“Better?”Stefan's voice caught me off guard, and I jumped slightly.
“My breath won't kill you now.”
He let out a laugh and walked up to me.“Let's test it out, shall we?”His hands landed on my shoulders and gently turned me around.My legs felt fine, but the way he was looking at me definitely made my knees wobble.His eyes focused on my mouth—and then he leaned in and kissed me.
All on their own, my hands traveled up his chest and behind his neck, holding him to me.I'd missed his kisses.And after he'd stormed off the other day, I wasn't sure he'd ever kiss me again.
“Still alive,” he mumbled against my mouth with a small smile.“Looks like the killer breath is gone.”
Unfortunately, he'd put clothes on.A brown button-down and dark brown pants.I wasn't sure I'd ever get used to seeing Stefan in such nice clothes.The only thing I saw him in before was a hospital gown and then his one set of clothes at my apartment.
“Sit, and I'll dry your hair.”
I bit my lip and looked at him.“Are you sure?”I questioned him, but sat down, anyway.There was no way I was giving up an offer like this.Even if he only got it partially dry, that would be a huge bonus for me.And my arms.“I haven't had a haircut in a while.It takes forever to dry.”
In the mirror, I saw him smile as he pulled a hairdryer out of a drawer.“I'll take that risk.”
I laughed and shook my head.“Fine, but you might regret it later.”
His eyebrows rose, and our eyes met in the mirror.“I regret very little in my life.”Somehow, his gaze held mine as something deeper exchanged between us in that moment.
“Turn,” he said, moving my head as he took the towel off.And then he started drying my hair.
A minute later, he shut it off.“Shit.Hang on,” he said and headed back into the shower.He picked up the hairbrush he'd left in there and came back out to brush my still very wet hair.
The one thing that really amazed me was how gentle he was.Especially for a man who likely never had long hair before.I couldn't see Stefan with long hair.He was definitely a clean-cut, short hair kind of guy.Maybe he'd had practice on his niece’s hair.Daniella had a beautiful mane.
A good ten minutes later—Stefan turned the hairdryer off and set it on the counter.Our eyes met in the mirror, and he said, “I'm afraid it might overheat.”
We both laughed, and I shrugged.“I warned you.”
His eyes danced.“That you did, Francesca.That you did.”He started walking away and said, “Stay here.I'll get you something to wear.”
Now, I can't say I was ungrateful for all the pampering.Because I loved it more than I wanted to admit.But I was certain I could now walk on my own.So, a few seconds later, I followed him out of the bathroom, into the bedroom, and directly to the closet.He must've stuck the suitcases in here.
But when I saw him reach up into the closet and grab a hanger down, I gasped.There was an entire row of women's clothing that hadn't been there earlier.
“Did I not tell you to stay sitting?”He turned around with a gorgeous gold nightie in his hand.
I sighed and rolled my eyes.“I'm not an invalid.I can walk,” I said, but kept my eyes on the nightgown.It was beautiful.
“We really need to work on your listening skills, Francesca.”For some reason, the tone of his voice combined with his words created some kind of powerful, sexual ache between my legs.And I didn't quite understand why he had this kind of effect on me.Or what it meant.
“Maybe we need to work on your listening skills,” I shot back at him.
He let out a low laugh and removed the nightie from the hanger.“That mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble.”Stefan returned the hanger to its spot and stepped toward me.His hand quickly undid my towel, and I let it fall to the floor.He arranged the nightie over my head.
It felt luscious as it floated down my skin.I touched it carefully with my fingers.“I've never felt anything so soft.”
Stefan's hands landed on my arms.He let them glide down to my hands.“It's not remotely as soft as you.”He held my hands in his, and we looked each other in the eye for a long moment.
I bit my lip and smiled at him.“Giselle and Eve have great taste.”
That devilish smirk was back.“As do Nick and Carlo.”
I smiled at his insinuation.Because I guess that was true, too.Nick and Carlo definitely had great taste in women.
Stefan turned around and opened one of the drawers beside us.He pulled out a pair of white panties.They looked expensive to me.Not like the cheap cotton ones I bought on sale.“Is that your favorite color?”I gazed into the drawer, seeing many more white panties in there.
