the slow, hypnotic slide of his hands stole her willpower.
And something else. Curiosity. Longing. Loneliness. It was hard trying to remain an independent woman out here in the settlements. Too many men would mistake an offer of companionship for something else, as though it suddenly gave them the right to rule her life. Either that, or they'd use it – and her position on Haven's Council – to barter for something. It had been a long time.
Too long, obviously.
“Here.” His voice was rough velvet. “Hold the soap.”
She took it, fumbling with the wet bar as he lathered his hands together and urged her out of the water.
“I’ll wash your back.”
A quick flick of his fingers and her bra suddenly sagged, the edges hanging at her sides. Riley gasped, cupping her breasts in her hands, the thin, worn cotton barely containing them. “What are you doing?”
His palms slid down over her back, the soap silky-slick beneath his skin. He massaged the muscles on either side of her spine, his hands trailing off just at the indent of her hips. Gripping the side of her waist, he slid them back up, fingertips brushing against the curve of her breasts.
Riley shifted uneasily. A glance over her shoulder showed she wasn’t the only one affected. She’d expected that devilish smile, the teasing gleam in his eyes, but he wasn’t smiling. Not at all.
His gaze burned her, all the way through. A need so fierce it stole her breath left her heart thumping in her chest. And something else... Wariness. As if he was simply waiting for the rejection.
Fingertips brushed against the edge of her bra, as if asking permission. Riley tore her gaze back to the cavern wall in front of her, deafened by the roar in her ears. She had the horrible suspicion that she was going to do something reckless.
Her silence gave him the permission he needed. His touch grew bolder, stronger. Breath hot against her nape and then a kiss, just the lightest of caresses, against the sensitive skin there. Riley shuddered.
“Take it off,” he whispered.
She panicked, flat-out panicked. And yet she couldn’t tear herself away. “I don’t think so.”
Fingertips traced teasing circles on her skin. “All you have to do is say no.”
Riley hesitated.
His lips trailed over her shoulder, his body pressing against hers. She could feel him through the thin cotton of her panties, huge and hard, desperate to claim her. And she suddenly realized that the answer might be yes. That she wanted it too.
Trying not to think too much, she wiggled her shoulders, let the bra slip off into the water. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, making her breath short. She tossed the bra toward the sand before she could change her mind.
“Didn’t think you’d do it.”
His voice was raw, harsh. For a moment, Wade's hands lightened, as if he himself were reconsidering this. As if it scared him too.
Cupping her arms over her breasts, Riley sank beneath the water again. Idiot . What am I doing ? But something about the whole situation tempted her. This man didn't want anything else from her but this. Just the once , said a tempting little whisper in her mind. Both of them could take what they wanted, just the once, then walk away.
She was still undecided.
“Just so you know, the answer’s ‘no,’” Riley murmured over her shoulder, wondering if she was trying to prove it to herself. “But you can wash my back.”
Wade reached around her for the soap in her hands, the hairs on his chest tickling her back. The faint brush of his erection stirred against her bottom, and he lathered his hands slowly, until she was barely breathing.
“You’re too kind,” he muttered.
The soapy glide of his hands made her arch her back. A wordless murmur died in her throat as he slid his hands over her hips and up. There was no hesitation in him now, no patient steady touch. His fingers curved under her breasts, cupping them teasingly, before darting away.
Riley sucked in a sharp
And something else. Curiosity. Longing. Loneliness. It was hard trying to remain an independent woman out here in the settlements. Too many men would mistake an offer of companionship for something else, as though it suddenly gave them the right to rule her life. Either that, or they'd use it – and her position on Haven's Council – to barter for something. It had been a long time.
Too long, obviously.
“Here.” His voice was rough velvet. “Hold the soap.”
She took it, fumbling with the wet bar as he lathered his hands together and urged her out of the water.
“I’ll wash your back.”
A quick flick of his fingers and her bra suddenly sagged, the edges hanging at her sides. Riley gasped, cupping her breasts in her hands, the thin, worn cotton barely containing them. “What are you doing?”
His palms slid down over her back, the soap silky-slick beneath his skin. He massaged the muscles on either side of her spine, his hands trailing off just at the indent of her hips. Gripping the side of her waist, he slid them back up, fingertips brushing against the curve of her breasts.
Riley shifted uneasily. A glance over her shoulder showed she wasn’t the only one affected. She’d expected that devilish smile, the teasing gleam in his eyes, but he wasn’t smiling. Not at all.
His gaze burned her, all the way through. A need so fierce it stole her breath left her heart thumping in her chest. And something else... Wariness. As if he was simply waiting for the rejection.
Fingertips brushed against the edge of her bra, as if asking permission. Riley tore her gaze back to the cavern wall in front of her, deafened by the roar in her ears. She had the horrible suspicion that she was going to do something reckless.
Her silence gave him the permission he needed. His touch grew bolder, stronger. Breath hot against her nape and then a kiss, just the lightest of caresses, against the sensitive skin there. Riley shuddered.
“Take it off,” he whispered.
She panicked, flat-out panicked. And yet she couldn’t tear herself away. “I don’t think so.”
Fingertips traced teasing circles on her skin. “All you have to do is say no.”
Riley hesitated.
His lips trailed over her shoulder, his body pressing against hers. She could feel him through the thin cotton of her panties, huge and hard, desperate to claim her. And she suddenly realized that the answer might be yes. That she wanted it too.
Trying not to think too much, she wiggled her shoulders, let the bra slip off into the water. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, making her breath short. She tossed the bra toward the sand before she could change her mind.
“Didn’t think you’d do it.”
His voice was raw, harsh. For a moment, Wade's hands lightened, as if he himself were reconsidering this. As if it scared him too.
Cupping her arms over her breasts, Riley sank beneath the water again. Idiot . What am I doing ? But something about the whole situation tempted her. This man didn't want anything else from her but this. Just the once , said a tempting little whisper in her mind. Both of them could take what they wanted, just the once, then walk away.
She was still undecided.
“Just so you know, the answer’s ‘no,’” Riley murmured over her shoulder, wondering if she was trying to prove it to herself. “But you can wash my back.”
Wade reached around her for the soap in her hands, the hairs on his chest tickling her back. The faint brush of his erection stirred against her bottom, and he lathered his hands slowly, until she was barely breathing.
“You’re too kind,” he muttered.
The soapy glide of his hands made her arch her back. A wordless murmur died in her throat as he slid his hands over her hips and up. There was no hesitation in him now, no patient steady touch. His fingers curved under her breasts, cupping them teasingly, before darting away.
Riley sucked in a sharp
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