Chapter 36
MARGARET SLAMMED HER FORK DOWN on the table, glowered at Sebastian and warned sharply, “Don’t talk to me!
” Thus was the scene set for their “spat” at dinner that night.
Sebastian made no remark. He merely sighed and rolled his eyes at his grandmother to indicate it wasn’t his fault that Margaret was suddenly annoyed with him.
Juliette wasn’t there to smirk about it.
Denton had mentioned she was suffering from a headache and wouldn’t be dining with them this evening.
Which was too bad, Margaret thought. She would have at least provided a distraction.
The dinner was entirely too quiet with Margaret supposedly stewing too much to contribute to the conversation.
She left early so the others could relax and finish their dinner without the tension she’d raised.
After such a gloomy day, thoughts and weather both, she wanted a nice hot bath to while away in for an hour or so.
At least her plan had worked, and Sebastian now had his “reason” to request his own room.
He should have done so sooner, the dratted man.
Bubbles were in order, lots of them. And some scented oil. Edna knew her well and had packed the “essentials,” as Margaret called them, even for such a short stay.
Actually, they seemed to have come to a dead end as far as Sebastian’s strategy was concerned.
Of course, it would probably take a little time to arrange an “accident” for him, if Juliette thought to go that route.
Margaret really didn’t like him setting himself up for that.
Of course, he’d be expecting it, would have the advantage, but still ...
Maybe it was time for some bluntness instead of strategies.
Juliette might open up more with her—no, she’d see Margaret as being in the enemy camp now.
Denton? Now there was a thought. Not having known before that he’d like to divorce his wife, she’d never asked him about it herself.
If she could approach the subject carefully with him .
. . She’d have to give that some thought.
The bathwater was perfect. Edna had seen to that before she’d left. Margaret slid slowly into the water, letting the oil and bubbles caress her skin before she lay back in the tub, closed her eyes, and relaxed, with only her head and arms out of the water.
A brazier in the corner kept the room toasty warm. There were no drafts to disturb the tranquil mood she sought—and then there was.
She opened her eyes to see if Edna had come back for something. No indeed. Sebastian was standing halfway between the tub and the door he’d just opened. He was already removing his coat.
She didn’t gasp or dive under the water as she’d done the last time he’d intruded on her privacy while bathing, but she did point a stiff finger at the door. “I gave you the perfect excuse to ask for your own room,” she reminded him. “What the devil are you doing in here again?”
“You set up the story, m’dear. I’m going to finish it for you,” he told her. “This is the part where we make up.”
She didn’t need further explanation. It was in his eyes, which were locked with hers, containing enough heat to sear her.
It was in his movements as he sensually seduced her as he undressed.
Tell him to get out. Tell him now! The words wouldn’t come out.
She’d had her chance but lost it as she became transfixed, watching him remove his clothes, piece by piece.
The play of light across his muscles and skin was hypnotic.
He was so bloody strong, just how much was in every line of his body.
She didn’t mind that, rather liked it. Her eyes moved over him at her leisure.
There was so much to admire, so much to thrill her, too.
He wasn’t undressing in a rush this time, he was letting her have her fill of him.
When he was finally naked, she realized, incredulously, that he wasn’t going to take her out of the tub, he was going to join her in it.
He did just that, and she only just managed to get her feet out of the way in time before he sat down at the other end of the tub.
The water rose accordingly, some even lapped over the side while he positioned himself, then taking her hands, he slid her forward until she was almost touching his chest.
She looked at her scrunched knees, quite in the way, and asked, “Do you think this is wise?”
“Good God, yes!” he said as he grasped her head and brought her mouth to his for a searing kiss.
She didn’t much care about strange positions after that, but he went on to promise her, “We’ll manage, Maggie,” and he proceeded to show her how.
And they did manage quite splendidly. It certainly wasn’t how she, with her small bit of experience, would have imagined making love in a bathtub, but after he slid down a little and sat her in his lap, it didn’t seem so strange.
He even cushioned her knees against his shoulders to make her more comfortable, not that she would have noticed much discomfort when her anticipation was so high.
He gave her his queue to hang on to and she laughed. He licked bubbles off her nipples. She laughed again. But she stopped laughing when he ran his hands up her legs from the backs of her knees to her thighs, and then higher. She gasped and shivered from the delicious sensations.
“Cold, Maggie?” Sebastian asked in a husky voice.
“Let me warm you up.” He leaned forward and kissed her hotly, plunging his tongue into her mouth.
When he entered her completely, all she felt was exquisite pleasure.
So deeply did he penetrate her, and with such ease, that she let out a cry.
Gripping her hips with both hands, he rocked her against him.
The water lapped against them and she let her head fall back as she moaned with pleasure.
He caught one of her nipples carefully between his teeth.
She gasped and climaxed immediately with a tiny scream.
A few more hard thrusts later, which sent water flying everywhere, and he joined her in that supreme pleasure.
She smiled down at him with a depth of feeling she’d rarely experienced.
Water dripped from his brow. She leaned forward and licked it off, not even wondering at her own boldness.
The look he returned wasn’t just filled with his own satisfaction.
She saw it clearly this time—there was tenderness in his eyes.
For her. And, as she sighed with happiness, she couldn’t begin to describe how wonderful that made her feel.