Jack knew a poignant moment of vulnerability then, as he realized this was the first time he had been completely nude before her since his return. Did she still find him pleasing? The hungry way her stare traveled over him suggested she did.
Thank Christ for that.
He stepped into the bath and settled at one hand, bending his long legs to make certain there would be enough room for her at the opposite end. “Well, Nellie? Are you too afraid to join me, or are you going to get in?”
His taunt was just the prodding she needed.
Her chin went up. “I am not afraid. Why do you imagine, Jack, that I cannot control myself in the bath with you?”
He raised his brows, saying nothing. The water continued to rise in the tub. They engaged in a staring match. Nell was the first to surrender, looking away with her standard hiss of irritation, her nostrils flaring.
“Damn you,” she bit out.
And then, her fingers were on the long line of buttons. She peeled off her dressing gown. Then the night rail, already nearly transparent with the effect of her wet skin beneath it, went over her head.
He forgot to breathe.
In the warm glow of the lamps, she was a revelation of sweet creamy skin and womanly curves. He drank in the sight of her as she squared her shoulders and crossed the tile floor. Her ankles were dainty, her calves and thighs shapely, her breasts full and tipped with rose-pink nipples he loved to suck. The thatch of golden curls between her legs hid the decadence of her pretty cunny.
“You could have averted your gaze, you scoundrel,” she told him as she stepped into the bath.
The tub was deep and large enough for two, and Nell was petite, her legs short, which meant he caught a glimpse of glistening pink folds before she sank low in the water at the opposite end.
“I could have,” he agreed, grinning at her. “But I wanted to see you.”
She pulled her knees to her chest, shielding her breasts from his view, and frowned. “You have seen me before.”
“I could see you a thousand more times, Nellie, and it would never be enough.” He closed the tap and reached for a cloth and soap.
Though his words were the utter truth, she looked at him as if he were the most egregious liar she had ever beheld. He supposed that, to a woman who had spent the last three years believing he had willingly bedded another, he must certainly seem the worst sort of villain.
“This shall be the last time,” she promised sternly.
Never.
But he did not argue. Instead, he lathered the cloth with soap and reached beneath the water to find one of her slim ankles.
“What are you doing?” She scooted backward, but there was only so far she could go.
“Washing your feet,” he said calmly, lifting her right ankle from the water and covering it liberally with soap. “Your blisters are healing, but you still need to take care. And as we have already established, you appear to be in need of a keeper.”
“You have determined to make a nuisance of yourself.” Her voice was cool, but she made no effort to yank her foot from his grasp as he had supposed she might. “That is the only thing we have established as far as I am concerned.”
He recalled precisely where she was ticklish. The arches on her soles. Jack could not resist running his forefinger, raking his nail. Just once.
She jerked, emitting a shrill squeal, and slid down in the slippery tub. Her head went under the water. She popped up, sputtering, outraged.
“Nellie,” he said, regret slicing through him. “Forgive me. Had I realized—”
“You bounder!” she interrupted, wiping water from her eyes. “You did that intentionally.”
“The tickling was intentional,” he managed sheepishly. “The aftermath was decidedly not.”
And because he was every bit the bounder she accused him of being, he could not wrest his gaze from the sight of her glorious breasts, bobbing in the water. He could not help but to remember what it had been like to press them together, to slide his cock between them…
“This is the outside of enough,” she said, as if she were reading his thoughts.
And then, before he could react, she launched herself at him. Wet, warm, supple woman landed in his lap. Her eyes were brilliant in her pale face, hair still streaming down her cheeks. She looked wild. Beautiful. She walked her fingers up his sides.
