Chapter Eighteen
Beckett
I’d been intimate in the shower before, but today with Sadie had seriously redefined what being intimate meant to me. This connection between Sadie and me was bigger, deeper.
And all we’d done was kiss and touch each other so far, but I was eager for that Stage Two tub action to see what else could happen between us.
“You stay here in the warm water,” I said. “I’ll hop out and get the tub filled.”
“Okay.”
I lifted my hand to push the stall door open, but Sadie’s arms wrapping around my waist and her naked body pressing against my backside made me pause.
“Thank you, Beckett.” Her voice was so soft, and I had the sense she was trying not to cry. “Thank you for treating me like something to worship instead of something to possess. There’s a big difference and I appreciate your respect.”
That made my heart ache.
Without turning around, I put my hands over hers where they were clasped at my stomach. “Who didn’t respect you?” Because I wanted to beat that douchebag bloody.
Sadie drew in a breath, giving me a little squeeze before releasing me. “It doesn’t matter now. He’s out of my life for good.”
I looked over my shoulder at her. “I’d still like to make sure he knows the way he treated you was shitty.”
She pressed a kiss to my shoulder then nudged me toward the door. “Go fill the tub. I want Stage Two.”
So did I so I obliged, but I made a mental note to ask more about this dickwad who had obviously hurt Sadie.
How fucking dare he?
Although, I supposed it worked out for me that he didn’t know what a gift Sadie was. Now I got to enjoy her company.
When the tub was filled with hot, soapy, lavender-scented water, I opened the stall door.
“Stage Two awaits, my dear.” I flourished a hand toward the tub.
Sadie stepped out of the shower, her nose tipping up. “Is that lavender?”
I nodded. “Vanessa grows it in her butterfly garden and always makes these bath sachets you can toss in the tub.” I pointed to a stash of them in a basket on one of the shelves above the toilet. “She makes lavender soap, oil, and candles too.”
“I’d love to incorporate lavender into my offerings,” Sadie said. “It’s so calming.”
“I’m sure Vanessa can hook you up,” I said.
“That would be lovely.” She eyed the tub as she drew in a deep breath. “I feel more tranquil already.”
I was glad to hear that because remembering a former relationship had the potential to bring her down and I wanted Sadie to only feel wonderful tonight.
We both lowered into the tub and I turned on the jets so the water gently massaged us.
The low hum that emanated from Sadie told me she liked that feature.
Her eyes were closed as she rested her head on the rim of the tub.
Her red hair was bright against the white of the tub and the soap suds.
Her pale skin gave her an ethereal glow and that dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks reflected an innocence that made me want to save her from anything that might try to harm her.
This protective instinct wasn’t something I’d felt for anyone outside my family, but it was there now—for Sadie.
She opened her eyes as if knowing I was admiring her. With a small grin tilting up her lips, she lifted a hand out of the water and curled a finger at me.
I immediately scooched closer, my legs going to either side of her body as I drew her in toward me.
Sadie snaked her legs over my hips and wrapped them around my waist. This brought my erection up against her core and my dick loved everything about that.
The heat of the water and of Sadie amplified my arousal and I glided my hands along her legs, up her sides, hooking one on her neck and drawing her in so I could reach her magnificent mouth.
We kissed for long, time-stopping moments.
Each stroke of our tongues ignited a new flame between us.
The longer we kissed, the longer I wanted to kiss, which was different for me.
Being a guy who loved the speed of technology, I generally didn’t do well with being patient. I wanted things to happen now.
But kissing Sadie was something I wanted to savor. Something I wanted to memorize every aspect of so I could replay it in my mind when Sadie wasn’t around.
Which I hoped wouldn’t be often. I was quickly becoming addicted to this woman and I was certain that after this second stage in the tub, I was going to crave her around the clock.
We kissed for a few more moments then Sadie broke away. Her dazed look only made me want her more and I was certain I had an identical expression on my face.
“Kissing you makes me feel a little drunk, Beckett.” She cupped my cheeks as she met my gaze. “But now I’d like to get a lot drunk.”
I reached behind me to grab the condom I’d placed on the window sill when I’d filled the tub. I tore it open, but then Sadie took it, motioned for me to lift up out of the water, and made quick work of sheathing me.
“Make love to me, Beckett,” she whispered.
That was a command I was happy to follow.
I slipped my hands under Sadie’s bottom and coaxed her closer, but she took control and lowered onto me in a slow glide that pulled a moan from me.
“Fuck, you feel so good around me.”
She hummed in response then moved up and down.
Within moments, the slow pace she’d begun turned into us both moving together at a frenzied pace.
Water spilled over the edges of the tub, but I didn’t give a shit.
All I cared about was melding our bodies, becoming one with Sadie, making her chant my name as if it was the only word she knew.
“Beckett . . .” she rasped. “Oh, my . . . Beckett . . . Beckett . . .” She threw her head back, that mane of wet, red hair slithering over her shoulders like bright seaweed. She set me on fire as the walls of her core pulsed around me.
We fanned the flames higher, higher with each thrust until all my muscles tightened and I found my release as Sadie’s orgasm reached its explosion point. We rode the spray of sparks together until we were both reduced to ash.
Sadie collapsed against me and I leaned against the back of the tub, my arms wrapped around her.
We breathed together for a few, long moments until I slid out of her.
The satisfied sigh that escaped from Sadie’s throat sent a zing of male pride through me.
I’d put her in this satiated state. Me. Beckett Hartley.
And if things went the way I wanted them to, we’d be in this scenario many more times in the future.
“I . . . I never knew it could be like this.” Sadie lifted her head, her chin resting on my chest so she could look me in the eye. “Beckett, that was incredible. Thank you.”
Not one of my previous partners had thanked me after we’d had sex. I enjoyed the expression of gratitude, especially because Sadie was the one saying it.
“It takes two people to do what we just did,” I said, “so thank you as well.” Post-sex politeness. Who would have thought that was a thing?
Or that it would be an aphrodisiac? Because, yeah, I desired Sadie even more now.
She shifted so she was sitting in front of me, corralled by my legs and her back against my front. She reclined against me as I used my foot to turn on the faucet and add more hot water to the lukewarm bath.
“This bathroom might be my favorite spot in all of Greenridge,” Sadie said.
“Oh, but you haven’t experienced my king-sized bed in the master bedroom yet.” I gathered her hair and let it rest on her right shoulder so I could nibble a trail along her left one. When I arrived at her ear, I whispered, “Memory foam, dual-zone temperature control . . .”
“We’ll definitely have to explore your bedroom then,” Sadie said.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” I nipped at her earlobe and she wriggled against me. “Keep moving like that, however, and we’ll never make it to the bedroom.”
Sadie giggled. Which did make her wriggle against me again and I moaned at the way her ass caressed my dick.
“Can you stay tonight?” I asked.
Sadie glanced over her shoulder at me, her brows furrowed. “Stay? Overnight?”
I nodded and tightened my hold on her. “I don’t want you to leave.”
Her gaze softened and she reached a hand back to cup my cheek. “I don’t want me to leave either.”
“So you’ll stay?”
“I’d love to,” she said, “but I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“Of course you do,” I said. “If you said you wanted to leave, you’d be able to. I would probably beg a little because I like having you here, but ultimately, you decide what you want to do. I would never force you to do anything against your will.”
And the possibility that someone had forced her into something made that protective instinct flare up again.
Sadie swiveled a bit more so I could see her face better.
Resting a hand on my chest, she said, “When I said I didn’t have a choice, I meant because you picked me up at the cabin tonight and brought me here.
I don’t have a vehicle in which to escape.
” She patted my cheek. “For the record: I do not wish to escape. I want to spend more time with you tonight, Beckett.” She stole a quick kiss. “I want to see your bedroom.”
“Oh. Right. I forgot I drove you here,” I said. “Even so, if you didn’t want to stay the night, I’d chauffeur you back to the cabin.”
“While I do adore Hank’s cabin,” Sadie began, “I get lonely there sometimes.”
“That is one thing about Hartley’s Nest,” I said. “There are always people and animals around to interact with.”
“Right now,” Sadie said as she rose to standing, sudsy drops chasing each other down her perfect body, “there’s only one person I want to interact with.” She unplugged the tub drain then extended a hand toward me.
I took her hand and stood as well, loving how Sadie’s pupils widened as she looked at me. “There are towels on that rack there.” I pointed toward the faucet end of the tub.
Sadie reached for a towel. “Oh, it’s warm!”
“Greenridge in autumn is chilly and winter is freezing.” I took the towel she handed me. “A towel warmer is essential so you don’t end up with a dicksicle.”
The laugh that bubbled out of Sadie was adorable. “Dicksicle!” She then gestured to her amazing breasts. “And titsicles?”
“Yes. Titsicles too.” I wrapped the warm towel around my waist then stepped out of the tub, offering my hand to Sadie to help her out as well.
She secured her towel like a strapless dress around her then took my hand and joined me on the fluffy rug in front of the tub.
I grabbed another towel and gently squeezed excess water from her hair, which she quickly worked back into a braid instead of drying. I was about to grab underwear for me and a T-shirt for Sadie, but she stepped over the mud and our dirty clothes on the floor and walked over to the bathroom door.
“Let’s try out your bedroom,” she said. “Then we can come back and clean this up together.” She gestured to the mess.
Pre-Sadie, I would have made cleaning that bathroom my top priority. It really was a complete disaster. The room had never been in such disarray. I also had a fun little wet vacuum that made things spotless in a jiffy. It was one of my favorite gadgets.
But with Sadie here, the temptation to be with her was greater than anything else.
Someone could have paraded in here and offered me groundbreaking new gizmos that weren’t on the market yet and I would have told them to take a hike.
All my attention was focused on this woman.
This woman who had dropped her towel to the floor as she walked out of the bathroom.
I scrambled after her, allowing my towel to hit the hardwood as well.
Sadie found my bedroom and by the time I caught up to her, she’d already pulled aside the comforter, blanket, and sheet and was lying naked on my bed. The arch of one eyebrow told me a vixen was taking charge now.
“I like this room too,” she said. “You have a nice eye for decorating.” She waved a hand at the painting of deer in a wooded, winter scene at twilight. “The browns, blues, and whites in that painting are well-reflected in your choice of bedding and furniture.”
“Vanessa made the artwork,” I said, “and I did consciously choose the rest of the stuff in this room based off that painting.” I focused on her. “I realize now, however, that this room was always missing something.” I gestured to her and she rewarded me with a huge smile.
She then pressed her hand into the mattress. “What did you call this softness?”
“Memory foam.” I climbed onto the bed, draping myself over her when she rolled to her back in invitation.
She looped her arms around me. “Let’s make some memories then.”