Page 137 of Ex Somnis

I watch the soap run down her body in slow rivulets again, and the fabric of my boxers clings to my cock when it jumps against my stomach.

Fuck.

She spreads her fingers slowly over my sternum and watches as her fingernails slide through my chest hair, the scrape of them making me shudder.

“What if I want it now?” she whispers, searching my face with those impossible blue eyes, waiting.

Waiting for me to say yes.

God.

My hand closes over hers where it’s resting against me. I can feel the warmth of her palm, and my heartbeat beneath it, embarrassingly eager to betray me.

“Darling,” I say quietly. “You have no idea how difficult you’re making this.”

A tiny smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. “That is not a no.”

I laugh under my breath. “No,” I admit. “It’s very much not a no.”

She reaches her other hand toward my crotch, but I catch her wrist quickly and brush my thumb across her knuckles before bringing her hand to my lips instead, pressing a kiss to the center of her palm.

“It’s a not today.”

Her expression falls a little. “Oh, you don’t want to?”

“I want you so much that I don’t trust myself enough with it.” I lower her hand again, then kiss a trail up the side of her head.

“Very noble,” she quips.

“Not noble.” I smile into her wet hair. “Mostly terrified. How about we get some food into you?”

She leans back to smile at me, but then her stomach growls. Loudly. And she closes her eyes. “Oh my God.”

I lose the battle and laugh.

She’s adorable.

Her eyes snap open. “You didn’t hear that.”

“I absolutely heard that.”

“You didn’t.”

“I think Ridge and Nevan heard it from the kitchen.”

“Paul.”

“Darling.”

She glares at me, and it’s significantly less threatening than she intends because she’s currently sitting naked and wet on a shower bench, looking exhausted.

I nudge her chin up and kiss her lips. “Food.”

Her expression softens before she agrees. “Fine.”

“Good girl,” I praise, cutting off the water and grabbing the towel for her.

“But don’t think I forgot what you said,” she adds very quietly.