She quirked a finger at him. “Come and help me with my bath, husband.”
“With pleasure.” Rafe stood and made his way over to sit on the stool next to her. He picked up the linens and laid them over his knee.
Daphne eyed his muscular chest and shoulders. She’d never get tired of looking at him. He gently took the soap from her hand and dipped it into the water next to her hip. “This is quite a sight,” he murmured, staring down into the water.
“What is?” Daphne glanced down at herself to see her nipples barely skimming the water’s surface. “Oh.”
“The perfection of your body,” he replied, not taking his gaze from her.
Daphne blushed. She sat forward while Rafe rubbed the soap between his hands and lathered her shoulders. Then she leaned back against the tub and closed her eyes as he turned his attention to her front. She moaned when he brushed against her nipples.
“I owe you an apology,” he said softly.
She blinked one eye open. “An apology? You?”
“Yes, me. I told you that you wouldn’t be of help if you came with us. You saved the mission.”
Daphne closed her eye again and settled back against the tub. “Salty says sometimes you need people more than you admit.”
“Salty’s right,” Rafe admitted.
He soaped her belly while Daphne clenched her muscles there and shamelessly wished his hand would dip lower.
“I need you,” he whispered, leaning down and kissing her mouth gently.
“I need you, too.”
Rafe dropped the soap in the water and stood. He unbuttoned the fall of his breeches and shucked off both boots and stockings. He leaned down to kiss Daphne again.
“You’re magnificent,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into the water atop her.
Despite the small space, Rafe spent the next half hour both soaping and kissing his wife while she did the same to him. By the time the water began to cool, they were both entirely clean but Rafe had a raging cockstand.
He pulled Daphne from the tub and dried her hair and body with the linens. She did the same for him. When she reached his erection, she stopped. “Well, I—” Her blush was beautiful against her soft, creamy skin.
He traced her cheek with his thumb. “Come to bed with me. I need you. Now.”
“Yes,” she breathed.
He scooped her into his arms, carried her over to the bed, and laid her gently on top of the coverlet and then came down atop her and covered her with his nakedness. He kissed her deeply. Daphne’s hands tangled in his hair and she arched against him. He smelled so good, like soap and male desire.
He grinned at her. “I want to kiss you everywhere.”
“Please do.” She giggled.
Rafe kissed her forehead, her cheek, her ear. Then he nuzzled at her neck. Daphne shuddered when he sucked at her collarbone. “You are gorgeous,” he whispered in her ear. “Beyond perfect.”
“No, you are gorgeous,” she replied, tilting back her head to give him greater access to her throat.
His tongue traced down between her breasts and then he moved lower, catching a nipple between his teeth and tugging. Daphne’s hands tangled in his hair. “Rafe,” she breathed.
He nibbled at her, nipped her, bit her. She squirmed beneath him, wanting his hand between her legs. His mouth moved to her other breast and teased that nipple, too. Daphne arched her back.
She pushed her hands over his broad shoulders, reveling in their warmth and strength. Then she wrapped her hands through his hair and pulled his head up to hers. His mouth met hers in a fierce kiss. She moaned deep in her throat. His mouth moved to her chin, her neck again.
His hand found her breast. He teased her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. She arched her back again and moaned. “Oh, Rafe.”
Then his hand moved lower and Daphne ceased to think. He found her core and he slid one hot finger inside of her. She nearly came off the bed. He drew his finger out and quickly found the little nub of pleasure between her legs. He circled the spot again and again. Daphne’s head shifted fitfully from side to side. That amazing feeling built inside of her. The same one he’d made her feel on the ship the first time they’d made love. Intense, maddening, unique, new. And it was all because of Rafe’s finger. It owned her. She clutched her arms around his neck.
