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It’s the middle of the night and I’m exhausted, but I nod against his chest. What’s one more night of lost sleep when I’m not sure how many I have left with this man?
“That sounds nice.”
He leaves me there to run the bath and I sneak into my own bathroom, changing my tampon and doing my best to get myself looking presentable. When I sneak through his dim room toward the glowing door of his bathroom, I can hear the water running.
I pause in the doorway and watch him quietly for a moment. He’s kneeling at the side of the large clawfoot tub, adding Epsom salts and essential oils to the hot water like a goddamn saint.
When I take a step into the room, he turns and smiles up at me. “Water’s ready.”
Chapter Twenty
Ben
Istand back and watch her slip into the tub full of bubbles.
It’s completely ridiculous, such a lavish bath in the middle of the night when what would probably be best for her is a good night’s sleep, but I couldn't help myself. The need to take care of her is strong, burning in my chest like an ember.
I know she feels it too. She’s letting me play the part of a doting partner like it’s exactly what she wants me to do.
And maybe it is.
This whole day, I’ve been so caught up in worry about why she’s acting like she barely knows me around all the resort employees. All I wanted was to do something to reinforce the connection between us.
I thought that would be a midnight game of Freddy Krueger.
I’m really glad it turned out to be a moment when I can show her how well I can take care of her. She knows we have fun in the bedroom. Maybe she’s waiting to see if there’s anything more to this.
It scares me far more than any horror movie game of chase to admit it, but I think there is. It’s time I showed her my true intentions. Now that I’ve finally figured out what they are.
“How’s the temperature in there?”
“Hmm,” Victoria says, eyes closed and head leaning back against the bath pillow I draped over the side. “It’s great. Want to join me?”
I smile even though she can’t see me. “I’m going to sit this one out.”
Her eyes crack open at that, little slits of green shining out at me from the tub. “Did I scare you, using my safeword?”
I shake my head honestly. “No. I’m happy to know that you’ll use it when you need to. Even if I wish that you told me the truth to begin with.”
“I thought you wanted me to lie.”
I crack another smile. “There are situations that demand both, I guess.”
Her eyes close again and a flash of shadow passes across her face. I can’t quite place the expression, so I plow on, selfishly wanting her smile back. “I brought in this brand-new loofah, do you want to sit forward and let me rub your back?”
She obeys, but her eyes stay closed, and she still looks like she’s about to cry. It’s clearly terrible timing, but I can’t stop myself. “You know, we can keep this thing between us a secret if that’s what you want. But I wouldn’t mind?—”
“Just for a bit longer?” she interrupts me, eyes opening and boring into me, so serious it takes my breath away.
“Of course.”
“I just…I just want it to be just us for a bit longer. Other people are going to complicate things.”
True enough, I suppose. “That’s fine. This evening, this whole day, was just a little awkward. I wish we would have talked about it ahead of time so we could be on the same page.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. That’s not on you. If it’s on anyone, it’s me.”
