Page 54 of Juliet's Touch

“I took an early morning walk, and now I am quite cold,” she said.

“We can’t have that. We shall have to warm you up.” Again, with that gravelly voice.

Tingles took over her belly, and she had a sudden urge to study his continence. She raised her gaze to look into eyes that were clouded over as if he was intoxicated. Tipsy on lust, perhaps? Lord knows, she was.

He extended his hand, palm up. “Would you care to join me?”

It would take an army to keep her out of that tub. The steaming water and his growly voice were calling to her likea siren seducing sailors. She forced her quivering legs to step forward until she stood before him, gawking. In her defense, the chiseled-to-perfection bits of him that she could see were enough to stun any woman into a stupor.

His broad, muscular shoulders led to the sculpted chest that had stolen her breath when he’d shown up in the library with parts of his skin showing. As she’d predicted, his dark chest hair was neatly trimmed. Perhaps his meticulous grooming allowed him to show off his physique for wagering audiences. Goodness, she’d give all of her remaining pin money to watch him strut around the ring shirtless.

“’Tis warm in here.” He inclined his chin to the bath water, then lifted his arm, beckoning her with curling fingers.

Good God, his forearms!The cords of toned muscle from his wrist to his elbow rippled with his subtle movement. A line of veins popped ever so slightly, indicating the stellar discipline of an athlete who spent every day engaged in sport.

“You will have to take off your clothing,” he said. “Unless you don’t care if it gets wet.”

Wet clothing sounded miserable. A warm bath while pressing her naked body against a beautiful male specimen sounded beyond heavenly.

Her hands quivered as she shrugged out of the robe. As nervous as she was, she somehow managed to lift her chemise over her head gracefully. Like punctuation at the end of an emotional expression, the fabric fluttered to land beside her feet.

For the first time in her life, Juliet stood entirely naked in front of a man. Part of her wanted to pluck her discarded clothing from the floor and hide her body behind the garments. However, there was also a small part of her that wanted him to take in every inch of her until he was overcome with uncontrollable, raw need. That would put them on equal footing since she ached for him to fill the empty spaces in both her heart and her body.

The new, brazen side of herwon. She arched her back, thrust her bosom out, and smiled coquettishly.

“Thunderation, Juliet.” His gaze raked up then down her body as he swallowed. “You are a vision.”

He stood. Water droplets cascaded down his chest and abdomen to catch in the coarse hair surrounding his manhood.

She might have gasped. She definitely blinked. But she’d never seen a man’s genitals that weren’t on a statue or in artwork. His penis was large, standing at attention, and pointing at her.

He held out his palm. She placed her hand in his, and he assisted her into the tub.

The warm water instantly hugged her calves. Turning her until her back was tight against his torso, he wrapped his arms around her. Together they slid into the welcoming warmth.

With her buttocks on the bottom of the tub and his long legs on either side of her, she leaned back and relaxed against him as if he were a giant pillow. Neither of them moved or said anything. Of this, she was glad, because it allowed her to absorb every decadent sensation. His breath tickling her cheek. His strong arms cocooning her in a protective grasp. The gentle scratch of his chest hair against her skin. His flat abdominals pressed against her back as his stiff erection poked her in the buttocks.

“Mmm.” She sighed.

His cheek brushed hers as he nibbled on her ear. “Juliet, I have a confession.”

Please let it be romantic, worshipping words that had something to do with infatuation, roses, or stars.

“Oh?” she asked.

“I’m not very experienced with women.”

Thankfully, he couldn’t see her smile because she didn’t want him to misconstrue its intent. It wasn’t that she found his confession trite. The exact opposite was true. In the short timeshe’d known him, his actions indicated that he was a man who thought more about integrity and honor than his base needs.

Nevertheless, he had to have some experience in the art of seduction. He knew how to make her hum and melt, after all. She suspected he was more of a long-term relationship gentleman than a tup-her-and-leave-her scoundrel.

“Society looks down on men who don’t have a lot of experience,” he said.

Juliet peered over her shoulder, studying his earnest expression. “Truthfully, it increases my already positive regard for you.”

He smiled at her—a wide, beautiful grin.

She leaned back, snuggling against his firm chest. “I want to be in love with the man I give my maidenhood to.” And yet, here she was, sneaking off to kiss and fondle a man in her sister’s home. She was a hypocrite.