If Carter told me to sit on the edge of the tub and spread my thighs, I’d have done it with a smile on my face.
To my dismay, he didn’t, and only picked up the pajamas from their folded pile on the counter. He slipped the shirt on me, buttoning it in the front. Each brush of his fingers strayed dangerously close to my nipples, and there was no way he missed the reaction I had to him.
“Hands on my shoulders.” Was it just me, or was his voice deeper, breathier? I had no idea, but it sounded fantastic.
I did as he said while he kneeled before me, the pajama bottom shorts in his hands. The grasp on him helped me keep my balance as I lifted one leg at a time into the clothing, and damn it, why was him dressing me so damn sexy?
At the end, he got to his feet, me dressed but a trembling mess.
So much for sleep…
I couldn’t picture howthiswas supposed to relax me. I had a feeling I could have stayed up for a sting operation at this point, or pulled a graveyard shift somewhere without any coffee needed.
Carter flashed me a smile that said he knew full well what he’d done to me and didn’t regret it a bit. A glance down at his crotch showed he’d hardly walked away unscathed himself, which was my own petty win.
I hoped like fuck that blue balls were a real thing and that he suffered greatly from them.
Outside the bathroom, Carter gestured toward my room. A strange scent met me before I could walk in—lavender again, but also something smoky?
When I walked in to find the room looking vaguely like someone was mid-sacrifice attempt, it all made so much more sense.
And so much less.
Kanyon stood by a dresser, moving a few of the candles around as though there were a specific way to set them up that would work. The task so consumed him that he didn’t even notice our presence until Carter cleared his throat.
Kenyon spun, eyes wide. He hardly had the look of a competent, high-ranked esper at the moment, but I’d gotten used to that—with them all.
“How was your bath?” he asked, as though trying to look more in control to wipe away the last few seconds.
“She was just about asleep,” Carter answered for me. “So it must have been pretty good.”
Kenyon frowned, staring at me. “Really? She doesn’tlookall that relaxed right now.”
My cheeks burned, and I gave a threatening side-eye toward Carter.
He snickered and shrugged. “You know the body is a mysterious thing. Who can say what happened exactly? Thankfully, a healer as good as you are can handle it, I’m sure.”
Kenyon moved his gaze between the two of us, but whether he figured it out or just gave up, I wasn’t sure. “Come on, come lie down.” He patted the mattress. “Face down.”
“I like ’em that way.” Ingram slipped past Carter and me, not by using the tiny bit of space or having us move but by traveling via shadow, going from behind to in front in the time it took me to blink. “I think face down, ass up is a damn nice position.” He tilted his head, his gaze raking over my body. “Then again, I’m pretty sure you could make any position look fucking fantastic.”
“That’s not what we’re here for,” Kenyon scolded him.
“You said she needs to sleep. Let me tell you something—orgasms are a fantastic way to destress and promote restful sleep.”
“Yes, I got the articles you sent me,” Kenyon answered. “But you’d say anything to get your dick inside her. This is about her.”
“Hey, I’m a giver, what can I say? Fine, we’ll do it your way, and when it doesn’t work, my dick and I are ready to tap in.” Ingram all but collapsed back into the large chair that sat at the corner of the room.
In some ways, that almost felt stranger, like he was sitting back and watching this all. It made me feel on display, but for some reason, I didn’t hate it. I was just hyperaware of his gaze. In fact, he almost appeared like a monster there, in the corner, the flickering of the candlelight illuminating his features and throwing shadows from the sharp lines of his face.
Kenyon gestured toward the bed again, reminding me I hadn’t actually done as he’d said, given how Ingram had interfered.
However, all that ease I’d felt from the bath had disappeared. Lying down on my front felt especially exposing, and my racing heart seemed evidence I was not on board with the plan.
“You don’t have to,” Kenyon said softly.
Just him saying that got me moving. Right, this wasmychoice. They could be overwhelming, but they weren’t forcing me. Just that reminder helped, and I crawled onto the bed, stretching myself out, face down.
