Taking Chances (The Chances and Choices Duology - Book 1 of 2 - Contemporary Romance) by Ann Omasta Page B

of bubble bath and a
couple of fluffy, light blue towels.

 
    I enjoyed watching him move. He was sleek and
graceful, and I wondered what he was up to. He took one of the towels and
placed it at the back of the tub for a headrest. Then he went back to the tap
to test the stream of water and adjusted the temperature before dumping a
generous dollop of bubbles into the water. He used a long, tan hand to swirl
the concoction around. The scent of the bubble bath was heavenly.

 
    Once he was satisfied, he turned and caught me
staring. I looked away quickly and saw that the dog was sitting nearby watching
his every move as well.

 
    “Do you need help getting undressed and into the
tub?” he asked me.

 
    All of
this was for me? Wow. “I think I can manage,” I responded.

 
    “Happy to help,” he responded with a knowing
smile, the first remotely friendly look he’d given me all evening. I shook my
head, so he headed for the door saying, “Come on, Miss Dixie. I guess we aren’t
needed here.”

 
    I snorted with laughter. He slowly turned to
look at me with a questioning raised eyebrow. “That behemoth’s name is Miss
Dixie?” I couldn’t help it, the giggles bubbled out.

 
    “Spanking me and laughing at my dog’s name?” he
cocked an eyebrow at me. “I might just have to get even with you later,” he
promised before slipping out the door with Miss Dixie hot on his heels. She was
probably relieved the bath wasn’t for her.

 
    I wondered what he meant by getting even with me
later. Was it a sexual innuendo ? You wish, I laughed at myself. I
couldn’t get a clear read on him. He probably flirted with everyone that way. He
was a lady-killer. Besides, I had been with his twin brother.

 
    I peeled off my wet clothes, hopped on my good
foot over to the tub and sighed as I sank into the warm, soothing bath. It felt
like heaven, and was just what my tired, sore body needed.

Chapter 23

 
    I was so warm and relaxed that his soft knock on
the door startled me. “Umm. I’m still in the tub.”

 
    He opened the door but didn’t cross the
threshold. I quickly moved to make sure the bubbles were covering all of my
important parts and was relieved to find that they were. “What are you doing?”
I asked, annoyed that he had opened the door when he knew I was naked in here.

 
    “I brought you some clean clothes.” He held up
some neatly folded black sweats to emphasize his point. “Your clothes are soaked.
I can come back with these dry ones later, when you are standing there with
just a towel to cover your wet, naked skin, if you like.”

 
    My whole body tingled when he said the words
‘wet, naked skin.’ “No, just leave them over there, please.” I pointed to the
antique dresser where he had retrieved the towels and bubble bath.

 
    He pointedly ignored me, setting the clothes
next to the sink and then walking over to sit on the floor beside the tub. I
was unnerved by his nearness and overly aware of my nudity. “You can’t stay in
here,” my voice sounded shrill.

 
    “Sure I can. Besides, your girly bits are
covered, and I won’t climb in there unless you want me to.”

 
    I snorted with laughter at his reference to my
girly bits, surprised by his word choice. He leaned his head on the tub and
smiled at me. I felt my traitorous nipples pucker into hard nubs and looked
down to verify once again that they were covered.

 
    I needed to put some distance between us, so I
said, “would you please bring me the phone, so I can give Courtney a call as
soon as I get out of the tub?”

 
    “Already done,” he responded.

 
    I was pleasantly surprised that he had listened
and remembered the number, but that quickly wore off when he continued. “I told
her you would be spending the night here, and that I would drive you home in
the morning.”

 
    “Absolutely not!” In my alarm, I started to sit
up, but promptly remembered my state of undress and hunkered back