over to the warming rack and hung it over the metal railing. Slipping back into the bath, my body stirred the water and buffered the tendrils of steam as I waded toward Nelle.

"Thank Skaldi and the Simonises" she breathed with relief, as the medicine boosted with magic worked its way through her system. Both of us watched in fascination as the rashes faded from her flesh until finally, it was just her natural honeyed skin glowing in the bathroom.

"Better?"

"So much better," she grinned.

I stood behind her and continued where we'd left off before Penn's arrival disturbed us. My fingers followed the grooves of her spine and I kneaded all the knotted stressed muscles.

Earlier, Nelle had removed her underthings and allowed me to lather her up with the special soap to help the itching, and I'd carefully glided the bar all over the curves of her soft body. Surprisingly, she'd surrendered completely, allowing me to gather up her long hair and froth it up with shampoo before she'd dipped back into the water to half-float, the blond locks fanning and whirling in the water, while I carefully dragged my fingers through the silky length, teasing out the suds. Afterward, I'd applied conditioner to her hair, and she'd pressed back, almost purring in contentment as I'd massaged her head until she'd become limp and compliant, sighing in pleasure. Then I'd twisted her hair into a crown and continued to knead down her neck, my fingers digging into the tight muscle in her shoulders.

Now, Nelle canted forward, her hands braced over the lip of the bath while I stood behind and massaged down her back. "Oh my gods... So good," she moaned, before urging me, "Lower... Yes, right there."