“I love.”
A pleased smile quirked his lips as she stepped inside. He hadn’t just run her a bath; he’d orchestrated a whole relaxing atmosphere. All the overhead lights had been turned off. In their place was the soft, orangey glow from a dozen votive candles he’d placed around the room. A wicker stool had been pulled up next to the deep Jacuzzi tub she’d splurged on a year ago, the jets set on low and peacefully rippling the water. On the stool was a folded towel, a glass of iced sweet tea, and her favorite book. She spotted a neat pile of clothes sitting on the counter.
“It’s wonderful, thank you.”
“I’ll leave you to it, then,” he said as he gently closed the door.
After she stripped off her PJs, she sank into the tub, letting the jets soothe the remaining soreness from her muscles.
She groaned softly. What she really could go for was another of his massages, but this time for her arms and legs.
She could ask for one… Tommy would give her another massage in a heartbeat.
But no. As tempting as it was, the torture of having his hands on her again wouldn’t be worth it.
Better, instead, to let the jets dissolve as much of the tension as they could. She reached for her book to read while they worked their magic. She’d gotten about twenty minutes in when the bathroom door opened.
She froze as Tommy stepped in without a second’s hesitation, crowding the small area with his massive body, overwhelming the space with his mere presence.
And making her extremely aware that she was naked under the rippling water and bubbles. “Hey! W-What are you doing in here?” She floated her arms to strategic positions over herself.
He held up a pink bucket—the bucket from the bathroom cabinet, full of her pedicure stuff. “Thought your feet would like to be pampered, too.”
A sweet thought, but probably still a bit much for her to try and do right now—she’d have to bend over to reach her toes.
“Oh. Sure. Thanks.” After a brief hesitation, she lifted a hand from the water, expecting him to pass the bucket to her.
He hiked a brow, cocking his head to the side. “You don’t think I’m letting you do it yourself, do you?”
She dropped her hand while his meaning sank in. “What?”
He perched on the side of the tub and casually dipped his hand into the water, as if testing the temperature. His palm slipped between her legs, high on her inner thigh.
Jerking away, she let out a shuddered gasp. “Hey!”
“Oops. Sorry about that.”
Her mouth parted.
He didn’t look the least bit sorry! If anything, he seemed to be enjoying the hell out of himself. What in the world was he doing?
All her thoughts scattered as his hand slid down her thigh, past her knee, over her calf to encircle her ankle, leaving a blazing trail from his touch.
Pivoting his body around to face her feet, he lifted one out of the water and cradled it in both hands, massaging his thumbs across the top, then kneading deep into her arch with his fingers. Closing her eyes, she relaxed a little, and softly moaned. God, it felt good.
“That’s right. Enjoy my touch.”
Her eyes opened and she stared at the white cotton T-shirt straining against the muscles of his back. Had he really said that? The words had been whispered, barely audible, but she swore that was what he’d said.
He rubbed deep again, pulling another appreciative moan from her. This time, she definitely did hear a growled, “Fuck,” under his breath.
A raging ache formed between her legs at the graphic word as her nipples instantly hardened into tight peaks. A very naughty side reared up. Watching him closely, she deliberately moaned this time, making the sound more breathless…and sexual. All massaging stopped on her foot as his spine stiffened. Then he worked his head back and forth, rolled his shoulders, and continued kneading into her arch.
He was trying to turn her on.
And there wasn’t another man in sight. No one he needed to put on a fake show for. The same desire she’d seen in him this morning had been as ripe in that growled “Fuck” as it had been in his eyes earlier today. Desire for her.
He did want her.
She didn’t need any damn kiss to confirm that. Didn’t need a moment of jealousy that pushed him to take her into his arms. There was absolutely no doubt that all she had to do was give him the go-ahead and Tommy would ravish her body the way she had dreamed about.
With the confirmation, emotions bombarded her from every direction. Fear, excitement…rampant uncertainty. But the one that stood out the most was how incredibly much she wanted this man. No matter what the consequences would be.
And that terrified her more than anything.
He switched to the other foot, giving that one the same treatment, coaxing more sounds from her— genuine sounds—as easily as he coaxed the tension from her muscles. And coaxed her to surrender to him and forget everything else.