She shivers, and not from cold. “Is that a threat or a promise?”
“Both,” I growl, nipping at her earlobe. She gasps, and I pull back with a smirk. “Bath. Now. Doctor’s orders.”
“You’re not a doctor,” she grumbles, but she’s smiling as she gets up.
“Close enough,” I retort, swatting her backside as she passes. She yelps, throwing me a mock glare over her shoulder.
As she disappears into the bathroom, I marvel at her resilience. Not an hour ago, she was dangling off a cliff, and now she’s back to her usual flirtatious self. It’s equal parts infuriating and endearing.
I listen to the water run, followed by Cora’s voice floating out. “I could use some help washing my back. These bruises make it hard to reach...”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Nice try, Little Trouble. I’m not falling for that one. You need to relax.”
“I can think of a better way to relax.”
I settle back on the couch, listening to the sounds of Cora moving around in the bathroom. The fear from earlier is still there, a low hum in the back of my mind, but it’s overshadowed by a profound sense of relief and something else. Something warm and bright that I’m not quite ready to name yet.
“Ryder?” Cora’s voice calls out. “I left my towel in the bedroom. Could you bring it to me?”
I grin, pushing myself off the couch. “Coming.”
I grab the towel from the bedroom and make my way back to the bathroom. Knocking, I call out, “Towel delivery for one troublesome cliff diver.”
“My hero,” she says, a mischievous glint in her eye. Her hands trail down to her breasts, and she tilts her head back, moaning. “Are you sure you don’t want to join? The water is warm.”
I sigh. “Scoot over.”
The bathroom is thick with steam, the scent of lavender lingering in the air like a sweet promise. Cora slides back into the tub, her eyes locked on me as I undress, the hunger in her gaze igniting a fire deep inside me.
I step into the water; the heat enveloping me as I settle behind her. She leans back, her bare skin pressing against my chest, and I pull her close, my arms wrapping around her like I never want to let go. The warmth of the water pales in comparison to the heat radiating from her body, each breath she takes sending a shiver through me.
“This is nice,” she murmurs, her voice a soft caress against my ear as her head rests on my shoulder.
I press a slow, deliberate kiss to her temple, letting my lips linger. “Yeah, it is.”
The world outside fades away as we sit in silence, the tension of the day dissolving with every passing second. My hands roam her body, fingers tracing the slick, soft skin, searching for injuries but finding only perfection. Each curve, every dip, is a map I’ve memorized.
Cora shifts in my arms, turning to face me, her eyes darkened with desire. “Ryder,” she breathes, her voice thick with need, the sound sending a jolt of electricity straight through me.
I cup her face, my thumbs brushing over her cheekbones, my eyes locking onto hers. “Cora,” I reply, and it’s not just her name—it’s a promise, a declaration, a prayer. The emotion in that single word is overwhelming, and it’s reflected in her gaze.
She leans in, her lips brushing against mine in a kiss that starts soft and teasing, but quickly deepens. There’s a hunger in the way she kisses me, a desperation that matches my own.
I pour every ounce of fear, relief, and love I’ve been holding back into that kiss, my hands tangling in her wet hair, pulling her closer until she’s pressed flush against me.
Cora moans into my mouth, the sound vibrating through me. Her hands are on me, exploring, touching, as if she can’t get enough. Water sloshes over the edge of the tub, forgotten aswe lose ourselves in each other, in the sensation of skin against skin, of lips trailing heated paths across slick, wet flesh.
My forehead rests against hers, my eyes closing as I breathe her in, grounding myself in her presence. “I’ll always come for you, Little Trouble. Always.”
I open my eyes to find her looking at me with a tenderness that steals the breath from my lungs. “I know,” she whispers. “I trust you, Ryder.”
Her words hang between us, heavy with meaning, and I can’t hold back anymore. I capture her lips in a searing kiss, trying to convey everything I’m too afraid to say aloud. She responds with the same intensity, her hands sliding over my shoulders, her nails digging in as we lose ourselves in each other.
When we come together, it’s slow, deliberate, a dance as old as time. Every touch, every movement is a reaffirmation of our bond, of the connection that binds us in ways words can’t describe. The water ripples around us, but we’re lost in the sensation, in the undeniable pull between us.
Afterward, we lay tangled together in the cooling water, her head resting on my chest as I trace lazy patterns on her back, marveling at how perfectly she fits in my arms, as if she was made for me.
“We should get out before we turn into prunes,” Cora mumbles, her voice sleepy but content, though she makes no move to leave.
