“Maybe you should punish me now,” she breathed as she moved on top of me.
I gritted my teeth and set her back on the seat next to me. “You know I can’t do that, Hazel.” The happiness in her eyes dimmed, and I wanted to drop-kick my own ass for causing it. “Peaches, I can’t lose control with you. I don’t want to hurt you or the baby.”
She blinked a few times, trying to hold back the moisture that was making it suddenly hard for me to breathe. “Are you sure that’s all it is?” she asked in a tiny voice.
I took her chin between my thumb and forefinger, drawing her head up so I could look her in the face. “What do you mean?”
She tried to shake her head, but I was holding firm, so she swallowed and whispered, “Never mind. It’s just pregnancy hormones messing with me.”
The car came to a stop before I could dig further, and Hazel practically leapt from the car when Bianca opened the door.
I was tempted to rush after her, but something told me that she needed some time. So, I headed for the kitchen and made her a cup of her favorite tea. Then I brought it with me to the bedroom.
Hazel was sitting at the vanity in our bathroom with the faucet in the big tub running. I set the tea in front of her, and she tossed me a small, but genuine, smile. I took over getting the bath ready for her, adding her favorite salts—ones I’d made sure she could use during her pregnancy—and setting a stack of warm, fluffy towels on a little table beside the bathtub. Then I grabbed the paperback from her nightstand. By then, the water was high enough to turn off the faucet. I helped her disrobe and step into the steaming water. She sighed and relaxed against the marble, allowing the water to cover her from neck to toe.
I stood and kissed the top of her head. “Call me if you need me, peaches.”
It wasn’t easy to leave Hazel alone in the bathroom—not when I wanted to climb in the tub and pull her onto my lap—but she looked like she needed to relax. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep my hands off of her—and my dick out of her—If I had her wet and slippery, naked body pressed against me. My self-control had already been pushed to its limits. The last thing I needed to do was give it one final shove over the edge, especially when she seemed more vulnerable than usual. My job was to protect her, even from myself.
Padding into the walk-in, master closet, I stripped out of my clothes and grabbed one of my shirts and a pair of panties for Hazel to wear to bed. I set them on the edge of the mattress and turned down the sheets before heading downstairs to get my laptop. While I was there, I nabbed a snack and a couple of bottles of water to bring back up with me. I set everything down on the bedside table and noticed that there weren’t any noises coming from the bathroom when I made it back upstairs. I nudged the door open, not wanting to startle Hazel if she was reading, and found her dozing off in the tub. Her tea and book were where I’d left them, so she must not have lasted long.
I carefully lifted her out of the water and wrapped her up in one of the towels. Her green eyes blinked open for a brief moment, and she sighed as they drifted shut again. My arms tightened around Hazel’s curvy body when she cuddled against my chest, wrapping her arms around my neck. Moving over to the bed, I gently set her down and toweled her off. Once she was dry, I slipped my shirt over her head and tucked her under the sheets without bothering to slide her panties on.
It was going to be hell sleeping next to her all night knowing that all I had to do was lift the soft material past her hips to get access to her pussy. But I wasn’t about to risk waking her up while putting them on when she was exhausted enough to pass out in the tub. She needed the rest, and I was going to make sure she got it.
Pressing a light kiss against her forehead, I whispered, “Sleep well, peaches.”
Chapter Five
Jamison
“I can’t believe I’m actually here, at the Met Gala of all places.” Hazel’s eyes were wide as she stared out the window of the limousine. She was so fucking gorgeous with her coppery hair piled on top of her head, a green dress that made her eyes pop even more than usual, and a King’s ransom worth of diamonds and emeralds dripping from her ears, neck, and wrist. I’d surprised her with the jewelry right before we left for the party, and her eyes had gone round with shock when I’d put the earrings, necklace, and bracelet on her. She’d tried to argue that it was all too much, but I’d just kissed her until she blinked up at me with dazed eyes before helping her out of the house and into the car. “It’s like we’re in a movie or something, with all the famous people dressed to impress.”