Tempting Evil (Riley Jenson Guardian 3)

I scrubbed a hand across my eyes, then pushed away from the wall and headed into the bathroom. I lit a candle as the big old tub filled up, added some lemony-lime bath salts to the steaming water, then stripped and eased into the bath. Where I just relaxed, and tried to ignore the screaming frustration of my hormones.

I don't how long it was before I realized I was no longer alone, but enough time had slipped by for the water to become tepid.

I opened my eyes. Kellen stood in the doorway, one shoulder resting against the frame, his expression a mix of fierce desire and even fiercer determination.

And he was holding the biggest bunch of red roses I'd even seen.

Something inside me melted. Rejoiced.

"You really have to learn to lock your door when you have a bath," he said softly.

"But if I did, nice men bearing beautiful roses wouldn't wander in."

"Not only flowers," he said, and produced a small tube from behind his back. "But massage oil. I figure all those bruises meant a hard day at the office."

"And here I was thinking no one noticed."

"It took me a while." He placed the roses and the oil on the sink, then took off his jacket and rolled up his shirtsleeves before sitting on the edge of the bath. "I was too busy protecting my territory to even notice said territory was in pretty bad condition."

"I'm nobody's territory."

He smiled and dipped a hand in the water, touching my leg and gently running a finger up and down my thigh. Heat ignited low down, and trembled through the rest of me as furiously as a firestorm. My body might be battered and bruised, but everything else was in full working order.

"When you are with me, you're mine," he refuted softly. "And I'll fight all comers to reserve that right."

I raised an eyebrow. "Even vampires with a fierce right hook?"

"Even vampires. Though I cannot believe you're still with that particular vampire."

"I like him."

"Then I must accept him as competition. But don't expect me to be happy about it."

I smiled. "Asking that wouldn't be fair."

"No." His gaze rose to mine. The desire so evident in those mint green depths scorched deep. "I want you, Riley."

My name rolled off his tongue as sweetly as a lover's kiss, and my whole body seemed to hum in answer.

"I guess if you're gentle, we might be able to manage a kiss or two."

He reached between my feet and pulled out the bath plug, then turned on the hot water. "And a caress or two?"

I pursed my lips, as if considering a question there could only ever be one answer to. We both knew it. The smell of my arousal was as thick as his. "I suppose there's a few unbruised places to find."

His gaze drifted clown, a slow perusal that was all-consuming. Heat prickled across my skin, and my nipples hardened, as if reaching for his caress. Bone-tired and body weary I might be, but I was also a wolf who hadn't had any sex for almost a week. And that ache took priority over all others.

"I can see one or two interesting possibilities," he murmured, leaning forward to replace the plug then turn off the tap. "Seeing it's such a big bath, do you mind if I join you?"

"Please do." It came out husky, thick with desire.

He smiled and rose, then unhurriedly began taking off his clothes. I enjoyed the show, the gentle reveal of skin and muscle. The candle's dancing light lent a rich warmth to his chocolate colored flesh, highlighting some areas of perfection while leaving others to shadow and imagination.

When he was fully naked, he stepped into the bath, but rather than lying beside me, as I'd expected, he lowered himself over me, using his elbows to keep his weight off me even though his body covered mine as completely as a blanket.

"Nice," he murmured, his breath whispering across my lips.

"Very." The heat of him washed over me, and the wet, raw scent of masculinity and desire had my heart racing so hard I swear it was going to tear out of my chest. I ran a hand down his muscular back, letting it rest on his rump and pushing him down lightly. The thick heat of him pressed in all the right places, and I sighed. "Very nice indeed."