Everyone is clear. I know it; they know it. I’m told that typically Dimitri fills the team lead role, since he’s the man on the ground—but not this time. Wesley has stepped up as the orchestrator of our mission tomorrow, and he keeps checking in, making small adjustments and contingencies. Mac openly sighed the last time he questioned whether we needed to review the logistics of the event one more time.
And while Wesley thrives under pressure, I think feeling responsible for any potential complications is stressing him out. I can see it in the new lines in the corners of his eyes—can hear it in the tired determination in his voice.
I need to take care of my man. If nerves are makingmeedgy, I can’t imagine what they’re doing to him. And with a day as big as tomorrow looming, sleep wouldn’t come easily to someone whocanreliably get eight hours most nights.
Luckily, I know a few things guaranteed to help take his mind off his troubles.
I head into the bathroom and start filling the massive jetted tub that takes up one whole wall. After the bubble bath goes in, I’ve got some time to kill while I wait for the tub to finish filling, so I start setting the mood. Lights down, candles lit. Too bad I don’t have any rose petals…
“Madison?” Wesley calls somewhere in the foyer below, sounding curious and confused.
“Up here!” I cry back.
Fuck. I was going to put on lingerie. I debate letting him find me naked except for this choker he gave me that I’ve decided never to take off, but a pile of clothes in the corner would ruin my vibe.
I meet him at the door. He’s got a laptop tucked under his arm and a tired smile on his lips. “I thought you were going to the bathroom,” he says, leaning down and reaching for me automatically when he’s within an arm’s length.
“I was. I just came up here,” I say, lifting my chin so he can plant a kiss on my lips.
“Is that… a bath?” He tilts his head, like he’s listening to the water running. When I nod to confirm, he smirks and moves to set his laptop down on the corner of the made bed. “You’ve changed your mind about letting me wash your hair tonight?”
“No,” I say, laughing when his smile falls. I grab his wrist and tug him towards the bubble tower. “Next time. This one is for you.”
He appraises the tub as I reach down to shut off the flow of water. “If I nipped down for some champagne for us—”
“Mmm. Wine that tastes like feet and hurts the back of my throat,” I joke. After I finished that glass with Eleanor, I decided I hated it. “If you want some, though, I’ll go get it.”
He grins. “Just the bath, then.”
When he moves to unbutton his shirt, I bat away his hands. “I want to do it,” I say demurely. When he opens his mouth to argue, I realize asking nicely isn’t getting me anywhere, so I level my finger at his chest. “Stop trying to control the situation, you control freak.”
Heat flashes in his eyes, and he threads a hand into my hair, cupping the nape of my neck. “Control is kind of my thing.”
“I noticed,SpyderMan.”
“I’ll give up control only to you,” he says more softly, gaze settling on my lips.
I go up on my toes and press my mouth to his. Before he can clutch me to him, I pull away and settle my fingers on his top button. I can’t tell what that shuttered look in his eye means, but he’s not letting me put enough space between us to undress him, so I place a soft kiss over his heart. “You’ve been working so hard,trying to plan and handle everything. Trying to take care of everyone. Let me take care ofyou.”
“You’re very good to me,” he murmurs.
“Only because you’re so good to me.”
We’re so close that I can hear him swallow before he nods and steps back to release me. I want to take my time and make it as slow a seduction as I can. I unbutton his shirt, placing a kiss on every inch of revealed skin, and draw the sleeves down so I can trail my fingers along his arms. I linger on the belt buckle, drifting my touch across the bulge behind his zipper. His swift inhalation goes straight to my stomach, riling up the butterflies. I love how he reacts to my touch. He’s a guarded person, but I love how openly he wears his desire for me.
I get down on my knees to unlace and help him out of his boots, then step out of his pants. He’s not fully hard, but his cock jumps when my gaze lands on it, so close to my face. Close enough to touch. I lean forward and place a kiss on the tip, giggling when he makes a choked noise and lays a heavy hand on the top of my head.
“Is this meant to be a kindness or an unbearable tease?” he groans.
“Little bit of both,” I say honestly with a shrug.
He grins. “Traviesita.I never quite know what to expect from you. You keep me on my toes.”
Dios,it fires me up hearing him speak Spanish. I get to my feet and gesture at the bath. I perv on him, grinning as his muscles flex as he gets into the tub. I can’t wait to run my tongue through every valley of his hard body. I’m almost too excited to undress slowly, since I just want to get in there with him, but I force myself to clip my hair out of the way, then unzip my sweatshirt slowly.
“I like the way you praise me,” I tell him.You keep me on my toesis still ringing in my ears, making me feel flush with pride.
“Do you?” he asks, his tone distracted as he watches the skin slowly being exposed with a hungry expression.
