Chapter 21
S carlett released a deep breath and made her way into the bathroom. Her head was filled with delicious flashbacks of the last few hours.
She felt content.
Sex with Jason hadn’t been terrible. In fact, at the start of their relationship and marriage, it had been good, but with Edward it was on another level. She couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face– she was feeling all the feels. And, suddenly, incredibly thirsty.
She found a tumbler and drank two full glasses of cool water from the tap before looking around the bathroom, which was fitted out in the same lavish, no-expense-spared style as the rest of the house.
The idea of soaking in the enormous roll-top bath was tempting, but hunger won, and she decided on a quick shower instead.
Turning on the water, she twisted her hair into a messy bun on top of her head with one of the assorted hairbands she always had on her left wrist, and stepped into the open floor-to-ceiling shower area.
Nodding appreciatively at the variety of expensive and aesthetically displayed organic products, she lathered on a generous helping of shower gel, filling the bathroom with the rich scent of orange blossom.
Lost in thought and in the middle of lathering on a second helping of the orange stuff– just because it smelled so damn good– a soft knock on the door startled her.
“Hello?” Edward appeared slightly damp with a towel around his waist and another in his hand, rubbing his hair dry, and she wondered if she’d ever tire of looking at him– it didn’t seem likely.
“Just wanted to check you had everything you needed,” he said, instantly distracted, watching Scarlett absentmindedly wash herself.
Scarlett smiled. “My back could probably do with a scrub.”
She was joking and expected him to decline, already fresh and mostly dried off after his own shower, but without need of further encouragement, he dropped the towels on the floor and stepped in to join her, making her laugh.
“You didn’t want to think about it then?” Scarlett couldn’t help but admire the sight of him naked.
“Absolutely not– turn around,” he told her.
“Well, if you insist. You should’ve just come in here in the first place.”
“Ach, I thought to give you some peace as it’s becoming quickly apparent I’m struggling to keep my hands off you.”
Scarlett smiled again, relaxing her head forward as he softly massaged the back of her neck. “Luckily, I don’t mind too much.”
His hands moved from her neck, down her back, caressing her waist, until reaching around to lather her breasts. He sighed as he released them, instead wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her tightly against him.
“You’re too fucking sexy for your own good, woman!” He nuzzled into her hair. “I need to give you some rest.”
Scarlett slipped out of his hold and turned to face him. “What if I don’t want any?”
He looked at her for a long moment before kissing her and pulling her tight against him, and she could feel his hardness straining against her abdomen.
“I need to feed you.” He laughed. “With more than just that.” He nodded down towards his cock. “You’re incredible,” he said, leaning back to take hold of her chin so she had to look at him. “I’m not kidding.”
She smiled and kissed him. “I’ll take that.”
“Right.” He untangled himself from her, holding her away at arm’s length. “I need to go order food. What do you fancy? Thai? Indian? Greek?”
Scarlett grinned.
“Insatiable woman, enough!” Edward stepped out of the shower, and Scarlett chuckled to herself, turning off the running water.
“Could you please pass me a towel?” She pointed to a pile of thick white towels rolled up on the dresser behind him. Edward grabbed one and passed it to her, taking another to dry himself.
“I’ll order in some Thai. I know a decent place that delivers.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“Good, right, I’ll get that sorted. Do you need anything else?”
Scarlett shook her head. “Nah, I’m all good. I’ll finish up here and come down.” Edward gave her a chaste kiss, giving her a last look up and down, then shaking his head, he left the bathroom.
Scarlett dried off and put on the oversized robe and slippers, making her feel as if she was on a spa holiday.
She quickly checked her reflection in the mirror.
This time she didn’t do the usual turning up of her nose, as the woman staring back beamed, looking invigorated and alive.
It made a pleasant change, liking who was looking back at her.
Smiling and shaking her head at herself, she left the bathroom to join Edward downstairs.
She found him standing by the window, shirtless, wearing only his jeans and lit up by his phone screen and the blazing wood burner, which took up a huge portion of the wall.
She paused on the stairs to admire his form, irresistibly tall, toned, and slender, his face serious and concentrating, unaware he was being watched.
There was something vulnerable and boyish about him, which she found wildly attractive.
As if feeling her presence, he looked in her direction, a smile forming on his face. “Hello, you.”
“Did you manage to order something?”
He slid his phone into his back pocket. “I did. It’ll be here within the hour. There’s a bottle of white in the fridge. Do you want a glass?”
Scarlett descended the rest of the stairs and nodded. “Yes, please, that’d be lovely.”
Edward disappeared into the kitchen, and Scarlett sat on the sofa, seeing her earlier discarded clothes neatly folded with care and placed on the chair in the corner.
She cringed, wondering how he’d react to the usual treatment of her clothes, which she knew were currently strewn all over her bed and floor at home.
Edward appeared with two glasses, handing her one before sitting next to her. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.” She smiled, gently clinking his glass.
The wine was delicious, its crisp acidity feeling like a burst of sunshine in her mouth. “This is lovely, thank you.”
Edward took a long drink, nodding in agreement, then placed the glass on the table and turned to face her, his dark blue eyes intense. “I’m assuming you’re okay spending the night here with me?”
Scarlett nodded to the wineglass. “It being a zero-tolerance country and all that.”
Edward laughed. “Aye, exactly.” He looked away, some of his familiar awkwardness returning, before he met her eyes again. “I’m not ready to give you back yet.”
Scarlett put her own glass on the table and turned to face him. “Who exactly are you planning on giving me back to?”
“Nobody, if I have my way.” He glanced down at her left hand. “Why are you still wearing them?”
Scarlett followed his gaze and wriggled her fingers, the precious metals and stones suddenly feeling heavy and uncomfortable.
“Honestly, I’m not sure. Initially, I couldn’t get them off. Then, when I could, I was worried about losing the engagement ring. It was his grandmother’s, and expensive. His mum was furious when he gave it to me.”
“Looks pricey. Can I see?” Scarlett gave him her left hand to inspect. “Have you had it valued?”
“Hancocks in London priced it at around ￡95,000 when Jason had to update the insurance on it.”
“I think it’s probably worth another ￡30,000, at least.”
“Really? How do you know?”
Edward released her left hand, taking hold of her right one instead, kissing her palm and wrist, which she found wildly sexy.
“My mother. She’s a bit of an antique nut– jewellery, art, furnishings, most things, to be honest. She had a particular liking for the 1930s. I think that’s the period it’s from.”
“Very knowledgeable of you, Mr– oh, sorry, my error, my laird .” Scarlett winked at him.
“How do you make even my title sound erotic?”
Scarlett laughed and rolled her eyes. “It’s one of my few gifts.”
Edward didn’t laugh. His face was serious, almost stern. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Be so self-deprecating.”
“I was only messing around, but really, it’s not as if I’ve got that much currently going for me, either.
” She squirmed in her seat at Edward’s unwavering seriousness.
“Not in a bad way, just, apart from this stupid ring, I don’t actually have anything to my name.
No career. Kids. I mean…” She sighed, no longer enjoying the direction the conversation was going in.
“I just feel a bit lost. As in, what happens next, that’s all. ”
“What do you want to do?” he asked, running his hand up and down her forearm, making it difficult for her to focus on the conversation.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“What do you want to happen next?” He stopped stroking her arm and looked at her, his face sincere and questioning.
Scarlett felt embarrassed and unsure if she wanted to let him into her plans. They seemed so small compared to everything he had and the life she had with Jason.
“I just want a divorce. He can have the stupid ring back and give it to Angelica, for all I care—”
“Who’s Angelica?” he interrupted her.
Scarlett took a deep breath and shrugged. “Our twenty-one-year-old tenant he got pregnant.”
Edward sucked in his breath, and his face softened. “Fuck, I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
“Please don’t do the whole pity thing. I don’t want it.” She swallowed down the emotion that was annoyingly threatening to bubble up.
Edward looked away, as if worried about what his eyes would convey, making Scarlett look at the fire and shrink away from him.
He sighed. “I’m not, I mean, I wasn’t– but it’s all very recent. I feel like I’m taking a bit of advantage—”