“What shall we do now?” Austin asked. “Shower and rest?”
“Yes, please.” I rubbed Indigo’s arm. “Thank you for helping.”
She nodded and slunk away without a word.
I took his hand, and we started the walk back. “And I guess we try not to worry about Evan’s advisors finding ways to discount what we’ve shown them. Again.”
33
Jessie
It turned out,the secret was a hot spring kept at the bottom floor of Evan’s house. The room smelled slightly of sulfur with the same design as was woven through the rest of the place. One side had a large window overlooking the distant mountains, dusted with snow, and nibbles had been laid out on a small table in the corner, including sparkling wine chilling in a silver ice bucket.
Austin slipped the silk robe from my shoulders and let it whisper down my skin to the stone floor. He trailed his lips along my shoulder and neck.
“What we’re doing is very important,” he said, taking my hand and leading me to the steaming waters. “But I wish we were on John’s side of things. That the territory was established, profitable, and running smoothly, someone else was in charge, and we could get on with our lives. Travel, take in the sights, have a day off.”
I laughed as he took three steps down and waited, still holding my hand, for me to follow. I did, sighing as the warmthcrept up my legs to my belly. Benches of various heights were carved into the stone, and I sank down into the water to sit on one. Austin spread his arm around my shoulders and pulled me in as he settled beside me.
“I’d really love that,” I said, gazing out the window at the beautiful tableau beyond. “But I do have to admit this is pretty spectacular. We’re sitting in a hot spring carved from stone on the top of a mountain in a gargoyle’s cairn. This isn’t something I could have even imagined existed as a Jane. And I’m sharing this awesome experience with the love of my life.”
He kissed my temple. “Very true. We do have the rest of the day off. Half is better than nothing.”
“We do.”
I turned my face toward his, my heart warming and my core suddenly aching for his touch. He bent and grazed his lips against mine before deepening the kiss. It wasn’t hard or desperate, but a promise of forever. His fingers trailed lightly across my chest before gently rubbing a taut nipple.
I sucked in a breath as delicious sensations pooled low. He kissed my jaw and throat. His hand cupped my breast before trailing down lower and sliding between my thighs. My eyelids fluttered closed, and heat rose within me.
He rubbed in small circles, his kiss becoming more intense. I moved my hips, the pleasure increasing. I reached down and captured his length, sliding my palm against it.
He growled against my lips. His hand ran to the back of my thigh before taking hold and pulling it toward him, over his lap. I knelt on the stone, my knees on either side of his thighs. Lowering, I trapped his hardness between our bodies before I slid my hips forward.
Our lips moved against each other in growing urgency. His hand slid up to cup my breast again, and I rose up, dragging his tip against me. The dim lighting fell over his handsome face,golden and soft. His eyes connected with mine, full of love and devotion, and then pleasure as I slowly sank down on top of him.
“I love you, Jacinta,” he murmured, his movements not hurried, cherishing the moment with me in this place. One thumb stroked softly over my nipple, and the other reached into the waters to restart the slow circles that drove me to distraction.
“I love you.” I moved over him, taking him deep, losing myself in his eyes. Feeling our bond in my soul.
My hands roamed, tracing his muscles and running my touch along the expanse of his shoulders. Our breath increased, mingling in the heated space between our kisses. He worked me harder, and I jerked my hips over his, the pressure building. I groaned with the feel of it, wound tight. Striving for the finish.
The explosion felt like it turned me inside out, the pleasure sparkling through me. He moaned my name and released, shaking. I leaned harder into him, holding tightly, trembling in the aftershocks.
“I needed that.” I smiled against his lips.
“When I’m around you, I always need that.” His kiss turned languid before he sighed in relaxation. “It never gets old.”
I pulled my leg away and settled in next to him again. One of his arms draped around my shoulders, pulling me in tightly, and the other sought my hand. He entwined his fingers with mine. We gazed out at the mountains in comfortable silence, enjoying each other in a rare moment of inactivity.
Nessa
“Are you going out this afternoon?”Sabby pulled his phone away to look over at her. He was resting after the skirmish, aseveryone was calling it, and she was miserable with a hangover. She’d been too embarrassed to ask Indigo or Jessie to save her since they were fighting and exerting themselves, and Nessa was just living.
Today, it hurt to live.
“I don’t know. I might just stay here and do some work.”
He pulled the phone closer again. “You’re not going to do any work. You need greasy food or the hair of the dog.”
