Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
ALINA
My fingers trembled when I picked up the cloth and added more soap, rotating it in my hands until the bubbles became thick like freshly beaten cream.
The smell of lemongrass, blooming with multiple notes of lemon, and warm ginger, filled my nose.
This scent will remind me of Tynan until the day I die.
He must think that I was the most inconsistent creature.
I just told him that I was too tired to bed him, but that was before he took his clothes off.
I could not ignore that he did everything not to touch me, but my body moved on its own.
I went to him. Even if I was too tired to stay awake for another hour, I still wanted to feel him.
Tynan watched me, his dark eyes took in my glowing face, my heavy breaths, but there was no reaction. He definitely had great restraint.
How far could I go before his self control falters?
Suddenly, I was incapable of thinking about anything else.
It was childish, I was acting silly. But my hand had already lowered to his stomach. His chest rose up, yet he did not move.
I directed the cloth along his neck, tracing one of his scars. He had the body of a warrior, so strong, so indescribably beautiful. When he wore his flying suit, he looked incredible, but when he took it off, he was perfection.
The umber of his eyes turned liquid, dangerous. Somehow it felt like he could see through my challenge, but he remained motionless.
I bit my lip, sending my hand below the water. He set his jaw and his throat bobbed. No matter how hard he tried to appear in control, it did not work.
My hand brushed against his skin and I wrapped my fingers around his rock hard length.
His hands clenched the edge of the tub, and I watched the muscles of his powerful shoulders flex.
His arms were so incredibly alluring. I loved watching him doing something trivial, hoping that he would never know how exciting it was.
His lips parted and he exhaled hard, but I already moved my hand, holding him tighter.
There was something about having him under my control, giving him the exact amount I wanted to give.
The surface of the water rippled, spilling on the floor, but I leaned even closer watching his face, almost drunk with my own pleasure.
“Alina?”
“Yes?”
“What are you doing?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I managed to say.
“You know exactly—” a low growl escaped his lips.
“I love watching you,” I said.
“Is that so?”
“Am I doing it right?”
“Yes . . . Yes.” His voice sounded strained.
“I heard that men like this.” He was silent for a long moment, almost as if he had not heard me. “Is that true?”
“What do you want to know?”
“Is there something you want me to do?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“You already know.”
“No, I don’t.”
His eyes opened and his gaze locked on mine.
“I want to devour you on my knees, buried under your skirts. Until you can’t come any more.” His voice sounded low, gravely, sensual, and sinful.
Blood rushed to my face and I did not even notice his hand had wrapped around mine, applying more pressure.
His chin tilted upward and he let out a low, satisfied rumble.
After the bath, we lay together in a narrow bed, watching the dying flickers of flame in the small fireplace. Tynan’s lips gently pressed against my temple, his arms wrapped around my shoulders, guarding me in my sleep.