Caroline: Everything okay?
My phone buzzes with an incoming call the next second. I immediately answer.
“Hey, how was your day?” I ask.
“I’ve had better.”
“What happened?”
“Long story.” The defeat in his tone startles me. “I’d really like to hold you tonight.”
Instantly I sense this isn’t the time to play our little game.
“How’s a bubble bath in your Jacuzzi sound? No girly bath bomb, I promise.”
He laughs, but it doesn’t sound wholehearted. Not like he means it.
“Sounds great. I’ll be at my place in about an hour, but the doorman can let you in if you arrive earlier.”
“I’ll be there in forty minutes, and I’ll prepare everything.”
I’ll have to forego the trip to the thrift shop, but it doesn’t matter. Someone else can have the pretty scarf. Daniel comes first. Whatever he needs, I’m there.
To my utter shock, I realize ninety-nine percent of the bath bomb offerings are targeting women. The best I can find is a marine-scented one, but I’ll double-check with Daniel before dropping it in the water.
When he arrives, he’s giving off every single vibe of broody Daniel.
“I have the bath ready. Well, the Jacuzzi’s full. The verdict’s still out there on whether the bath bomb is masculine enough. ‘Marine scent,’ it says, but that’s open to interpretation. Don’t want you smelling like a mermaid.”
This earns me a small smile. Hmm... we can do better. Taking his hand, I lead him to the bathroom.
“I’m taking care of you tonight,” I announce when we arrive at the Jacuzzi. I turn around, raising my hands to undo his shirt buttons, but Daniel catches both my wrists, cuffing them in one big hand. Then he pulls me into a long, deep kiss, bringing his other hand to the back of my head.
Oh boy.
This is his manly way of saying, “Yes, yes I need you to take care of me.”
One day, I’ll write a book aimed at men, explaining in great detail how admitting out loud that they have their vulnerable moments won’t kill them. Right now, I have more important things to do—namely, taking care of this particular man.
First, I need to get him naked. Now, I’m not one to take advantage of a vulnerable man for my own pleasure, but getting him inside the tub requires me to take his clothes off.
If I prolong the process, taking my sweet time... well, no one can blame me. Daniel’s body is a piece of art. It deserves all the stroking and worshiping. I run my fingers over every inch of skin I uncover, and when that isn’t enough anymore, I use my mouth too. Down his chest, tracing the ridges of his six-pack with the tip of my tongue until I feel the bulge in his pants press against my throat. Lowering myself on my knees, I undo the button and the zipper, pushing his pants and boxers down.
I take his erection in my mouth, looking him straight in the eyes. He exhales sharply, bringing his hand to cup the side of my face, sliding it to the back of my head, the pads of his fingers pressing on my scalp, as if he’s barely refraining himself from fisting my hair. Oh, I love it when I bring him this close to losing control. I don’t want him to keep his rough side in check tonight, so I’m going to tempt the hell out of him, right until he loses it. Watching his eyes, I slide my mouth lower onto him, and then lower still, until I feel his tip at the back of my throat. Daniel feels it too if the low, husky groan is any indication. Heat zings through me at the sound. Just like that, I’m burning for him.
Damn it. This whole thing is backfiring. My grand seduction plan is supposed to drive him so crazy that he pushes all his troubles to the back of his mind. It isn’t supposed to turn me on so much that I feel like throwing my plan away and jumping his bones right now. No, no, I’ll stay put. Tonight is all about him.
As if sensing my need, he says, “Touch yourself.”
I don’t need to be told twice. I move my hand, but splay it wide on my stomach instead of doing anything naughty, because I just got an idea. I want him to tell me what to do. I want his instructions, every step of the way. Daniel loves giving me commands when we’re intimate, but not more than I love following them. I shrug, opening my eyes wide, hoping he’ll get my point. I can’t talk with him filling my mouth.
Oh, he does.
“Run your finger over your panties, from your clit down to your opening.”
Slowly, I push my pants down, kicking them away, then run my hand over the silk of my panties, just the way he told me to. A rush of arousal dampens my panties. I press my thighs together. Daniel’s eyes become hooded. He draws in a deep breath, and when his lips part, I see his teeth are clenched. He pulses in my mouth, and I clamp my lips tighter around him.
“You’re driving me crazy, woman. Touch yourself again. Run your fingers up one fold, then down the other. Don’t touch your clit this time.”