“I will. Thanks, Lex. Love you guys.” She blows us kisses and hangs up.
“She looks happy.” Lexie points out.
“I know. I just want her to be all right.”
“Sophia has to have her own experiences. You can’t bubble-wrap her.”
“You sure?”
She laughs.
“I know something that would distract me,” I say, pulling her into my arms again.
“Delayed gratification,” she reminds me, her fingers trailing up my chest, toying inside the button placket of my shirt.
“You mean the thing I call torture?”
“It’ll be worth it,” she promises, treating me to a brief kiss that singes my lips. Then, she steps back.
“You have a naughty side, Lex.”
“Do I?” Her grin is innocent, but there’s a glow behind it. It lights me up as I stand there like a dopey, love-sick fool sporting a hard-on.
After tossing the pasta into the fragrant sauce, she plates it on a platter with fresh Parmesan and a pinch of chili flakes and then brings it over to the kitchen table. It’s intimate and cozy, with the candlelight flickering between us.
“Damn, Blue,” I say after the first bite.
She blushes with pride. “Not bad, right?”
“Not bad at all. Interested in being my live-in chef?”
“We’d fare better with you doing the cooking.”
“I’m all for taking turns.”
“It’s a deal then.” Whether she’s joking or not, I can’t really tell. But I’m determined to find out before the night’s over.
When we’re done, she starts to clear the plates, but I shake my head. “I’ve got this. You cooked, I’ll clean.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Why don’t you take a bath? Relax a little.”
She hesitates, but I see the glint of interest in her eyes. “I would love a bath. But only if you’re sure.”
“Go,” I say, ushering her down the hall.
By the time I finish in the kitchen, I find her soaking in the tub. The scent of her body wash wafts up from the steamy water. Sunk up to her neck, her hair is piled on top of her head, the bubbles clinging to her skin, her nipples playing peek-a-boo with the suds.
“I can’t remember the last time I did this,” she says with a sigh. “Thanks for suggesting it.”
I wish I could join her, but the tub is too small for the two of us. My size makes moments like this impractical. I’m not self-conscious about my large body. Sure, I took some self-esteem hits in high school, but who didn’t? I liked the way I looked long before women started hearing my music and sliding into my DMs. Long before chubby, bearded, and tatted became a trend. But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel annoyed when my body isn’t convenient for some everyday things.
I blow off the frustration, switching my thoughts back to her being here, wet and naked. I sit on the edge of the tub and roll up my sleeve before slowly slipping my hand into the water. The warmth wraps around my forearm as I sink lower and move closer to her.
“Feels good, right?” she murmurs, looking at me through half-lidded eyes.
“Hm-mm.” My fingers gently graze the flare of her hip, tracing it slowly, feeling the delicate heat of her wet skin beneath my touch. “I can make it feel even better.”
