"Don't worry, I'll help you. But I think you'll feel better afterward. Fresh sheets, fresh pajamas, and some food in your tummy. Do you want bubbles or essential oils? Maybe peppermint to help settle your stomach?"
I giggle quietly. "How do you know about essential oils?"
He throws me a half smile. "A man can't give away all of his secrets," he teases.
"Oils," I smile, wishing my heart would calm down.
When the bath is ready, Bardil comes to my bed and lifts me out of it. Cradling me in his arms, he carries me to the bathroom. It smells amazing and the peppermint scent immediately soothes me. He sets me down on my feet and holds me until I'm steady.
"You can… um… go now," I say, biting my lip.
"No, I said I'll help you. Don't worry, I'll be a gentleman."
My cheeks flush pink as heat rushes to my face.
Bardil takes the edges of my t-shirt and slowly pulls them up over my head. I blush even more, cupping my arm over my breasts. It doesn't matter that he's seen everything already.
That was so different. It was in the heat of a very intense moment. Now I'm standing in the bathroom in very bright light, utterly exposed. "It's super bright in here," I grumble, embarrassed that he can see every flaw and every freckle.
"Hang on," he mutters, walking out. The lights dim to a soft orange glow. I wiggle out of my shorts and am stepping into the bath when he comes back in.
"Kita, I told you to wait," he huffs, rushing to my side. His hands steady me just as I'm about to lose my balance.
"Gosh," I gasp, shocked at how weak I am.
He holds me around my waist and lowers me into the tub. Warm water embraces me, and I sink down into it and close my eyes.
Bardil sits behind the bath and rubs his hands over my shoulders and around the back of my neck, kneading his fingersinto my muscles. I groan with pleasure, and my cheeks flush pinker than before.
"Is this too hot?" he asks, his breath warm against my cheek.
"No, it's perfect," I murmur.
He manages the tension away, and I'm almost falling asleep again when he says, "Lower yourself into the water. I'll wash your hair for you."
I've never had someone wash my hair for me. I mean, apart from a professional hairdresser. I never realized how intimate it was. How erotic.
His fingers send shivers of delight through my body as he lathers the shampoo into my long hair. He massages my scalp and has goose bumps spreading over my arms.
"Can you sit forward?" he asks, running his hand down my back. I let him push me forward and rest my chin on my bent knees while he uses the bath shower to rinse my hair.
Then he conditions it, again working slowly and gently, as though I were a fragile bird, and he was my caretaker.
When he's done, he rinses my hair again, and I'm no longer feeling shy or exposed. I'm too relaxed, too turned on by his touch.
"Relax for a minute. I'll be right back," he whispers.
I don't know if I doze off or not, but it feels like he's only gone for a second before his voice pulls me from my thoughts again.
He helps me stand and wraps a fluffy white towel around my body, then lifts me from the bath.
Bardil turns me away from him and wraps a towel around my hair as well, then takes my hand and leads me back to bed. On the bed is a fresh set of comfy clothes. The bed has been made with clean sheets and different blankets. My pillows are plumped, and the windows are wide open to let out all the stuffy air.
I don't even know when he had time to do this.
I sit on the edge of the bed, and he feeds my feet into the sweatpants, then stands me to pull them up over my hips.
His phone chimes, and he pauses to read the message. "The pizza is here. Get straight into bed, ok? I'll be back now."
