She cleared her throat and said, “I think I’ll wash up and then we can eat a little something.”
He nodded slowly but his gaze never left her as she walked out of the room.
When she lowered the flap over the washroom to gain some privacy, she tried to slow her breathing. If she didn’t know any better, she might believe she’d just extended a tremendous amount of energy with how charged her entire body suddenly felt. She placed her hands on the side of the large, round tub that the men had carried inside. It was a cool metal and gave her a moment to ground herself.
She had to remember that as much as she and Rise had come to an understanding that they should work together for now, she couldn’t let down her guard completely. Just days ago, Rise had wanted to use her to get his revenge on Grawl. And though he’d come along on the side quest with Atta and her, she knew betterthan to believe he’d forgotten the goal he’d worked his entire adult life to accomplish.
As she heard him move back toward the front room, she felt comfortable enough to peel the worn pieces of fabric from her body. They certainly couldn’t be called clothes any longer, but as she looked to her right, she noticed some buttery soft slick pants and a white shirt with short sleeves, along with a thick vest made of the same material as the pants. And on a stool to the side of those was a light, almost-sheer shift she knew was meant to be slept in. She rarely let herself enjoy such frills any longer, but perhaps tonight she could let her guard down enough to sleep comfortably.
As she undressed, she admired the steam lifting from the number of buckets that the people had been generous enough to share with Liv and Rise. Some mechanism in the bucket seemed to keep the water from cooling too quickly. With care, she poured half of the buckets into the metal tub. She moaned as she slipped into the heated water. It had been so very long since she’d experienced such luxury. She never wanted it to end.
After a few moments, she reached for the sweet-smelling soap on the side of the tub. It was another indulgence she never allowed herself, but as she inhaled the warm, earthy fragrance, she sighed softly. She lathered and spread the soap over her body, loving the feel of such opulence.
Once she was rinsed and had used a bit of liquid to wash her hair and another bit of liquid to soften it, she was amazed at what a little pampering did to lift her spirits. It had been rarer than Rise believed, but when Liv had been younger, she had loved the palace luxuries. She’d watched the servants use their cracked, dry hands to create the soaps, perfumes, and dyed clothing that she’d enjoyed. She’d even tried to help once, but she’d learned never to do that again when her father had forcedher to sleep in the deep hole that served as a prison for servants who’d dared to steal anything of his.
She hadn’t quite understood why she’d been punished, but he’d never really needed reasons. The cruelty was the point. The hole had smelled of dirt and death. Unlike Liv, the servants never left the hole. They died there.
“You’ve been in there a long time. Do you need help?” Rise’s gruff voice startled her out of her dark musings.
She laughed. “No, Rise. I’m fully capable of bathing myself.”
He stayed quiet so long, Liv thought he might have left. But then, with his voice deeper than she’d ever heard it, he said, “I could help you with other things, too.”
16
Rise kicked himself mentally. What had possessed him to suggest something so ludicrous? Why would she ever truly want to be with him?
But when she’d pushed the image of them in the cave together, and he could feel the heat of her desire, he’d thought she’d done it purposefully. But the cave had been after a near-death experience. She’d likely just needed to be close to somebody. In actuality, she couldn’t possibly want someone like him.
He’d gone to the front of the tent and paced back and forth, debating with himself what her purpose in sharing the image of them together in the cave could possibly have been.
He knew his scarred body and face weren’t appealing in the traditionally handsome way, but he’d thought maybe somehow she had found him attractive. Now, as he stood outside the small bathing chamber, he knew he’d been mistaken.
He turned to go, but the flap was suddenly pushed to the side, and Liv stood before him, clothed in a drenched, sheer white dress of some type that fell to a spot halfway between her knees and her hips. His heart raced as his gaze droppedto her nipples, clearly delineated by the fabric clinging to every delectable inch. His mouth watered as they puckered before his very eyes.
He groaned as he turned back toward her, reaching to pull her to him.
“What were you saying about other things?”
His lips tipped up in a grin at her words as he lowered his mouth to hers. The minute he felt the soft touch, he forgot all his insecurities. Whether she was attracted to him or not, she clearly wanted the same thing he did, and he was very willing to give it to her.
The sweet, clean fragrance that he inhaled reminded him just how road-weary he was. He didn’t want this to be the way he took her for the first time.
He broke the kiss and stared down at her heavy-lidded expression. “Go to the bed. Remove this soft fabric and wait for me. I will be but a minute.”
She nodded, and Rise quickly removed his clothes, tossing them to the side. He noticed two, new sets of clothing hanging, one for him and one for Liv. The people had been overly generous. He just hoped they didn’t expect him to give more than he could in return.
He shook that thought from his head and made quick work of the water, pouring out most from Liv’s bath and adding new. With rapid movements, he washed every inch of his body until he was satisfied she would not reject him.
Then, he jumped from the water and grabbed a towel from a pile on the ground. He dried off quickly, feeling his length hardening in arousal as he thought of the beautiful woman waiting for him in the bed.
As he rushed into the room, anticipation driving every step, he stopped short at the sight of the perfect woman lying in the center of the furs and blankets, completely nakedand completely asleep, her soft breaths moving in and out in slumber.
Rise sighed and shoved down his disappointment. He, too, was beyond exhausted and needed to sleep. Of course, he’d been very willing to sacrifice rest to fuck Liv, but she clearly needed the sleep more than sex. With easy motions, he eased in beside her, fighting the pain of his arousal, especially as she snuggled closer to him.
This was going to be a long night.
After what seemed like a long time, Rise finally drifted off. He dreamt of flicking and sucking Liv’s nipples until she cried out with intense pleasure. It was the hottest dream he’d ever had, and he didn’t want it to end.
