“Kaj!”
He was propped against the tile as though his body had given out on him.
“I’m fine, Acadia,” Kaj intoned. “Just leaning.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “I brought your soap.”
His eyes opened, his head rolling on his neck as he peered in her direction. “As much as I want to do this on my own, I’m not sure how efficient I’ll be.”
Acadia stared back at him, wondering what it was he was requesting.
“If you don’t mind, I need you to wash me.”
“Of course,” she blurted, once more morphing into the role of caretaker.
Her attention shot to the water, then down to her dress and back.
“Kaj?”
“Hmm?” His eyes were closed once again.
“Would you mind if I remove my dress? I would hate to get it wet.”
His eyes popped open and locked on her. For a brief moment, she wondered if she had imagined the heat reflected there. A second later, she determined she had because he offered a single shoulder shrug.
“I’ll be right back.”
Hurrying over to the counter, she set down the bottles of soap and shampoo, then quickly removed her gown. It took effort because of the design, but she’d long ago gotten familiar with getting in and out of it. When she returned, she brought the bottles with her.
This time when Kaj’s gaze settled on her, there was no way to misinterpret what she saw in his glittering green eyes.
“You’re naked,” he growled.
“I…” She lowered her head. “I apologize if it offends. I do not wear undergarments beneath.” And of course, she hadn’t thought to wrap herself in a towel.
There was another growl, this one softer but no less potent. When she lifted her head, she noticed his fangs had descended and he was still regarding her with desire. But she also noticed his erection standing tall and proud from his delectable body.
“You’re safe from me, female,” he said, dropping his head back and closing his eyes. “But I cannot control the response of my body.”
Resigning herself to getting this done, Acadia joined him beneath the spray. She thought about her hair, the fact that it would undoubtedly get wet, then figured there was nothing to be done about it. With a quick tug, she pulled the pins that kept it up on her head and allowed it to fall around her, doing an efficient job of concealing her nakedness because the thick mass hung all the way to her waist.
She had the good sense to use a cloth, soaping it up and then sliding it over Kaj’s skin as efficiently as she could, starting at his neck. While she applied the suds to his body, she took a moment to admire him. Being that his eyes were closed, she could do so unashamedly. He had lost weight since he arrived at the mansion, but he was still solidly built and strong. Though he wasn’t at full strength, she would not underestimate his abilities. There was a wealth of power beneath the supple skin, his muscles flexing as she moved over them.
Acadia was careful with his chest, though the exterior wounds had healed long ago. What he was dealing with now was the repair on the inside. Obsidian had mentioned he suspected there had been great damage done internally, but her blood was working to return him to as good as new. It just seemed to be taking some time.
When she had worked her way down his torso, she eased down to her knees and moved to his feet, working her way back up. His breathing was labored and she worried that he was in pain, but she didn’t dare speak. For one, she wasn’t sure her voice would work, and two, she wanted to get this done as quickly as possible so he could get back to bed.
As she worked her way up his thick, powerful thighs, she peered up, and that was when she realized he was staring down at her, his bright green irises glittering, his fangs fully descended.
Realizing the compromising position she was in, Acadia stood tall but continued to wash him, shifting higher on his thighs until she was at the juncture, sliding upward, cupping his heavy sac.
“Fuck.” His head fell back as he hissed. “Acadia … I…”
“Shh.” She reached for the soap, then dropped the cloth, figuring it would be too coarse on his sensitive shaft.
When she took him in her soapy hand, his eyes opened and locked with hers.
“It’s okay,” she assured him. “I know it’s been a while.”
