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“You’ve completely distracted me,” he said.
“I did nothing save sit here,” she said as primly as she could, given she was naked.
“That’s all it takes. You’re…potent.”
A feminine thrill such as she’d never known rushed through her. “If so, it’s because you’re…inspiring.”
“You’re distracting me again,” he said with a mock frown. “Do you want me to open the satchel or not?”
“I do.”
He turned his attention to the leather bundle. She suddenly detected the scent of roses, and seconds later he handed her a bouquet, the stems tied with a length of twine.
“Ethan, they’re beautiful,” she said, taking the offering and bringing it to her nose to breathe deeply. She ran her fingertips over the delicate petals of vivid red, buttery yellow, snowy white, and blush pink. “Such lovely colors. We only returned from our walk less than an hour ago. How did you manage to get these?”
“I cut them from the i
She looked at him over the top of her bouquet. “Roses are my favorite flower.”
“I know. Which is why I wanted you to have them.”
She dipped her chin, burying her face in the fragrant blooms, so he wouldn’t notice her bottom lip quivering or the fresh moisture threatening to spill from her eyes. “No one has ever brought me flowers,” she whispered. “Thank you, Ethan.”
“You’re welcome. You deserve to receive flowers every day.” He took the bouquet from her and set it on the floor. Then he reached out to once again draw a slow circle over her knee before his fingers dipped lower to glide sinuously down her calf. His heated gaze moved over her with the same lack of haste, and she marveled that he could make her feel as if she were on fire even while submerged in water. His attention lingered on her breasts and her nipples hardened under his intense regard. Sudden shyness assailed her and she made to cover herself, but he shook his head and captured both her hands in one of his, bringing them to his lips.
“Don’t hide from me, Cassie.” Each word was a heated breath against her skin. “Are you enjoying your bath?”
Warmth suffused her cheeks, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away from his compelling eyes. “It’s lovely.”
“From the moment I ordered it, I thought of you-naked and wet.”
His words acted like a spark to dry kindling, shooting fire straight to her womb. “From the moment I was naked and wet, I thought of you.”
Stark, raw hunger smoldered in his gaze, and Cassandra found herself wishing for a cool breeze. So this is what true desire feels like.
Without a word, he plucked the small bar of soap from atop the towel. After dipping the square in the water, he slowly worked a lather between his large hands. When they were coated with soap, he moved behind her. “Lean forward,” he instructed softly.
She did as he bid her, wrapping her arms around her upraised knees, her skin tingling in anticipation. At the first pass of his soap-slicked hands down her wet spine, she gasped, a soft sound that turned into a long purr of pleasure as he slowly kneaded every inch of her back. A sensation of warm relaxation suffused her, melting away years of tension, melting away everything except him, his hands stroking her, scooping warm water over her.
“Lean back, Cassie.”
With a soft sigh, she obeyed, resting her head against the curved lip of the tub. To her delight, he slowly lathered his way down first one arm, then the other, massaging each bit of her skin, each sensitive finger, reducing her to a breathless, boneless mass.
“That feels so…ummm…marvelous,” she said, her voice a husky sigh.
“Your skin is the softest thing I’ve ever touched,” he said, drizzling a handful of water over her upper arm.
“Your hands are the most magical thing I’ve ever felt.”
Once again he lathered his hands, this time working his way over her collarbones, his fingertips dipping into the hollows there and at the base of her throat before inching lower on her chest. When his hands slipped below the water to smooth over her breasts, she gasped, then arched into his touch. She watched his hands curve around her breasts, his thumbs glide over the aroused peaks that seemed to beg for his touch.
She arched again, this time raising her arms up and back to encircle his neck. Turning her head, she pressed a series of nibbling kisses along his jaw.
“You’re distracting me again,” he said, his hands descending to skim over her abdomen.
She sucked in a quick breath. “You’re driving me mad.”
His hands eased between her thighs, and he spread her legs as far apart as the confines of the tub allowed. “Do you want me to stop?”
“God, no,” she whispered against his lips. “Please, no.”
Her eyes slid closed, and with a pleasure-filled sigh she surrendered her inhibitions and allowed herself to simply feel-the desire to do so was something she’d never experienced with her husband. One of Ethan’s large hands skimmed back up to tease her breasts, while his other hand glided deeper beneath the warm water, between her splayed legs. At the first touch of his fingers over her feminine folds, they both groaned. His mouth settled over hers and he kissed her deeply, his tongue slowly mating with hers in a lazy rhythm that matched the leisurely caress of his fingers around her sensitive flesh.
She moaned into his mouth and shifted restlessly against his hand, wanting, needing more, with a growing desperation she’d never before experienced, one she couldn’t control. Her hands clutched at his shoulders, urging him to kiss her deeper as she raised her hips in silent plea for him to touch her deeper.
Yet when he slipped a finger inside her and gently stroked, it still wasn’t enough. She wanted to feel his entire weight on her, his skin next to her. All of him against all of her.
He eased another finger inside her and pressed his palm against her, slowly rotating his hand in a ma
But then he quickened his rhythm, the gentle tugging on her nipples roughened, the strokes of his tongue and thrust of his fingers deepened, and suddenly her entire body convulsed, dragging a surprised cry from her. Wave after wave of intense pleasure throbbed through her for endless seconds when the only thing that existed was Ethan, the way he was touching her. The way he made her feel. The spasms tapered off and an unprecedented feeling of the most delicious languor stole over her entire body.
She felt his fingers slide from her body, his lips pressing kisses along her jaw.
“Cassie,” he whispered, his teeth lightly grazing her earlobe.
“Ethan…” His name came out as a pleasure-filled sigh. Before she could say anything else, such as thank you, he scooped her up into his arms. Heedless of the water sluicing from her body, soaking him, for several long seconds he simply held her against him, his gaze so hot upon her, she felt as if she were glowing.
“Hold on,” he said.
After she tightened her arms around his neck, he bent down and snatched up the towel, which he wrapped around her. Snuggled between his warm body and the fire-warmed towel, she pressed a kiss to the side of his neck.
He walked to the bed, then slowly lowered her until her feet touched the floor. Taking the towel, he gently blotted the water from her skin. She reveled in his ministrations, and when he finished, she framed his face between her hands, then rose up on her toes to kiss him. His arms clamped around her, and she felt the heat of his body along the entire length of hers. The hard ridge his arousal pressed against her belly, and her womb clenched in response.