Chapter 404: Bath of Fire
Bath of Fire
Leon stood, his arms raised above his head, the muscles of his torso flexing beneath his flesh. The sheet draped around his waist fell silently to the floor, a tumble of white at his feet. Sunlight poured in through the high windows, illuminating the hard planes of his chest, the carved sweep of his abdomen, the width of his shoulders. Each inch of him shone, polished and alive in morning light.
Cassidy stopped dead in her tracks, her breath snagged in her throat. Black hair descended around her shoulders, a flowing drapery of silk that glimmered as she turned her eyes. Her own skin burned suddenly, every nerve pinpointing him. Her own deep black eyes snapped to his golden ones, wide and laughing, and there she read the amusement, the teasing, the flame that always made her heart pound.
Leon’s mouth twisted into that mocking, predatory grin, the one that always left her at his mercy. He leaned forward slightly at the waist, with the sort of predatory movement that had once left her heart stuttering as a child—and did so again now. "Come, my love," he said, low and warm, offering out a hand to her. His voice was heavy with purpose, a slick drawl that sent shivers down her spine. "Your bath is ready.
Her heart skipped a beat, not with fear but with excitement. She had been in his arms many times, but the closeness of this—the slow, calculated closeness, the way he picked her up, the warmth of him against her own body—was charged. She let herself move forward, extending her hand, allowing him to scoop her up into a princess carry.
The instant that she was in his arms, her naked body against his, Cassidy released a quiet gasp. His chest was hard, warm, each of his breaths whispering over her exposed body. She could feel herself blush, her D-cup nudging softly against him, each shift of his arms sending waves of warmth over her. She didn’t shy, didn’t turn away. This intimacy, this flame between them, was hers to indulge in. She allowed it to flow over her, the sensation of being completely seen, completely loved.
Leon’s golden eyes swept over her, a blend of desire and adoration that had her heart throbbing against her ribcage. "You look... irresistible," he breathed, voice low and teasing. His fingers skimmed the slope of her back as he carried her, and she felt the thrill that ran down her spine. Cassidy leaned in, allowing her body to conform to his, allowing herself to feel every inch of his heat. "Each time I see you, Cassidy... I can’t—" His words hung as he lightly touched his mouth to her temple, a gentle contrast to the flames burning in his eyes.
"You can’t resist me," she breathed, teasingly sure, her lips twitching up in a small, knowing smile. Her fingers lightly braced against his shoulders, testing, feeling, but not attempting to conceal her desire. There was no shame here—only a bold, heady confidence that had been cultivated by years of love, trust, and forbidden longing.
Leon laughed, his voice low and thunderous, shaking against her ear. "No, my love," he whispered, laying a slow kiss along the curve of her neck. "I never say no to you. Not ever.
Her own bathroom in her own chambers was simple in comparison to the large one he had, but with her in his arms, it was the most opulent room in the world. The stone walls, the highly polished wooden floors, the big tub big enough for two—it was all apparently for just such an occasion.
He sat her down carefully in front of the tub, running a finger along the curve of her back. Cassidy’s black eyes flashed up at him, wide and mischievous, though there was a pinkening to her cheeks. She leaned her head back a little, flashing him a small, teasing smile. "You always make it sound like a ceremony, Leon," she murmured, her voice low and husky.
It is a ritual, my love," he answered, brushing her hair back with the practiced gesture, showing the curve of her neck and shoulder. "One I do each time I am so privileged to hold you so.
She shuddered, not from cold, but from the warmth of his words and the touch of his hands. Cassidy entered the warm water first, releasing a soft sigh as it closed around her, feeling all tension release. Her skin radiated in the pale morning light, flushed with the warmth of the water and the recollection of his hands on her.
Leon slid in behind her, slowly, deliberately. The tub was big enough, but positioned close enough to take away any distance. His chest against her back, firm, hot, earthy. His arms around her, holding her softly but holding her as if he wouldn’t ever let her go. Cassidy eased back into him, head on his shoulder, eyes half-closed, savoring the protection and flames in his arms.
"Leon..." she whispered, soft, intimate, and full of longing. Her hands outlined small, restless patterns across his arms, fingertips brushing, probing, feeling. "I... adore it when you do this."
He kissed the top of her head, fingers running up onto her shoulders, working the tension out as he murmured, "And I adore you, Cassidy. Always, ever you."
Her laugh was gentle, sportive, teasing, but dripping with warmth. "You say that each time and it never gets tired," she whispered. "Each time I hear it, it... it makes me feel like I’m hearing it for the first time all over again."
"You are my first," he breathed, voice low, almost a growl. "My one and only. Nothing else exists when I’m with you. Look at me, Cassidy."
She raised her chin, allowing her eyes to find his. She saw it there—his passion, his love, the type of love that made her feel the most loved woman in the world. His golden eyes clased with her black, a spark, a flame, a vow. She saw herself melt deeper into him, all fear and thought stripped from her, leaving only the warmth, the connection, the taboo excitement of being so deeply his.
"Leon," she whispered, playing now, forward and confident, but gentle, "you always have the knack of making a plain bath feel like. like a lifetime of memories, don’t you?"
He laughed, pushing a lock of soggy hair from her face.