Chapter 45
FOURTY-FIVE
Kendall
The porch is the perfect size. It has a couple of chairs with a table in between them and a hammock on the other.
“Where to?” Dane asks, gesturing between the two seating areas.
“Hammock, please,” I answer with a bright smile.
We both walk over, and he eases down onto the hammock first, then swings over to grab and pull me with him. The hammock goes flying, but quickly settles down. The view is breathtaking. The lake, treetops, stars, and the moon are fully showing themselves tonight.
With one leg off the hammock, Dane rocks us ever so slightly.
I’m snug up against his side, and my head is resting on his chest. We’re relaxed, holding each other.
He strokes my arm, and it’s soothing as I trace circles on his chest. In mindless circling, I can imagine him shirtless with his muscles rippling under my fingertips.
He’s distracting, but then he points up into the sky and says, “Look, there’s the Big Dipper.”
The sky is clear, and seeing the Big Dipper is a highlight of the night. “I love that you can see the stars from here. It’s relaxing, and I can be close to you.”
Everything about him feels right. He’s right for me. My entire body melts into him as I cuddle up to his side and rest my head on his chest as the chilly air bites at us.
I shiver. “Brrr, it’s chilly all of a sudden.”
“The breeze shifted, and now it’s coming off the lake. You want to take that bath now?”
“Yeah, that sounds amazing.”
He darts straight to the bathroom, and I hear the water start. Poking his head out the doorway, he says, “There’s a robe in the closet.”
My plan was to undress in front of him and step into the tub, but a robe will work too.
He yells from the bathroom, “Do you like it hot or just warm?”
“Hot, please,” I say and think to myself, it’s how I like most things, especially my men. Just thinking about him makes my temperature rise, and the throbbing between my legs is relentless.
Damn it! I was hoping for a bath first, but my body is ready for him. If he dares to touch me, I’ll unravel. I remove my clothes, slide both arms into the robe, and tie it.
He asks, “Do you want company?
Caught off guard, I immediately say, “Yes.”
I stroll over to the bathroom door and peek in. “You’re already undressing.”
He whirls around with only his boxer briefs on. “I was going to put my robe on and wait for you here, but it looks like you’re ready.”
My feet are cool on the tile floor, thankfully, because everywhere else is steaming hot. I watch Dane’s every move as he slips on his robe and checks the water. “Feels just right. Want to check it for yourself?”
My feet pad over the tile floor straight to the tub, and I dip my toe in through the bubbles he added.
My robe moves and flashes him as he watches me.
“Like what you see?” I glance over my shoulder with a sly grin.
I lean over to shut off the water as Dane reaches for the water too. Our hands meet and then our eyes.
“Why don’t you slide in first? I’ll be right back,” he murmurs before leaving the bathroom.
I look around to see if these lights dim, but the switch is pretty high-tech. If I dare touch it, I’ll probably screw it up. With that, I take off my robe, hang it up on the hook, and step into the tub. The warmth of the water envelops me. Once my body regulates with the water, I sink my body down.
I sit at the bottom of the tub, and Dane comes in, dimming the lights.
“That’s better,” I moan, sinking further into the water.
He has a lighter in his hand, along with a bottle that I can’t quite make out, and two glasses. There are candles scattered around the bathroom, and he lights them one by one. The flickering of the light throughout the bathroom matches the moon’s light outside dancing on the water.
This is where I want to be, here with Dane.
“All we have in the fridge is some sparkling water; will that work for you?”
“I mean, maybe. What kind?”
He laughs and says, “Watermelon.”
“I love watermelon, so yes, please.”
He pours the glasses and sets them on the shelf by my arm. Perfectly placed for when you are soaking. Pulling his phone out of his robe pocket, he starts some music. It’s just barely audible, but I’m able to catch the lyrics of Everything by Lifehouse.
The tie to his robe slips, and he slowly slides it off. “If you move up a bit, I’ll step in behind you.”
As he moves closer, the light from the candles accentuates his body, his cock swaying with every step. Holy hell. I can’t wait for him to be pressed up against me.
The water sloshes as he slips down into the tub. “Oh, this feels good. I love hot water baths.”
“You don’t strike me as a bath guy. But it looks good on you.” I smile, and then I’m overcome by a yawn. The sudden wave of exhaustion is definitely not the company; it's just another long day.
“Sweetheart, this was a special order. I wanted to be able to fit my entire body in here.”
He grips my shoulders and leans me back into his chest. Massaging my shoulders, I moan again and move my neck from side to side.
Not wanting him to stop, I lean forward so he can massage my back too.
When I’m satisfied, my limp body falls against his chest. I take his hands and bring them around me.
His fingers run up and down my stomach, sliding lower to just above my sensitive spot.
I wiggle; he knows what he’s doing to me.
Whispering in my ear, he says, “Your skin is smooth, and I’d touch you every day if you let me.”
I hum in response as his hand glides up my breastbone. My eyes close, savoring his touch. He drags his fingertips over my nipples. That’s all it takes for goosebumps to erupt all over my body. I can’t help but cross my legs, relieving the pressure of my throbbing clit.
“You do like it gentle,” he mumbles as he continues to tease me.
My nipples tighten to hard peaks that could cut glass.
Once I open my eyes and turn my head toward him, he kisses me.
Sparks fly, and my body is ready for him.
Taking his tongue and sliding it along my bottom lip, I feel his cock, hard and pressing into my back.
All my nerve endings are firing at once.
The warmth of the water mixes with the heat and safety of his body against mine.
I find the back of his neck with my hand and dig my nails into it. The kiss deepens, the fire swirling around us. It’s as if we are going to combust right here in the bathtub.
As we get lost in our deep, passionate kiss, I wonder how I’m in the arms of this man—in a tub. His hands stroke my back, leaving a wake of fire and chills throughout my body.
He’s the kind of man I can get lost in, seeing us in this tub here together. It’s not at all what I ever pictured myself doing.
Dane is everything I thought I never needed. Yes, protective and arrogant. But he has this side of him that shines when we’re alone. He’s affectionate and tender in ways I’ve never felt from a man. He treats me with respect, and I never want to let him go.
Feeling his breath on my face, and his hands on my body, my heart squeezes tightly. It feels like home, where I belong.
I roll my back against his chest again, staring out onto the lake. “I love it here,” I whisper.
“Me too. I love it here with you in my arms.” He squeezes me tight.
I move my hands over his arms gently and then glide my nails over his skin. “It feels good to be with you. It’s like we could spend every Saturday night here.”
Tucking his head in the crook of my neck, he mutters, “I want that, too.”
The prickles in my hands and the vibration between us are undeniable as he holds me tight. Touching me ever so lightly, he allows the moment to stretch between us.
The weight of it all is penetrating my walls and allowing him further in—trusting him with every ounce of my being.
“I’d love to have you here for an entire weekend, if you could get away.” His lips swipe over my neck.
I sigh and tilt my head to give me better access. “I might be able to manage that.”
“I’ll take that as a yes. The water’s a bit tepid. Ready to get out?”
I sit up and immediately miss his warmth. A chill runs through me as I stand up. He makes quick work of getting out of the tub and grabbing our towels. Flipping a switch, I feel hot air flowing down onto my body.
“Oh, my…this is heaven.” I stand under it and dry off. When I shiver, he wraps his towel around his waist and gathers me up into his arms. I sling both of mine around his neck as he quickly brings me to the bed. Taking the blankets down, he places me on the bed, takes my towel, and covers me up.
The stone fireplace is on the far wall, and he grabs the remote to turn it on. There may not be a lot of heat coming from it, but watching it makes me stop shivering—or it’s the blankets.
He slides into bed, his skin still damp from the tub, and pulls me against him.
The towel is gone, nothing between us now but heat.
His fingers dig into my hip, while his other hand claims me, thumb grazing the sensitive underside of my breast in deliberate circles that send electricity crackling down my spine.
I arch involuntarily against him, my pulse hammering so hard I can feel it throughout my body.
“Are you warming up?”
I snicker, “Ah, yes. It might be your body against mine that’s doing it.”
“Having you in my bed is everything to me.”