Chapter 24
Gray
“Gray, I’m not sure I’m mentally ready to do this a second time,” Betty said, dipping a muddy toe into the river, her robe clutched tightly around her. I saw goosebumps prickle the skin of her ankles, a chain reaction that soon led to a full-body shiver, rattling her teeth.
“You lost the bet last night,” I reminded her. “Maybe you shouldn’t play so recklessly next time. I take bets seriously.”
We’d stayed up playing cards after spending the day in the cabin at sauna-like temperatures, trying to recuperate from the day before.
Mr. Beans and Villainy absolutely loved the heat, and they especially loved all the cuddles.
Betty let me hold her all night again, and, as it was the night before, the best sleep of my life.
“I was drunk, Gray,” she said. “Don’t believe the things I say when I’ve had too much whiskey. And you shouldn’t try to take advantage of my drunken state to trick me into making wild bets.”
I chuckled, shrugging off my robe and tossing it onto a nearby rock, eager to continue our little afternoon adventure.
Larry had finally returned from the cliffs, and he didn’t seem too pleased that we’d left him. He sulked in his tree until I brought him a small plate of scraps this afternoon. It took some effort, but he gave in eventually. He was sitting on a nearby rock, watching us.
I turned back to Betty and extended my hand, making a ‘come here’ gesture for her to pass over her robe. “Your turn. Shed it.”
She grumbled and stomped her foot. The glare she shot me could melt glaciers. And yet, I didn’t miss how her eyes flicked down to my bare chest, nor the blush that crept onto her cheeks. For a fleeting second, I think she even bit her lip, betraying her want.
She was killing me with that look.
I wore my usual dark boxer-briefs, and I had a feeling she was into the look based on the point she made to avoid looking that low.
It was too powerful a view. “Come on, the longer you make me wait out here without my robe, the more likely I am to throw you in and get it over with,” I said, hooking a thumb towards the water.
“Don’t you dare,” she warned, pointing a cold and trembling finger at me.
I tilted my head and raised my eyebrows in challenge. “Aw, come on. It’d be fun,” I teased.
She looked up at the sky and grumbled again, marching in a circle. “Fine!” She untied her robe and slid it off her shoulders, her entire body racking with a shiver.
My God, I’d give anything to be that robe, caressing her every curve as it slid from her body. She was wearing a cut-off navy t-shirt and black cotton underwear. From the look of her peaked nipples through the fabric, there wasn’t a bra.
I bit back a groan, clenching my jaw and praying I could hold my composure until I got into the water. Cold air might not stop me from getting a hard-on, but the direct river water hopefully would.
Betty fidgeted from one foot to the other to ward off the cold. “Alright, I’ve got this,” she muttered to herself, over and over.
“Shit,” I whispered under my breath, my gaze fixed where it shouldn’t.
Her breasts bounced with her movements. Was she aware of the effect she was having on me? Or was this natural sensuality just part of who she was? Either way, I wasn’t complaining.
“Did you make sure the tub was hot? Because I’m making a break for it the second the time is up,” she said, shaking her hands at her sides like a sprinter ready to race.
The terms of the bet were one minute in the river, followed by a soak in the warm tub where I promised to wash her hair.
“Yes,” I replied, pointing to the shed chimney where white smoke puffed out the top, dissipating into the treetops.
“The bath water is already hovering at ninety-five degrees; I checked.”
She cast a glance back at the smoke, her fists clenched and her expression resolute.
Without another moment’s hesitation, she turned and sprinted into the river with a scream.
Her movement was so swift that I had to scramble to start my watch timer and follow her.
Despite her previous hesitation, she now moved with unwavering purpose, making it to the center of the river pool and submerging herself up to her chin.
A gasp of air cut off her screams, as if she’d been punched in the gut. Her chin quivered like that of a sad puppy. I could tell she wanted to say something, but the cold water left her speechless, for once.
Her gaze was distant as I knelt beside her, feeling smug in my calm.
“Breathe slowly,” I reminded her.
She glowered, her eyes sharp as daggers.
A grin stretched across my face. “Look at the fish,” I said, pointing to the water’s surface, hoping to distract her with the small minnows that were gathering to greet us.
She looked down, noticing the silver flash of their scales, gathering and nipping at our skin. Though she remained silent, there was a spark of amusement in her eyes as her hand darted after a group of them beneath the surface.
I reached out, intending to block the minnows from escaping her grasp. Her hand brushed against mine, and I took it without thought, turning her palm until our fingers intertwined. Her rum-colored eyes met mine, and her hand squeezed back reflexively.
We’d developed this innate pull toward one another ever since our return. Whenever I reached out a hand, her hand met mine with nary a glance; whenever I leaned into her, she leaned back as though pulled in by gravity. It felt intuitive.
“Breathe,” I repeated.
She nodded. One breath in, one breath out, over and over.
I didn’t want to break our stare-off, but I glanced at my watch again. “Ten seconds,” I confirmed.
She squeezed her eyes shut and whispered the countdown, her voice trembling but her hand steadfast in mine. “Three... two... one...” She shot up, releasing my grasp and drawing in a sharp breath.
I watched her rise from the water, rivulets streaming down her dark, soaked shirt and clinging to her every curve. It was a fleeting glimpse; there and gone as she spun and sprinted towards the bank, then immediately uphill.
I remained frozen, a touch mesmerized, taking in the sway of her hips and the curve of her backside as it moved with her exertion. She had a stunning physique, ample and toned, with a perfectly proportioned figure that fit against mine as if she were made for me.
A raw, instinctual desire surged within me to pursue her, to track her down and claim her, but I suppressed it, rising instead with measured steps forward. Composing myself, I collected the robes and followed in her wake, striving to keep my feelings in check, as I always did. Control.
Entering the shed, I found her already lowering into the tub, having first dipped her muddy feet in the bucket we’d placed beside it to clean off the sand.
I moved in without haste, cleaning the mud off my own feet before setting the robes on a bench and stepping into the tub between her legs.
I sat down slowly on purpose, crowding her space and forcing her to watch me.
Her cheeks grew rosy as I settled opposite her. I didn’t miss the way her eyes traced the bulge at the front of my wet briefs, like she did back in New York. She was returning to me, and letting herself live again, letting herself know me and want me.
The hot water stung at first, but the discomfort felt punishing in a good way. The stock tank was plenty big for both of us, though a good amount of water sloshed out onto the ground as we settled in. Soon, the surface of the water settled to a near glasslike calm.
She leaned her head back, water up to her chest, her shirt floating lazily around her like a tease.
Her eyes were closed, and I let my gaze drift down the column of her slender neck.
I reached for her feet and shifted them between my legs, gathering her heels together until they rested on my chest. I rubbed lazy circles over her arches.
Being in the presence of a woman like her felt surreal. I’d spent so much of my life lost in my imagination, but even my wildest dreams couldn’t compare to this. I could only imagine how soft a woman’s skin could feel, but hers was like butter. Obsession was an understatement.
She lifted her hand from the edge of the tub, delicately pinching her nose with her fingers. Taking a breath and sealing her lips, she slid down and forward, submerging her head underwater. Bubbles surfaced as she released her breath and emerged a moment later.
She smoothed her hair back, sliding her feet from my grasp before turning around. Shifting back, she eased her butt between my legs, reclining until the back of her head lay against my chest. Her warm hair chased away the chill on my exposed skin.
I stopped breathing, afraid she might vanish if I exhaled. My arms rest on the edge of the tub, unsure of where else to place them. What was happening to the brave and forward version of me? I felt like a nervous fool.
She stretched out her arms, placing her bath-warmed hands on mine.
She laced our fingers and guided them into the water and around her.
With a hum of contentment, she then turned onto her side and pulled her knees toward her chest to snuggle close.
Her ear rested against my skin; I’m sure hearing every one of my racing heartbeats.
Flexing my arms around her, I relished the embrace she allowed. My thumb lazily traced the skin on her arm. I wanted to stay like this forever.
A soft, contented sigh escaped her. “I never thanked you, by the way,” she whispered.
I hummed, completely immersed in the moment, tilting my head back against the rim of the tank and looking at the fairy lights overhead. “Oh yeah? For what?”
Her hand traced a path up my forearm. “Getting me out of New York. I think I’m finally seeing how fortunate I was to have you. If it weren’t for you being there, I don’t think I’d exist right now.”
I glanced from the ceiling to the crown of her head before burying my nose in her hair. “I’m sorry for everything, Buttercup,” I murmured, my voice muffled. “I’m sorry for not making this easier.”
“But you’re not sorry you met me, right? Even if I am a bit of a pain in the ass?”
A chuckle escaped me. “You’re a pistol. That’s for sure.” I could feel her grin against my skin.
“You like it,” she stated as if it were a fact.
I didn’t reply, but it was
true.
After years of mediocrity and repetition, she was exactly what I needed.
I’d be content if being her friend and holding each other like this was all we ever did for the rest of our lives.
And though a very significant part of me desired more, this was perfect for now.
There was still a lot of lingering apprehension to overcome before we took that next step.
She rolled onto her belly, her breasts pressing against my stomach and her chin resting on my sternum. I was acutely aware of the thin cotton between us. If only it weren’t there.
Running my fingers from her temples to the back of her head, I combed through her dark, damp locks.
Letting go, I reached for the shampoo bottle, grasping it with a mischievous grin.
I playfully squirted some onto the top of her head, letting it almost drip into her face.
She giggled as I massaged it into her scalp, working it down to the tips.
Her hair fanned out across the water, creating a foamy halo around us.
Cupping water in my hands, I gently rinsed the soap away, one scoop at a time.
With her eyes closed, I shifted again and retrieved the conditioner, smoothing it through her hair and patiently working out the tangles. It felt incredibly silky in my hands. This was heaven.
Eventually, she turned her head to rest her cheek on my chest, her arms snaking around my torso. We remained like this for a long time until the fire in the stove died down and the water started to cool. My skin was pruning, and for all I knew, hours could have passed.
When the sky outside turned dark, she finally stirred. Her big brown eyes looked up at me, and without a word, we rose from the water together. My hand rested on her back to guide her out of the tub.
She handed me the stack of robes, and I fluffed them before holding hers open so she could put it on. I placed the fabric on her shoulders, then turned her around to wrap and tie it shut.
She watched me the entire time, and then helped me into my robe, tying it with a quick and forceful tug that made me smile.
“I’m craving grilled cheese,” she announced, her voice cutting through the quiet. A look of utter contentment was etched into her features; she seemed so peaceful.
“Mmm,” I mumbled in agreement, “that sounds good.”
“And tomato soup, too,” she added.
“Perfect,” I said, pinching her nose as she looked up at me.
We locked eyes for a moment, my throat feeling tight. I reached out, my fingers brushing under her ear and cupping the back of her head. Drawing her close, I leaned in until our foreheads touched.
I could feel her breath quicken, my heart pounding in response.
She nudged her nose against mine, and then my lips gently grazed hers.
With a tilt of my head, I took her lower lip between my teeth and tugged before releasing and stepping back.
I grinned, brushing my hand down her arm and lacing our fingers together.
I left her hanging, flushed and dazed. With a tug, she followed me, and I led her to the shed door. She didn’t erupt in protest, but I could tell she wanted to. This was payback. She’d left me wanting plenty of times before, and the little brat deserved to feel as I had.
We slipped our boots on by the door, taking turns to lean on each other for balance.
She still had nothing to say, speechless as we made our way back to the cabin.
Our steps were unhurried, our hands clasped together.
It was the kind of gesture you’d see from a couple who’d been together for decades, though it had only been a handful of days.
Maybe we’d done things a bit out of order, but fate had a funny way of bringing lost souls together.
This was our story, and for whatever reason, it made sense.