He stared down at me, his brow furrowed. “Yes, I do, Holly. It’s my job now to look after you, and you need a pillow. I want you to use the tub, enjoy it. It’s sat there for three years, ignored.”
“You’ve never had a bath?”
“No, I’m a shower kind of guy. Apparently, the wife of the couple I bought the house from loved to soak in the tub and look at the stars.” He indicated the skylight above me. “Never really got into that myself.” He frowned. “You need candles too. Women like candles, right? We can get some in town tomorrow.”
I had to stop my laugh. He was determined to make sure I had everything he thought I should have, whether it mattered or not. There was no point in fighting him. Instead, I held out my hand.
“You could join me.”
He paused, his hand on the doorknob. “In the tub?”
I chuckled. “Yes, in the tub. Lots of room. I’d scrub your back if you wanted.”
He stared at me for a moment, reached over his head and pulled off his shirt, then yanked down his pants. I watched his movements, admiring the way his muscles rippled.
“Maybe I need to give this tub thing a shot.”
I held out my arms, welcoming him as he lowered himself into the steaming water. He leaned back into my chest with a sigh. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, then kissed the top of his head. He relaxed, his body loosening, and we lay together, staring up at the stars overhead.
“I see why she liked this,” he murmured. “But I think having you with me makes it better.”
I held him tighter.
“Are you nervous, Holly?” he asked, his voice low in the room. “About being here with me? Leaving your life behind?”
“No,” I replied. “It wasn’t much of a life, Evan. I was waiting—searching for something.” A sigh flowing through my chest. “I think I was looking for you. For the first time in my life, I feel…content. As if I’m home.”
He lifted my hand from his chest and kissed it. Tilting up his head, he smiled tenderly at me. “You are home, Holly. You never have to search or be alone again. I’m right here.”
I lowered my face and our lips met. They moved and molded together, a perfect fit. Evan threaded his fingers into my hair, cupping my head while our kiss deepened. The water splashed as he rolled, his chest pressing me into the sloped porcelain. Our mouths never separated, if anything, our kisses becoming deeper. Our bodies sculpted to each other, the water warm around us, the air filled with his groans, my whimpers, and our heavy breathing.
Evan sat up, taking me with him. My legs straddled his thighs, his erection trapped between us. “Holly,” he moaned. “I want you right here.”
I nipped at his neck, running my hands over the taut muscles of his back. “Then take me.”
“We’re gonna get water everywhere.”
I licked his ear, sucking his lobe. His shiver made me smile. His hard cock twitched, making me shiver in return.
“I hope you have a lot of towels, then.”
He lifted me as if I weighed nothing, and I slowly slid down onto his length.
“I’ll add those to the list. I have a feeling we’re gonna be having a lot of baths,” he mumbled. “Lots of baths.”
I groaned at the sensation of him buried inside me, the water surrounding us, and the steam making the room a private sanctuary. I began to move, gripping the edge of the tub.
“Good.”
11
Holly
Springtime A Year Later
Sun scattered across the water, the late spring breeze warm on my face. I carried a tray to the porch and stood looking at the dance of the waves as they hit the shore. I loved it here. The sounds of the ocean, the smell of the fresh air, the warmth of the people—and the life I had built with Evan. I studied the waves, knowing I would probably end up back in my studio, trying to capture the endlessly changing colors of the ocean. The scope here was vast, and I never ran out of inspiration. Evan had his favorite paintings framed and hung around the house and his shop and had even given a couple to Carol and Dan. He was overly proud and boastful of my talent, but I loved him for it. I loved him for everything he was.
I couldn’t help remember the day he had shown me the studio he had created for me.