Chapter 9
Francesca
When Stefan said a bath—he really meant a bath.
This tub was huge. And jetted.
The bubbles floating around me smelled of lavender. It was amazing. I couldn't have even dreamed of such a luxurious tub. It felt wonderful.
“Is there room for one more in there?” Stefan's voice drifted over to me. I turned my head to see him walking toward me. Without waiting for an answer, he began undoing the buttons on his shirt.
My eyes widened and nearly fell out into this lovely bath.
“Stefan!” I yelled out. “The doctor said—”
But he cut me off before I could finish. “Did the doctor say we couldn't bathe together?” His eyebrows rose on his face as he yanked his shirt out of his pants and pulled it off—revealing a very broad—very toned—chest. “Because that's all we're going to do. I promise.”
His hands went straight to his belt, and he undid that in no time flat. Next was the button and—zipper of his pants.
I watched them fall to the floor, leaving Stefan in his boxer briefs. There was a very conspicuous bulge at the front of those boxer briefs, which I couldn't stop staring at. And when he pulled those down—
Whoa.
Nice.
A halfway erect Stefan emerged. And he was beautiful. All over. He kicked his boxer briefs and pants to the side and wandered over to me.
“Francesca, move up,” he ordered, and I obeyed. Then he stepped in and sat down behind me. The water sloshed around us as he settled in. “Lie back,” he said, and pulled me against his warm, wet body. His hardness jutted into my lower back, so I tried to move a bit.
“Don't mind him. He can't help it when you're around.”
I smiled and let out a quiet laugh. “All right. As long as there's no funny business.”
Stefan sighed while his hands slithered up my belly to my breasts—which were sticking very much out of the water now. “Oh, I never promised that there wouldn't be any funny business.” His hands rubbed softly over my wet, soapy breasts.
My head fell back against his shoulder, and I moaned. “That feels good,” I said, closing my eyes and enjoying the sensations.
“It certainly does.” His voice rumbled in my ear.
I clenched down below—deep, deep, deep down below. My nipples hardened, and his fingers took notice. He played with my nipples, rolling them and pinching them with his fingertips.
Finally, one hand glided down to my stomach and—
I gasped when his hand touched me between my legs.
“Does this hurt?” he asked, touching me softly.
“No,” I answered him truthfully. It didn't hurt. It felt great.
His fingers rubbed around in little circles. “How about this?” Stefan asked, still rubbing and touching my breast.
“That's good, too. Really good,” I said, breathing faster as my heart sped up.
“Do you like this? Or would you rather I stop?” Suddenly, both of his hands halted in their tracks.
I opened my eyes and turned my head. “Don't stop, Stefan. Please don't stop.”
His hands and fingers started moving again, dancing over my body like he was playing an instrument. And I just lay back and enjoyed it. Not once did he dip between my legs where I was sore. Not even once.
He didn't try to push the boundaries. Instead—he accepted and worked within them.
Boy, did he ever.
I'd never felt the things Stefan was doing to my wet, soapy body before.
So, when in a gruff voice he said, “Francesca, give me your mouth,” I nearly orgasmed right then and there.
I'd barely turned my head when he captured my lips with his—and it was—electric.
That kiss traveled directly to my nipples and right between my legs—amplifying the already wonderful sensations there.
And each feeling on its own was great. Like, really, really, really great.
But.
All of them together? At the same time?
It was a perfect melody. One that I couldn't stop from happening. Not even if I tried.
“That's right. Come for me, Chesca,” Stefan said gruffly against my mouth. He added a bit more pressure as he rubbed between my legs, and—
“Stefan,” I gasped as the undeniable tingles turned into full blown bliss.
“So beautiful. My wife is so, so beautiful,” he said, and it sent me further, higher and higher as he stroked and pinched my nipple. It was fantastic. Easily the best orgasm I'd ever had.
When the amazing spasms finally began to subside, Stefan kissed me. And kissed me. And kissed me. “There.” He kissed me and smiled. “Do you think the doctor would approve of that?” he asked with a short chuckle.
I smiled and laid with the back of my head on his shoulder. “I'm not sure. Maybe you should call her again and ask? Tell her it's another emergency.”
I wasn't sure if I was pushing it too far or not. But when Stefan let out a loud laugh—I laughed, too.
“Fuck, I missed you, Francesca. I missed your body.” His hands lightly moved over my breasts and the still-throbbing spot between my legs.
“But I also missed this.” His hand slid up over my breast, up my neck to my jaw.
He turned me and took my lips. “Your lips. And that stubborn fucking mouth of yours.” His tongue completely took over my mouth, and I had no choice but to let him.
I kissed him back and shifted slightly. His hardness dug into my back more now.
I let my hand wander between us and grab hold of him.
Wow.
He was—hard.
Rock hard.
I squeezed him—but only for a brief second.
Then Stefan's hand grasped my wrist and pulled my hand off. “No, this is just for you. I'm fine.”
I shook my head and sighed. “Why? That's not fair. And you're—” I didn't finish my sentence because I didn't really know what to say.
“I'm good. Just lay down and let me hold you.” He kissed my forehead and wrapped his arms around me.
I wasn't sure why he refused the promise of an orgasm—however that came. But I was honestly exhausted. I wasn't sure what time it was—here or back home. All I knew for certain was that I was ready for bed.
I did what Stefan asked and lay against him in the tub. Surrounded by bubbles and warm water. It was like being in our own little cocoon.
A while later—I couldn't say how long because I'd somehow drifted off to sleep—the sound of Stefan's phone buzzing woke me. He ignored it, and I let my eyes flutter back closed.
Then the phone buzzed again. This time it didn't stop.
“Fuck,” he said and rubbed my arms. “Let me up. I should get that. Maybe it's the delivery from the doctor.”
I nodded and scooted forward. He got out, taking a good part of the bathwater with him.
He grabbed a white towel and dried off quickly.
Then he pulled on his pants—minus the boxer briefs— and slipped on his socks and shoes.
Then he picked up his discarded shirt and slid it on without doing the buttons up.
After he left, I noticed the bubbles had nearly disappeared.
And that was when it occurred to me that if I stayed in here, he'd be able to see all of me.
Including my bruised ribs. “Crap,” I said to myself and decided it was time to get out and get dressed before Stefan came back.
I maneuvered out of the tub and grabbed one of the fluffy white towels.
They were soft and—warm. I'd heard about towel warmers, but I'd never seen one before.
“Nice,” I said, wrapping the towel around me.
I'd just barely gotten it secured when Stefan stormed back in.
Yes.
Stormed.
Gone was the generous, selfless man who'd just left here moments ago.
And back was someone completely different.
Stefan held a white paper bag in one hand and a box of something in the other.
“What the fuck is this?” He held up what looked like a morning after pill box.
It had Italian words on it obviously. But it still looked familiar.
I'd seen many boxes on my sister's dresser over the years when we were growing up.
“Um, the morning after drug? I think.”
Stefan's eyes narrowed, and he popped out the pill and dropped it on the floor. “Do you know what I think of this shit?” His heel came down hard on top of the pill, and he crushed it to dust on the bathroom tile.
Yikes.
Yeah.
I guess now I knew for sure exactly what Stefan thought of the morning after pill.
“And what about these?” His hand dug into the bag, and he pulled out another box.
He opened it and yanked out a familiar-looking blister pack.
My sister had been on birth control pills since she was fourteen.
I'd seen many different brands of them over the years. Even though I'd never used them myself.
“I'm guessing those are the birth control pills I decided to start?” I shrugged my shoulders and tried to act like this wasn't affecting me.
But it was. My knees were shaking, and I hoped he couldn't tell.
I didn't imagine he would, though. It must be difficult to see anything through his blind rage.
“You decided?” he yelled at me. “You fucking decided?” He enunciated every word slowly and methodically. “Did you ask me what I thought? What I wanted?”
Okay.
Stefan was going full-on psycho now.
Even still, I poked the seething, rabid bear. “Why would I ask you if I can start taking the birth control pill?”
And that—apparently—was the exact wrong thing to ask my new husband.
Because he dropped the white bag on the floor, then he dropped the blister pack of pills on the floor.
And he stomped on the pack.
But he wasn't quite done. Not yet.
He picked up what was left of the blister pack of pills, strode over to the nearest window—opened it—and threw what was left out the window. “That's what I think of your fucking birth control pills, Francesca!” he screamed at me.
I held the towel tight around me, unsure of what this maniac was going to do next.
Only I didn't have to wait long to find out because he lowered his voice and said in nearly a whisper, “I can't fucking believe you.”
And then—
He walked out.
Holy Man-trum!! What the heck is Stefan’s problem???
Is he coming back?
Or maybe the bigger question is—will Francesca let him come back?
Find out in the next book, Vows of Passion by Jessa York.