The penthouse was all shadows and angles when we arrived.Moody baseboard lights threw just enough light to keep us from tripping over things.Art lined the walls, sleek furniture filling the space, but none of it mattered.Nash had been kissing me so deeply the entire ride up the elevator that I could orgasm if he even looked at my underwear right now.
Once we crossed the living room, Nash flipped on the lights and began unzipping my dress.“I need this off you.”
Anxiety slithered through me.He hadn’t seen me naked—or even partially unclothed—since our last time together.I’d been a different woman then.Mentally.Emotionally.But especially physically.He had no idea the lengths my shapewear went to in order to give me the figure he’d had his hands on all night.
“Let’s go somewhere…darker.”I stilled his hands, guiding him toward the staircase to his room.
“Too bright in here?”He arched a brow, following my lead.“I can turn them down.I thought the sconces were moremoodyand lessgarish.”
“Oh, they’re nice.They’re fine.I just…I want to go see that view from your bedroom for real.Without the lights on.”
He accepted this and we hurried up the stairs.Once we were bathed in the comforting darkness of his bedroom, lit only by the specks of light from neighboring skyscrapers and office buildings, Nash returned to me.
“You’re mine now, Scarlett,” he murmured, brushing his lips softly against mine.“I’m ready for dessert.”
He pulled away, grabbing me by the hand and leading me into the bathroom.Just enough of the city’s glow reached the cavernous space to let us see our way.He paused at the huge jacuzzi tub and opened the spigot.
“Let’s take a bath.”
I laughed nervously.“Do I stink?”
“Definitely not.But we should make this romantic, right?”He grin was devilish as he moved around the bathroom, lighting small candles.“Since we’re engaged, or something.”
“Not technically,” I reminded him.“You haven’t fake proposed yet.”
“Should I do that now?”His handsome face, illuminated only by the flickering light of the candles, made my heart wrench.I couldn’t bear to hear his sweet words, even if they were in jest.Or in ruse.Or whatever this fake thing was that felt so real.
“You don’t have to.Remember?We’ll just schedule a photo shoot soon and call it a day.”I was glad he couldn’t tell how many butterflies were swarming inside my belly.I felt like a lamb up on the sacrificial altar, about to be cut open and exposed for him to feast on.Four years ago, I’d felt empowered by this.Now, I felt like I was about to fail a test I hadn’t prepared for.
Once the bathroom was perfectly lit, he added bubbles to the water.And then rose petals.
“Are you…real?”I asked.
“I don’t understand the question.”
“Right.Because you’re a robot.No man I’ve ever met would prepare a bubble bath by candlelight for a quick lay.”
He came up behind me, pressing his lips to my shoulder.“You’re not a quick lay.”My dress unzipped.A moment later, it crumpled around me on the floor.“And as for the rose petals and candles, I have a lot of business contacts, and they love to shower me with gifts.We are reaping those benefits tonight.”Nash helped me step out of my dress and turned me to face him.
“Why are you grimacing?”he asked with a laugh.
“Because you’re seeing myshapewear,” I moaned.
“Is it illegal if I see it?”The amusement in his voice was cute.But it didn’t override my embarrassment.
"Not illegal.Just not...ideal."
He smoothed his hands over the stretchy, straining fabric.“Well it’s fucking sexy.And I want you out of it.”
“Getting out of it is the opposite of sexy.Almost as un-sexy as getting into it.Have you ever tried to stuff dough back inside one of those spring-loaded canisters?It’s kind of like that.”
“I’m totally fine with oozing, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
That comment made us both burst into laughter.And then suddenly, Nash was kissing me, devouring my mouth, thrusting his tongue past my lips.Before I knew it, he’d rolled the shapewear down until it was bunched at my hips.I gasped when I noticed.
“You sly devil.”
He tugged the shapewear past my hips and then jerked his chin toward the bath.“Sit on the edge of the tub.”
