After Ragnar placed her upon the thick fur rug spread before the hearth, the warmth from the flames curling gently around her chilled skin, she felt him pull away. A minute later, he returned with a soft linen cloth. Kneeling behind her, he began to pat her damp hair, carefully soaking up the excess water from the heavy strands so they would dry more quickly.
The slow movement of the cloth against her scalp was unexpectedly soothing. It coaxed a quiet sigh from her lips, and her eyes fluttered shut for a fleeting moment as she surrendered to the sensation.
She remembered reading something strikingly similar in one of Mina's books, and the memory alone sent a blush creeping up her neck and warming her cheeks. In that scene, the two lovers had sat naked before a hearth much like this one. Yet instead of dutifully drying his lover's hair, the male lead had allowed his hands to wander freely over her body, tracing indulgent paths of desire.
