I smothered a grimace at Leoric's answer.

Work it out later? Strip down to nothing in front of a relative stranger? Jaw clenched, my eyes danced from the man, to the secret sanctuary, to the jagged maw of ice through which we'd come. Had the hole in the ice always looked like a gaping mouth full of teeth?

Chewing on my bottom lip, I turned back to look at Leoric, whom had himself stripped down to a loincloth and perched upon one of the stalagmites in a balancing pose. Lowering myself to sit on my knees on the furs, I watched him curiously, studying the pattern of his breathing, where he held his hands, the subtle twitches in the muscles of his foot and calf as he balanced on the tiny perch.

A blush came to my cheeks, a tingle racing down my spine. I felt warmer, softer, more...

Oh

The realisation hit me just as my strange host lost his footing and tumbled into the water. I had gasped, covering my face with my hands, as he emerged from the pool. As he spoke, I glanced back, but upon realising that he'd lost the last shred of clothing, hastily looked away again, a hand over my eyes.

"Oh... oh my goodness. I'm... sorry." I stammered nervously, "I didn't... see anything, I promise."

The pleasant blush had become a burning cringe of shame scrawled across my cheeks as my heart raced in my chest.

"M-maybe I should just go... I have a little gold back home... to compensate you for today..."