Page 43 of Lemon Cake

“Let me grab you a stool,” he said. He left the room, but not without noticing her curious glance around the space.

When he returned, Gemma was already filling the tub. “Does that mean I’m missing your workout?”

“I assure you there will be plenty more workouts you’ll be able to creep in on.” He kissed the top of her head, then left her to enjoy her bath.

Having her in his house—hopefully making her feel right at home—made him feel warm and fuzzy. He started on the treadmill, then lifted some weights before returning to the master, sweat dripping down his body. It was quiet so he gently knocked on the bathroom door.

“You okay in there?”

A soft giggle answered him. “I think I overdid it with the bubbles.”

Now, that he needed to see. Rider cracked the door, waiting for her to protest. When she didn’t, he poked his head inside. The bathtub was overflowing, her head sticking out of a sea of bubbles. “Maybe a little,” he laughed.

“You look like you need a shower.”

“Is that your way of saying I stink.”

“You said it, not me,” she teased in return, crunching her nose playfully.

“Do you mind?” he asked, indicating the shower stallbehind her.

Gemma grinned, eyes raking over his body and that gorgeous hue tinting her cheeks. “No.”

Rider didn’t miss an opportunity to kiss her on the head as he walked past her. He stripped out of view so she didn’t get uncomfortable. He was just glad they could be this intimate without it feeling awkward—or so he hoped. As the hot water soothed his aching muscles, he stole a few glances at Gemma. She’d rolled up a towel, using it as a makeshift pillow. After he’d scrubbed himself clean, he wrapped a towel around his waist and knelt behind her, slipping his hands into the hot, bubbly water to find her shoulders. Her pleased hum resonated through his whole body as he kneaded his thumbs into her neck.

Then she tipped her head up to him and surprised him. “Want to join?”

He crooked his eyebrows. “You want me to join?”

“If you want to. It’s just an offer.”

Rider’s heart fluttered and his stomach flipped. “One I would love to take.”

Rider waited for her to move, then dropped the towel and slipped into the bath behind her. The second he was settled she leaned back against him, resting on his chest. He propped his head up on one hand, the other wrapping around her shoulders.

“Thank you.”

“For what, beautiful?”

“Honestly? Everything. You’re patient and sweet. And I feel like I don’t have to worry about anything around you.”

He nuzzled behind her ear. “It feels good being with youtoo. I treasure the trust you’ve shown me. I just hope that you don’t run away once you see my bad side.”

“You’ve seen my worst. You haven’t run for the hills yet.”

“And I won’t.”

He held her tight against him, careful not to let the intimacy they shared drift into anything sexual. Although he longed to worship her body, he didn’t want to crush everything they’d built. He had his eyes closed, his nose nuzzled behind her ear, and soaked in the feeling of her skin on his. This felt good. In that moment, he knew he’d never be able to go back to the life he had before her. The sudden vulnerability frightened him. What if he truly fucked up at some point? Rider knew his own insecurities far too well, plus he still didn’t know how to engage in a conversation about her disability. Was that even appropriate to say? He didn’t necessarilyseeher as disabled. Or maybe he was simply blind to her struggle and she too good to mask it.

Before he could sink deeper into the dark spiral of his thoughts, Gemma lifted a hand out of the water and inspected her wrinkled fingertips. “I think it’s time to get out. I already look like an old lady.”

“Would you like me to leave first?”

“That is very sweet of you.” She took her time to think about her answer but then shook her head. “But no. I feel comfortable around you.”

She pulled herself up, and her gorgeous ass was now at eye level. Holding the rim, she reached out with her other hand to pull the stool closer. She’d added a towel over itand swiftly planted her fine ass on it. He couldn’t help but stare at her gorgeous figure as she lifted her legs out of the tub. She was perfect. But before he could take in all her details, she had a towel wrapped around herself.

“You look stunning.” His voice shook with the effort it took to contain his pleasure.

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