Page 119 of Rags to Royals

I reach over to test the water temperature and find it absolutely perfect. I want to slip into it now.

I hear the bedroom door open and close again as Cian comes into the bathroom, triumphantly holding up a bottle of pearly white liquid.

He stops, taking me in. “I was going to undress you.”

I tip my head. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

His gaze travels over me from head to toe and I feel my body heating and tingling as if he’s running his hands over me.

He comes forward, slowly. “There is absolutely nothing about you, inside or out, that is a disappointment, Glinda.”

I take the bottle from his hand, unscrew the top and tip the liquid into the filling tub. Immediately bubbles start to foam up. I set it to the side, then reach for the bottom of his shirt.

“I can undress you though,” I tell him. I slide my hands underneath the shirt, taking the fabric with me as I glide my palms over his abs, up to his chest.

He lifts his arms, and I get the shirt as far as I can before he has to tug it the rest of the way over his head because of the difference in our heights. He tosses it behind him. I smooth my hands over the bare skin exposed, tracing the tip of my finger over the lines of the tattoo of the elephant.

It still makes my heart beat faster that he got this tattoo.

He permanently inked a reminder of me on his body.

I lift my gaze to meet his as I slide the backs of my hands down his torso to the fly of his pants.

I unbutton and unzip him, watching his face.

He doesn’t move to help me or stop me. My fingers skate over his hard cock and my pussy clenches with anticipation.

But I am overcome by the urge to take this slow.

Things are always so hot between us. I can’t wait to get his hands and mouth on me. I want his words, his commands. I’ve accepted and gotten used to the idea that I can turn over my dirtiest desires to this man, and he will not only make all of my fantasies come true, but there is no judgment, and I am perfectly safe, not only with the things he will do to me, but I know he will keep my secrets.

But now, for maybe the first time, I don’t want hard and fast and dirty.

I want to… love him.

I step closer, pushing his jeans and boxers down his legs. I press a kiss to the center of his chest. Then another. Then another. I kiss across his chest, letting my hands wander over his hips around his ass up his back, then around to his sides.

He groans, one of his hands going to my lower back, the other cupping the back of my head. “Scarlett,” he says softly, his voice rough.

I move my mouth up to his throat, taking a deep breath, pulling in his scent. I kiss his neck, then his jaw. I tip my head back. “I need you.”

He swallows, then nods. I can tell that he also senses the shift in emotion.

He kisses me, and it’s deep, but it’s also sweet, and slow.

When he lifts his head, he just looks into my eyes for a long moment. Then he steps back, leans over, and gets rid of his clothes. Then he reaches for the hair clip I didn’t even notice on the edge of the tub. He reaches up, dragging his fingers through my hair, combing it out. Then he gathers it into a ponytail, twists it, then gathers it at the top of my head and clips it up out of the way.

Without a word, he takes my hand and helps me into the tub.

I sink into the warm, bubble filled water that smells like lavender and vanilla.

He steps over the side and joins me, taking a seat facing me.

We just look at each other.

I study his face, taking in every detail.

His beard has grown even further, and he’s not wearing the glasses, and he looks more like the guy I met nineteen months ago.

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