Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Nima pulled the bathroom door closed behind him and trembled from head to toe.
He’d never been so principled in all his life.
He’d also never been so hard. But, as promised, he hadn’t let his eyes drift south of Mari’s face.
Not even when he’d held her naked body in his arms and the scent of her arousal had left him wanting to thrust into her, mark her, make her his again.
He rearranged his cock as he eyed Mari’s bedroom down the hall. He imagined lying back on her bed as he took himself in hand. Creepy, maybe, and yet so tempting. He wouldn’t do it, but the urge was stronger than he liked to admit.
When placing Mari in the tub, he’d accidentally submerged his sleeves in her bathwater.
He removed his damp flannel and hung it on the back of a chair, leaving him in only a T-shirt and jeans as he tidied up.
He switched off the TV and folded the blanket on the couch, then returned the popcorn bowl to the kitchen, washed it out, and set it on the rack to dry.
After that, he placed a fresh glass of water by Mari’s bedside, retrieved an ice pack that was no longer cold, and straightened her bed. Her giant blue dildo had disappeared from her nightstand—not that he was looking for it.
But since his mind had gone there . . . What was he supposed to think about his ex having a silicone replica of his erect cock?
It left him with the urge to remind her how it felt to have the real thing buried deep between her thighs.
Nima shook his head as he returned to the kitchen.
Though it seemed impossible, he needed to stop lusting after Mari.
Before long, she called to him from the bathroom. He adjusted himself again. His uncooperative dick had not retracted into his sheath. He might as well get used to being hard around her.
Rapping on the door, he asked, “Are you ready to get out?”
Water sloshed in the tub. “Yes, come in,” she called.
Game face on. Unless Mari expressed interest, Nima would remain as neutral as possible—where he could, at least. His face?
Stoic. His cock? A throbbing iron rod. He pushed open the door and entered the bathroom.
Vanilla bubble bath had unfortunately replaced Mari’s lovely arousal scent. His dick didn’t care.
Mari, hair dripping wet, sat in the tub with one knee pulled to her chest, as if shielding her breasts from him.
Her injured leg remained straight out in front of her.
He tried to keep his eyes on her face but glimpsed the infinity tattoo above her heart.
She hadn’t had it removed or covered. It still matched the ink on his own chest. He blinked as he remembered their carefully planned late-night foray to Wildwood Tattoos.
They’d been young and in love. Innocent.
Never doubting their forever. Those carefree, hopeful days were long gone.
Nima dragged his gaze to the drops of water clinging to Mari’s dark eyelashes as she blinked up at him, her cheeks rosy from the hot soak. He quickly stopped any thoughts of other activities that would make her cheeks flushed and red.
“I tried to wash my hair in the bathwater,” she said. “Now I’m soaking in a mix of bubble bath, shampoo, and conditioner.”
“That’s quite the cocktail.” He motioned to the showerhead. “Do you want a rinse? We can drain the tub and turn the spray on while you sit there. Or I can help you stand.”
She bit her lip, glancing at his body. “You’ll probably get wet, but standing would be easier.”
Standing might be better for rinsing, but not for hiding her body. Nima didn’t voice his thoughts. He simply nodded, then flipped the tub’s drain stopper. Next, he pulled his T-shirt over his head and adjusted the shower curtain so they didn’t flood the bathroom floor.
He turned on the tap and gauged the water temperature with his fingers. “Can you lean forward to test the water? Or do you trust me?”
Without hesitation, she said, “I trust you.”
Nima paused. She trusted him today. Maybe not ten years ago or even yesterday morning, but she did now. Gods, why hadn’t they worked things out a decade ago? But even as he thought it, Nima refused to surrender to regret. He would make the most of the current moment and his future.
“I’ll support your weight while you push up on your good foot. If you slip, I’ll catch you,” he promised.
Mari nodded, abandoning her shielding pose as Nima wrapped his arm around her. He ignored the swell of her breast under his fingertips. “Speak up if I strain your ribs.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll scream in pain if that happens.” When Nima hesitated, she patted his arm. “I’m only kidding . . . mostly. I’ll let you know if anything hurts worse than it already does. Let’s do this.”
Nima helped her stand, then turned on the shower spray.
Mari ducked her head under the water, then laughed as she wiped her eyes. “You’re getting wet.” He was. Mist covered his furry chest and face, and water soaked her bathmat.
“Guess I didn’t need that shower earlier today,” he joked.
Mari narrowed her eyebrows, and in good humor, said, “I thought that was yeti hair in my tub.” She closed her eyes, a smile on her lips as she passed under the water again.
He mock-scoffed, “Never. I always clean out the drain.”
With Mari’s eyes closed, his hungry gaze could have easily eaten her up, but he focused on her face, the droplets of water running down her cheeks and her moist, pink lips still tipped up in good humor. Mari’s smile filled him with the same warmth and joy as a long sunny Alaska summer day.
When she finished rinsing, he tightened his grip on her before turning off the water. “I cleaned out the tub,” he said, “but I recommend you dry off with this towel.” He handed her a clean, fluffy cloth. “Not the one I used. Unless you don’t mind a little fur against your skin.”
He’d meant it as a joke, but Mari nearly dropped the towel before securing one end against her chest as if to cover herself while she dried off.
Then he caught a whiff of her fresh desire. Had she been thinking about his whole furry body against her skin instead? He immediately imagined them naked in her bed.
Nima briefly closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. When his lids slowly opened, he met Mari’s wide-eyed gaze. She’d stopped drying herself.
Honest, open conversations.
“Mari,” he purred, his voice deep and husky with need. “I can smell your arousal, and it makes me want you so badly.”
Her eyes dipped to his hard length straining his pants. She licked her lips. “Friends aren’t supposed to get wet for friends.” Her tone was full of longing but tinged with unease.
Oh, his sweet girl. Nima chuckled, wanting to reassure her. “Sweetheart, some friends do.” He paused, letting his words sink in. “We’re adults. We decide what’s right for us.”
When she trembled, he swept her into his arms bride style, then sat on the toilet lid with her in his lap, her bare backside against his pants, her front covered with the towel.
Mari’s lips parted as her hand tentatively slid from his shoulder to his chest. She traced his tattoo, barely visible through his fur—yet she knew right where to find the infinity loop with her initials. The move sent heat flooding through his body.
“I want to make you feel good tonight, Mari. Will you let me?”
She threaded her fingers through his fur, and he shivered with pleasure. “I want that too, but I’m scared.”
He peered into her brown eyes, soft with vulnerability. “What are you afraid of?”
She licked her lips. “Where do I start? Mostly, I’m afraid of derailing my life again when things are finally going well.”
Nima’s heart clenched. He didn’t want to upset their lives either, but shouldn’t they give this opportunity careful consideration? Despite their past, their connection was special. Moments like this were rare in his experience. “You set the boundaries, Mari, but know that I want you—badly.”
“Let’s make a deal,” Mari said. “While you’re here over Christmas and as long as this feels right between us, we can be friends who get . . .” she paused, grinding her ass into his erection, “aroused for each other.”
He freed an unsteady breath, his body trembling with anticipation. “Deal,” Nima groaned, adjusting Mari on his lap, so he didn’t come before they even started.
Mari let out a contented sigh, as if she’d removed a self-imposed barrier. “Then take me to bed, Nima.”
An unbidden growl worked its way up Nima’s chest, and he loved the way Mari’s eyes lit in response.
The air left the room as he gently lowered his mouth to hers.
Her smooth, plush, luscious lips—exactly as he remembered them—parted under his.
His body came alive with the kiss, tingling with awareness and anticipation, as they moved together in a slow and familiar yet tantalizing dance of lips and tongue.
Yes, this felt right. Fucking right. Nima stood to carry Mari back to her room, to her bed.
Mari couldn’t help running her tongue over her swollen lips. Nima had kissed her. And she’d kissed him back. It had been slow and deliberate. Familiar like old worn jeans that fit just right. But also new and thrilling after ten years.
Mari flashed back to lazy afternoons spent making out, dizzy with lust in the arms of her yeti. Such a satisfying way to spend a cold, dark winter day.
She dropped her towel on the bathroom floor as Nima stood with her in his arms. Time seemed to slow, and all her senses heightened as he carried her toward her bedroom.
Nima’s silky fur tickled her bare skin. His chest and arm muscles flexed against her with each step, a reminder of his strength and power.
She’d forgotten how petite she felt in his massive arms. His cornflower-blue skin set off aqua eyes, which glowed with passion as he gazed down at her, warming her from the inside out.
Despite everything, Nima was still the same kind yeti Mari had always loved.
But he oozed a new, sexy-as-hell self-assurance that made her pulse jump.