It didn’t take me long to find the set and, as I’d thought, it did include a bottle of massage oil. I unscrewed the cap and inhaled the woody aroma. Hercules had joined me on my search and I knew Jed wouldn’t be able to relax properly if Hercules kept nudging him, demanding attention, so I popped him in his crate.
‘Found it,’ I said, returning to the lounge. ‘Shirt off, please.’
As Jed removed his shirt, I placed a cushion on the floor for him to sit on. Even though he’d spent the night in my bed when the snow came down heavily, I hadn’t seen him shirtless and something stirred inside me. I perched on the edge of the sofa behind Jed, one leg either side of him, electricity fizzing throughout my body as my legs touched his arms.
‘You know I’d never go back to Ingrid, don’t you?’ Jed asked as I rubbed some oil into my hands. ‘Even if that was the only way to have Aaronback in my life.’
I slipped my arms round his shoulders and tenderly kissed the back of his neck. ‘I know, but I appreciate the reassurance. Now close your eyes and try to relax.’
The log burner and scented candles made the room warm and cosy but the combination of Jed being half-clad, me dressed in only a satin robe and the scent from the massage oil completely changed the atmosphere. As I ran my hands over his shoulders, my heart pounded. I worked on Jed’s shoulders and a little way down his back before returning to his shoulders.
‘That’s so good,’ he murmured.
This time, I slid my hands down the front of his shoulders, slipping a little further down his chest each time. My breathing quickened, as did his. This was the time! I was ready to move to the next level of intimacy with him. It hadn’t been planned. It hadn’t even been on my mind when I offered the massage, but it felt right.
‘I can’t reach the bottom of your back,’ I said. ‘How about you lie on my bed instead?’
‘Okay, sounds good,’ he said, his voice coming out husky.
I took his hand and led him to my bedroom, placing the massage oil on the bedside table. Jed took my hands in his and lightly kissed my knuckles before fixing his eyes on mine.
‘If you ever have any doubts about how I feel about you or fears for the future, promise me you’ll talk to me and I’ll do whatever I can to make you feel safe.’
Safe. I’d never felt safe with a man until now. Garth and the ‘playmates’ had been fake but Jed was real. I felt how much he loved me in every word, look and touch and I reciprocated those feelings but now I wanted to do so with every part of me. I’d had enough of taking things slowly because of whatthey’ddone to me. I’d taken control back of my life last year and now it was timeto resume control of my body. I didn’t just want to move to the next level of intimacy with Jed. I wanted to go all the way.
‘You do make me feel safe,’ I said, running my hands down his chest before resting them on his belt buckle. ‘And I want you to make me feel everything else too.’
Keeping my eyes on his, I unfastened his belt, my heart pounding as his pupils dilated and his breathing quickened again.
‘Are you sure?’ he asked. ‘You know there’s no pressure from me. Not that I don’t want to do this because of course I want to.’
I silenced him with a kiss, lowered his jeans, then undid the belt on my robe and let it drop to the floor.
‘I’ve never wanted anything more.’
25
TARA
I’d never found it a struggle to rise early to go down to the kitchen to bake or head out for a swim, but getting out of bed on Saturday morning took tremendous effort.
‘I wish we could stay here all day,’ Jed said, stroking my hair back from my face after I snoozed my alarm for the second time.
‘So do I, but I’m going to have to get sorted or I’ll have nothing to serve the hungry hordes, and you’d better get home for a fresh change of clothes too, you dirty stop-out.’
He gave me a tender smile. ‘I know how much of a big step last night was for you. Are you okay with it?’
I stroked my hand down his cheek and drew him into a gentle kiss.
‘You asking me that is one of the many reasons I’m okay with it. You’ve let me set the pace, you’ve never pushed and you understand why it’s a big deal. It means the world to me.Youmean the world to me.’
‘You mean the world to me too.’
We kissed once more then broke apart laughing at the sound of Hercules rattling his crate.
‘Sounds like your other alarm clock’s going off,’ Jed said.
‘Yep, and it’s not so easy to snooze that one.’
