A heavy breath rushes out of me.All my mental training flew out the window after my first night here.Graeme was always undeniably attractive, but there’s something about this slightly older version of him that’s even more irresistible.The laugh lines, the metallic threads of silver in his hair, the thick burr of his accent.For years, there was so much distance between us, both physically and emotionally, but having him down the hall, with the scent of his familiar cologne lingering in the air, has been too much for my hormones.“Yes.”
His eyes are narrowed slightly as they study my face.He turns away suddenly and wrenches off the tap.“Bath’s ready.”
And with that, he slips past me and out the door.
My mouth hangs open as I stare at the closed door.I don’t know what I expected when I started that line of conversation, but it certainly wasn’t the emotional whiplash I feel right now.As I slip into the hot, fragrant water, my cheeks sting even as I realize I should be grateful Graeme’s self-preservation instincts kicked in and compelled him to walk away.Things are complicated enough without crossing the line into a physical relationship yet again.
The door flies open, startling me so badly I sink down in the water up to my nose.Graeme strides into the room, stopping abruptly beside the tub.His stormy expression clears instantly when he sees me.
“You look like a hippo,” he says.
I slide back into a seated position, not bothering to cover myself.“Just what every girl wants to hear when she’s naked.”
My blood heats as Graeme’s gaze dips to my breasts.I feel so flushed, I’m surprised the bathwater doesn’t start to boil.When his eyes meet mine again, that storminess is back.
“Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to join me?”I ask.
His eyebrows wing up.“Is that what you want?”
“Is that whatyouwant?”
“It’s a bad idea.”Despite his words, he grips the back of his shirt and pulls it over his head, letting it fall at his feet.So much for those self-preservation instincts.
“A terrible idea,” I agree.My mouth is practically watering at the sight of his broad chest and muscled shoulders.I watch his strong hands as they unfasten his belt buckle and then undo the zipper on his jeans.He grips the waistband and pushes down his underwear along with his pants.I swallow convulsively when I see he’s already half hard.
My gaze carries downward as he kicks his pants aside.I think back to Drew and Fern’s appreciative comments about Graeme’s muscular form earlier.If his thighs looked good encased in denim, the sight before me is nothing short of spectacular.
“You look like you want to sink your teeth into me,” he murmurs.
“I do.Get in here.”I pull my knees up to make room for him.
He climbs into the tub and sits across from me.When I stretch out my legs, he takes my feet in his lap, hissing softly when my toes accidentally-on-purpose brush his erection.A combination of giddiness and nerves create an effervescent feeling that rises in my chest and throat.I sigh and tip my head back as Graeme rubs one of my feet.He digs his thumbs into my arch, eliciting a moan.Our eyes lock, and a smile flirts around the edges of his mouth as his hands move higher, focusing for a moment on my ankle before inching up my calf.
“Drew said there’s a new art gallery in Kingston that you two have visited a couple of times,” Graeme says.
The casual comment throws me off guard.We’re naked in a bathtub and he’s got his hands on me, and yet he wants to talk about an art gallery?I blink at him, but he simply gazes back steadily.
“Yeah, it’s in the west end.”My voice is shaking, so I clear my throat and try again.“It features a bunch of local artists.Drew bought a gorgeous painting of a field of heather in Skye for Brodie’s birthday.”
“Ahh, that’s where it’s from,” he says.“Brodie sent me a picture.He was really touched.Said it reminded him of summers back home.”
My breath hitches as Graeme’s long fingers wrap around the back of my knee.“That’s what she was hoping for.”
Without warning, he shifts his legs and grips my thighs, hauling me forward.Water splashes around us as my arms fly out to steady myself.
“Turn around.”The water seems to carry the low vibrations of his voice, sending them through every inch of my body.I lift up on my knees, and he guides me as I move.There’s more splashing and some embarrassed giggling on my part, but I eventually get settled between his legs with my back pressed against his front.
He glides his wet fingers along my shoulders and upper arms, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake.His mouth presses against my neck as his fingers trace the lines of my collarbones.My breath catches as his hands move lower, stopping just above my breasts.
“Can I touch you?”he asks.
Emotion swells within me.We’re already in an incredibly intimate position and we’ve had sex dozens of times over the last few years, and yet he still asks for consent.If I hadn’t already thought Graeme MacKinlay was the sexiest man alive, I certainly would now.
At my nod, his hands slide under the water and cup my breasts.I drop my head on his shoulder and let my eyes fall closed.He remembers the exact pressure I like as he gently squeezes my breasts and rolls my nipples between his fingers.I squirm against him, pressing my thighs together to soothe the ache building between them.One of his hands leaves my breast to inch down my stomach.My entire being narrows to the back and forth motion of his fingers just below my belly button.
“Is this all right?”he asks.
I was already biting back a whimper, but I don’t fight it now at the sound of Graeme’s gravelly voice in my ear.“God, yes.”
