Lauren crossed to the counter at the far end of the room and began removing her earrings. His gaze was affixed as tightly as a bumper sticker to her perfect ass and those long, shapely legs.
It was hard to believe he was enjoying this view again. He wouldn’t take it for granted, that was for damn sure.
When she bent over to zip the jewelry away in a case, he couldn’t hold in a sharp intake of breath. Lifting her chin, she spied him in the mirror. Her serious expression suggested she knew exactly what effect she was having on him.
Holding his gaze, she reached behind herself for the clasp of her bra. When it released, she dropped it onto the counter. Then she stared right at him in the mirror as she lifted two hands to cup her own breasts. Her thumbs circled her rosy nipples, and Mike heard himself grunt with longing. “Killing me,” he rasped.
“Like you don’t deserve it?” Her smile was at once sweet and wicked.
“What else do I deserve?”
Her eyes widened slightly, and pink stained her cheeks. They used to torture each other regularly, but tonight they were both out of practice.
“Show me,” he begged.
She tweaked her own nipples, and then her lips parted softly and she let out a little mewl. He wanted to lurch out of the tub, cross the room and force his tongue into her mouth. But he stayed put in the tub, even as his hand slid onto his dick. Patience was a virtue, and all that.
Lauren tipped her chin up toward the ceiling. Then she slid her hands down her soft skin until they reached the tiny strings holding her thong aloft. With a flick, she sent that scrap of clothing to the floor.
“Come here,” he growled as a tiny triangle of sandy-colored hair appeared between her legs. “Please,” he added, softening his tone, if not his cock. He was so hard it hurt.
Lauren raised her eyes to give him a hot look. Then—praise Jesus—she moved to the opposite end of the big tub and slipped a leg over the side, sinking into the water opposite him. Dainty feet nudged his aside, scouting for a place to rest. She slipped an elastic band off her wrist and wrapped her hair into a knot at the top of her head and then leaned back, exposing her neck as she made herself comfortable. Water droplets clung to the valley between her breasts, and he wanted to lick them off.
Soon, he promised himself. Don’t rush.
Right. Tell that to his dick.
“Here, sweetheart.” He passed her a wineglass. “I meant this to be relaxing.”
She took the champagne and had a sip. “Are you relaxed?”
“Fuck no,” he growled, and she smiled. Mike lifted a hand to the panel on the wall and pushed the button that started up the jets. There was a rumble, and then the water began to course faster over his body. A warm current circled his groin, adding to the torture.
He took her ankle in his hand and squeezed. “You’re my happy thought, Lo. Thank you for being with me right now.”
She sipped her wine in silence, but the way she studied him wasn’t quiet. He felt her gaze like a physical touch as it roamed his shoulders and dropped to his pecs. When she looked up again, he was waiting, and their eyes locked. Giving him a guilty little smile, she drained her glass and set it on the ledge beside them.
“Come here, sweetheart.” He set down his own glass. “I need to kiss you.”
Her eyes dipped, and he could almost taste her hesitation. But slowly she sat up until her perfect nipples emerged from the churning water. He quietly died five times over as she leaned forward, toward his end of the tub.
Reaching for her slippery body, he tugged her onto his chest with a splash. They were nose to nose, her expression registering shock. Maybe she was surprised that they were finally naked together, or maybe she was only wondering whether that was his cock or a tire iron jabbing her in the belly. But he leaned in and kissed the question away—whatever it was.
The first taste of her was like coming home. Their lips slipped sweetly together with the assistance of both steam and familiarity. A bolt of lust shot down his spine as he licked into her mouth. He slanted his head and tasted her as slowly as he could manage. He wanted to do this right.
The first time they’d ever touched was fast and frantic. He hadn’t known how fragile their happiness was. Wiser now, he kissed her slowly and deeply. He would savor her. She deserved it.
They both did.
Lauren whimpered softly into his mouth. He let his hands trail slowly down her back. When he had both hands on her perfect little ass, it became difficult not to rush things. Pressing her slick body against his cock stirred something primal inside him. Mine, his next kiss said.
He paused to take a calming breath. “See?”
“See what?”
He brushed a thumb across her lips. “This feels right. We feel right. Whether it’s two years that passed or twenty-two, if I hold you in my arms it will always feel exactly right.” Under the water, he gave her bottom a slow caress, and felt her shiver in response. Then he captured her mouth in another eager kiss.
She didn’t argue. In fact, she wrapped sleek arms around his neck and sucked on his tongue. They rocked against one another, and she rose up to tease him, grazing her clit over his cockhead. Jesus fuck. They’d left all the awkwardness behind with their empty wineglasses. Things were escalating fast.
Yet they had all night.
Mike turned her in his lap, so that she was lying on her side. But he could still reach her mouth. Their kisses were bottomless, and the warm water caressed their naked skin everywhere.
It gave him ideas.
He clasped one of her silky knees in his hand and lifted. When he angled her body toward the jet, she gasped into their kiss. He didn’t touch her himself. He let the water tease and tease, while he took long pulls of her mouth.
“Mike,” she sobbed.
“I know,” he whispered in her ear. “You need me and you’re going to get me.”
“We need a c-condom,” she gasped.
“Okay,” he agreed. They used to go bare but maybe she wasn’t on the pill anymore. “Hang on.” He pivoted, depositing her into the tub and freeing himself to step out of the water. He yanked a towel off the rack so that he wouldn’t flood the place in his haste, but he barely slapped it around himself before striding into the living room.
The mini bar area on a cabinet shelf was quickly identified and ransacked. He found what he was looking for and tore the package open.
God bless luxury hotels.
He rolled the condom on then tossed his towel on the floor. Five seconds later he was pulling Lauren out of the tub, tossing another towel on the counter ledge in the bathroom and seating her on it.
This was the fussiest bathroom he’d ever seen. There were tufted stools for sitting at the counter, so he kicked one over in front of Lauren and sat on it. She was looking down at him, flushed everywhere from hot water and desire, her chest heaving.
He pushed her knees apart, leaned forward and ran his tongue up the center of her.