“I can't see you when the shield is up like this. I want to see you.”
“I'm smiling,” she said. “Right now, we're both blind.” Her voice almost broke. Her heart hammered excitedly, her lungs tight as she moved beyond his lips, cupping his cheek on his unwounded side where there was enough room, though it was snug. Willa found his ear and followed the swirl with her fingertip.
His breathing grew rapid, and with her free hand, she placed her hand over his heart. She could feel the drum against her palm.
“Am I hurting you?
“No,” he said.
Willa explored his temple, his sideburns, and then she reached lashes.
His eyes were closed.
She traced his brow with the very tip of her finger, but she couldn't go any farther. She moved her hand down to his nose, tracing the ridge and down over the tip, back to his lips, and finally drew her hand away.
“There's no chance you know me, just from that.”
“I know you,” she said. “I know your heart.”
The notch in his throat moved up and down. She traced her finger over the lump and down his chest.
“I want to kiss you again,” he said.
Willa came up to her knees and bent over the tub, angling her head to reach the small space where their lips could meet. The edge of the helmet dug into her cheek.
He pulled away in frustration. “This is ludicrous. I hate this bloody helmet.”
“I prefer the helmet over your death,” Willa said, pulling away in disappointment.
“Don't go,” he said. “Don't go too far away from me. I want to kiss you and not just your lips.”
Willa bit her lip. She blushed, heat spreading over her cheeks, down her neck, and over her breasts. Her nipples grew sensitive against her bodice. She wanted that too.
“But you're hindered from kissing me,” she said, her heart pounding harder as she said the words.
“I'm not hindered from touching you.” His breathing grew rapid. “Don't tempt me, Willa. I'm already a weakened man.”
“Nothing about you is weak, my knight.” She kissed his shoulder and his wet hand clawed into her hair, but he didn't push her away, he held her. She kissed the muscular hill between his neck and shoulder, and he tilted his head to the side, giving her more space to kiss his neck. Willa moved down, peppering kisses across his chest, growing bolder.
She must truly be a wanton, but she didn't care. She was in love with this man. He almost died to save her. There was no other more deserving of her affection, of her love, of her tender kisses than he. She moved behind him and continued to kiss his upper back and his shoulders, running her hands down his front and over his nipples that pebbled under her touch. His breath hissed through his lips as she touched them, encouraging her to be bolder.
She wanted to move her hand lower, over the contoured planes of his abdomen, following the trail of dark curly hair into the shadowed water.
Willa wanted to hold him with her whole body.
He dripped water all over her clothing to the point that Willa stood and began to remove her dress.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“You've already soaked my sleeves. I can't wear this to bed.” She unbuttoned the neck and slid her arms free, dropping the garment to her waist and pushing it down. Willa picked up the dress and draped it over the chair.
“You saw me in my shift last night.”
“Stand near the fire so I can look at you properly,” he said.
Willa bit back a smile, her skin warm and pink as she went to stand before the fire, knowing he would see right through her shift.
She hated that helmet. She wanted to see his face, his expression as he looked. She fisted her hands behind her back, anxious to know if he liked what he saw.
