“Yes, and I promise, if this weren’t the best thing for those aching muscles, I wouldn’t make you get up right now.”
I groaned as she pulled me up off the couch and into the bathroom, where I was struck by the sight of my bathtub filled to the brim with bubbles. I couldn’t help but laugh. The last time I had a bubble bath, I must have been nine years old. How did I even own bubble bath? Was it left over from the last tenant? Was it even ok to still use it? Did bubble bath go bad?
My thoughts were interrupted as Audrey began lifting my shirt, her fingers skirting over my skin. I wished I wasn’t so damn tired.
“Not how I expected to be getting you naked tonight, but I’ll take it.” She moved on to my belt as I took the shirt from her hands, barely stifling the groan as I tugged it over my head and threw it to the floor.
It wasn’t until I was stepping out of my pants and underwear that I heard Audrey’s soft gasp. “Holy hell, Jace, this was just from today?”
The biggest bruise was splayed across my left side, a deep, angry red splotch that was going to make any sort of exercise an impossibility for at least a few days.
“Yeah, we got the timing wrong, and I got a foot to the ribs.” Just another day in the office.
She shook her head with disbelief before pinching her nose. “Ok, get in the bath.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Her eyes immediately flew open and fixed me with a dark stare. God, she looked cute, all riled up. I lifted my hands in surrender and took a tentative step into the bubbles.
The water was on the right side of hot, but as I slid into it, all my muscles took a collective sigh. “Jesus, I’ve been missing out.” My eyes slid shut, and I let my head sag back against the edge.
“Told you.” She sounded smug.
I smiled. It suited her.
Her fingers brushed through my scalp, making something warm unfurl within me. “A massage would be better, but that’s probably best left to the professionals.”
“Mmmm.” I rolled my head to the left and cracked an eye open to find her perched on the side of the bath. “Are you getting in?”
“Are you sure? I can go if you want.”
That was the last thing I wanted. “No, stay.”
She stood up and started to undress, avoiding my eyes while a shy smile played on her lips. I really didn’t know what I found more intoxicating, the moments when she was confident or the moments she was shy. Both were sending my heart into a frenzy.
Then my mouth went dry as I saw the lingerie that had been hiding underneath her work clothes. Jesus, had she worn that to work?
I couldn’t tear my eyes off her, even if I’d wanted to. “You’re beautiful. You know that?”
She hid her face as she removed the last of her clothes, but the blush on her cheeks remained as she stepped nearer. She stood at the end of the bath where my head was and motioned me forwards.
I indulged in a long look at her naked body, mentally kicking myself for being so tired while simultaneously wondering how I got so lucky. I scooted forward to let her sit behind me, enjoying the feel of her warm thighs slotting around my waist and the feel of her soft breasts against my back. She encouraged me to lean into her, and my head fell back against her shoulder. I hummed pleasantly as her hand absently raked through my hair.
Honestly, I was quite happy where I was. I’d never felt more relaxed, minus the aching all over my body, and I couldn’t remember any time I’d felt that way with the women I slept with. This was new territory for me.
Her breath ghosted across my neck. “Feel good?”
“Mmm.” My breathing had become deep and drawn out, all movement and thoughts languid. I felt her responding chuckle rumble against my back.
“If you fall asleep on me, I might be stuck here forever.”
I smiled. Having her around forever sounded fan-fucking-tastic if it meant more nights like this, but we had agreed to take this slow, so I just ran my hands down her calves where they were crossed at my waist. “You’ll have to keep me awake then.”
She dipped her head down and placed a few open kisses on my neck, speaking softly. “Ok then, tell me a story. How did you get into acting?”
I opened my eyes, recalling the answer fondly. I’d told this story a million times over when the show had become a hit.
But I never told them the whole truth, only a version of it. The real story was mine, and I liked knowing I wasn’t giving all of myself away, even if I had suddenly gained a million followers on social media and was being photographed on red carpets.
And yet. I wanted to tell Audrey. Maybe it was how relaxed I felt, enveloped as I was by the bubbles and her body. Or maybe it was how safe I felt with her. I trusted her.
