10. Chapter Ten #2
There was even a chandelier with sparkling jewels hanging in the center of the room.
But that wasn’t the most mesmerizing feature of the room.
Underneath the chandelier, a tub large enough for four was carved into the stone.
The faucets matched the mirrors, with gold leaves circling the iron plumbing.
And inside the tub, Eli spied a ledge that sat halfway down the wall.
“Impressive, right?”
Eli closed his mouth, which he realized had been hanging open. “You’ve been holding out on me.”
Grace grinned wide, her eyes crinkling. “Now you know why I wanted to come here tonight instead of your place.” She peered at his mud speckled skin. “I had a hunch you would need a nice, long bath.”
Eli’s shoulders shook as he peered down at the dried mud stuck underneath his fingernails. The bucket of water hadn’t been nearly enough to clean himself thoroughly. “I suppose you’re right.”
Grace moved closer to the tub and gently turned the faucets. Water poured into the basin and steam rose. She ran her hand through the shallow depths, testing the temperature. Satisfied, she faced him again and stepped forward.
“Could you help me with this?” she asked, turning and pulling her hair to the side so Eli could see the zipper running the length of her spine.
He gently tugged, and the fabric of her dress fell open, revealing her perfectly smooth skin.
He traced her spine with the back of two fingers, and she inhaled sharply.
With one hand, she pulled down the single shoulder strap and let the dress fall to the floor, giving Eli the best view of her deliciously curved ass.
He gave it a quick squeeze before his hands roamed around her waist and he pulled her body against him.
She giggled when Eli’s lips brushed her neck. “You know you have to take your clothes off too before getting in?”
“Hmm.” His lips vibrated against her skin as he rubbed his hands down her thighs and up her side. He was only half aware of what she was saying as she spun around.
“Let me.”
She grabbed the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head, unable to stop Eli from leaning forward and slamming his lips against hers.
He felt her smile form beneath his kiss.
She pulled away long enough to fall to her knees and fumble with the buttons on his pants.
Their hurried breaths matched in tempo, her heart beating to the same rhythm as his.
She tugged his pants to the floor. He stepped out of them and saved her the hassle of removing his undershorts, ripping them off himself.
He grabbed her hands and pulled her into a standing position before squeezing the backs of her thighs and hoisting her to his waist. She sucked in a sharp breath as their bodies collided, and he held in a moan as she showered him in kisses.
His neck. His jawline. His cheek. His temple.
Her hunger threatened to devour him whole.
Carefully, Eli carried her to the tub and climbed over the ledge. He sighed as the warm water swirled around his ankles and then engulfed his lower limbs. Grace continued to mark his skin with the soft impression of her lips, grinding her pussy against him until his legs wobbled.
He sat on the ledge and placed his hands on each side of her cheek, pulling back to get a good look at her face. When she bit her lip, his cock twitched beneath the water’s surface.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said, mind spinning from the ale and the thick steam dancing above their heads.
Grace huffed a laugh and threaded her hands behind his neck, taking her time to study him.
They stayed motionless, taking each other in as the water continued to pour into the tub.
It was almost full now. They should break apart and turn the faucet off, but the sparkle in her eyes kept Eli glued to his seat.
The tension between them was unbearably thick, but also delicate.
Like a simple sudden movement or sound would easily shatter it into a million pieces.
Eli swallowed hard and leaned forward, his forehead resting against hers. He wasn’t sure how long they stayed that way, frozen in time.
When the water reached his shoulders, Grace finally shifted in his lap and pulled away, crossing the tub to shut off the water. The silence only added to the tension. Eli cursed the space between them and began to move toward her, but she held out a hand.
“Wait.”
He sighed but returned to his seat, stretching his arms along the edge of the tub on either side of him.
Grace made her way back to him and cupped the water in her hands, pouring it over his shoulders and arms. She gently scrubbed his skin and massaged his sore muscles.
He’d momentarily forgotten about the toll today and every day of training before had taken on his body, but as she ran her hands along his arms, down his chest, and over his thighs, he moaned.
Then she wrapped a hand around his shaft and used her other to cup his balls, and he practically levitated out of his seat.
Arching into her touch, he slid his cock through her fingers while she squeezed him with varying pressure.
He leaned forward, seeking the sweet, sensitive spot between her legs, but she resisted his touch.
“Let me spoil you. You worked so hard today. I want to offer my gratitude.”
Eli’s body tensed as pleasure built in his abdomen. As much as he loved being taken care of by Grace, his favorite form of gratitude was the sight of her coming undone. He wrapped a hand around her wrist and pulled her flush against him, relishing the gentle caress of her breath against his face.
“Nothing would make me happier than to please you,” he said, trailing his finger down between her breasts, over her stomach, and down to her clit.
She gasped when he twisted his hand to stroke her folds, teasing her entrance.
Wetness pooled between her thighs, a different slickness than the water in the tub.
He eased a finger inside, and she instantly clamped around him. Throwing her head back, she rocked her hips against his hand. When he added a second finger, she whimpered and squeezed tighter.
“Fuck, you are stunning,” he choked out. His cock ached to be inside her, but he couldn’t pull his fingers out just yet. Not while she looked to be seconds away from rapturous bliss.
He hooked his fingers inside her and moved them in a come-hither pattern. Grace’s jaw went slack and a series of breathy moans escaped her lips. He felt the pulse of her cunt around his fingers and continued to move inside her until her orgasm faded.
She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. “This night was supposed to be for you.”
“This was for me,” he said, leaning forward to pull her nipple into his mouth.
She squealed with delight as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He palmed her ass and held her close to him, driving her core against his swollen cock. The tip of his cock slid over her entrance, and he moaned against her chest.
Before he could say a word, he felt her hand grip his shaft, and she sighed as she slid down his length. The water sloshed against the side of the tub as he drove into her. Grace held onto his shoulders while he gripped her waist, mesmerized by the expression she made with each thrust.
It wasn’t long before he felt the walls of her pussy clenching around him and smiled, knowing he had just delivered her second orgasm of the evening. Her pleasured cries sent a jolt of euphoria down his spine, and he spilled into her warm cunt.
Slowly, their labored breathing returned to normal, and Eli held Grace in his arms as they both came down from their high. She traced circles on his back while he dipped his hands in the water and let it flow over hers.
“Eli?” she finally said with a hint of apprehension.
“Yes?”
“I wish you didn’t have to go through the Rite. That I didn’t have to go through it. If I had my way, you wouldn’t need to compete for my love. You already have it.”
He kissed the place where her temple met her hairline. If it were possible to ease her troubles, he would do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see a way out of this.
“I choose you,” she said quietly, resting her head against the crook of his shoulder. “I choose you.”