7. Bambi

CHAPTER 7

BAMBI

The door clicks shut behind Braith and the boys, leaving Olwydd and me alone in his cave. The sudden quiet is almost deafening after the chaos of cleaning up the kitchen disaster and eating a takeout dinner with three rambunctious Sasquatch kids.

"So..." Olwydd drawls, rocking on his heels.

"So..." I echo, suddenly fascinated by a spot on the floor.

We stand there like two awkward teenagers at a school dance, until Olwydd gestures to the couch. "Wanna sit?"

I nod, grateful for the suggestion. We plop down on opposite ends, the space between us a no-man's land of unspoken words and sudden sexual tension.

"Your sister seems nice," I offer, trying to break the awkward silence as we settle onto his couch.

Olwydd nods, a fond smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, she's pretty great. Don't tell her I said that, though. I've got a reputation to maintain."

I can't help but chuckle, remembering the playful banter between the siblings when she arrived to pick up her sons. Despite needling one another, it's clear they love each other.

"She's a good mom, too," I add, thinking of how Braith handled the boys. "And those kids of hers are something else."

"They're little terrors," Olwydd grins, his pride evident, "but yeah, they're pretty awesome."

There's a moment of comfortable silence, and then he asks, "Do you want kids?"

And just like that a grenade is lobbed into our cozy little moment. Do I want kids? I did. Once upon a time, absolutely. I dreamed of a house full of laughter, tiny feet pattering on hardwood floors, bedtime stories, and sticky kisses. But then… Then came the scandal, and those dreams shattered like a champagne flute at a Greek wedding.

I swallow hard, pushing away the memories of parents pulling their children away from me on the sidewalk and in grocery store aisles loudly whispering, "HOME WRECKER" and "JEZEBEL".

Olwydd's brow furrows, concern etching itself across his features. "Hey, I didn't mean to upset you. We don't have to talk about?—"

"No, it's okay," I interrupt, forcing a smile. "It's just...complicated."

He nods, not pushing further, and I'm grateful for that. But now my mind is whirling. Possibilities I'd long since buried start to resurface. I'm not in that version of reality anymore. Olwydd doesn't know about my past. None of the Sasquatches do, thank god. He sees me as a good person—as the good person I want to be. I could put that all of my messy past behind me if I stayed here and… Whoa there, Bambi. Pump those brakes. We're barely at first base, and you're already planning the lineup?

I realize I've been quiet too long when Olwydd shifts uncomfortably.

What do I do now? Should I leave? I should probably leave. It's getting late, and I've got class in the morning. But... I don't want to go.

What is it you want, Bambi?

I look up and my eyes lock with Olwydd's. A tingle runs through my system like a jolt of electricity and Kiki's words from earlier echo in my head: "Why not? You're here. The opportunity is in front of you."

She does have a point. Why not?

Then Kiki's voice pipes up again in my mind. "Sasquatch sex is out of this world, I'm tellin' ya."

Oh, to hell with it.

Before my cautious side can talk me out of it, I launch myself across the couch at Olwydd. Our lips meet in a clash of surprise and sexual longing. For a moment, he's frozen, and I worry I've made a horrible mistake. Then his arms wrap around me, pulling me closer, and oh boy. Sasquatches run hot, apparently, because I feel like I'm melting into a puddle of goo.

The kiss deepens, and suddenly I'm straddling his lap, my fingers tangled in his silky fur. It's softer than I expected, like petting a giant, heavily-muscled and very powerfully built teddy bear. A very enthusiastic teddy bear, if the growing hardness beneath me is any indication.

I break away, gasping for air. "Wow," I manage to squeak out because really thee are no words for what I just experienced. That was the hottest kiss ever.

Olwydd grins, looking dazed and delighted. "Wow indeed."

That's when I notice a faint red glow emanating from...down there. A humming accompanies it. "Um, Olwydd? You're... glowing."

He glances down, then back up at me, his grin widening without a hint of embarrassment. "Yes. It's my soulstone."

I blink. "You're what now?"

"My soulstone," he repeats, as if that explains everything. "It's glowing because of you."

Wow, so their penises glow. I did not expect that.

"Because of me?" I smile seductively.

How long has it been since I've smiled seductively? How long has it been since I've felt safe enough to unleash my womanly wiles? Too long. Far too long. And I do feel safe with Olwydd. It feels good. So I continue my seduction.

"You mean...because I turn you on?" Careful to avoid his fangs, I take his bottom lip between my teeth and suck on it. He groans and I almost shout with glee when his soulstone hums louder. "Because I get you hot? Is that why?"

"Partly," he chokes out, his breath coming in pants. "Mostly it's singing because you're my true fated mate."

"Mate?" There's that word again. Olwydd's looking at me like I'm the sun in his sky.

"My soulmate."

Oh boy. Here he goes with the excessive flirting again. I don't hate it, I really don't. But soulmates? That's a little over the top, even for him. It's part of his charm, though, and I'm flattered. There's an earnestness in his eyes that sets off butterflies in my stomach.

I have to look. I keep a hold of him as I maneuver myself off his lap so I can surreptitiously glance down and—holy heaven on earth, his dick is enormous. I mean, I didn't think it would be small. I didn't really think about it at all, to be honest. But it makes sense. He's nearly eight feet tall, so of course his dick would be proportional. And it's not only glowing… It's VIbrATING!

Heat rushes to my cheeks, and again Kiki's words run through my mind: "Sasquatch sex is out of this world, I'm tellin' ya."

Well. This certainly explains the secretive little smirk she always gets when talking about sex with Gruffydd. She just never mentioned the vibrating.

"You like what you see?" I meet Olwydd's amused gaze. Oh, shit, how long have I been staring at his cock?

I want to be all cool and cavalier and say something like, "I've seen bigger" or "I've seen better" but both would be complete lies.

I clear my throat, trying to regain some composure. "I'm just not familiar with…soulstones."

"Well, the way it works is?—"

I cut him off with a finger to his lips. "Sasquatch biology lessons can wait. Right now, I'm more interested in some hands-on learning."