Page 13 of Her Double Desire

Chapter 5

Veronica

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Calling this room a'bath' is grossly underselling it.

Gold and black marble reflect off every surface. Rich, velvety towels embroidered with the initials O.V. hang on iron circles in the glittering walls.

There's a long, curving counter covered in a variety of containers, all unknown to me, but making the room smell divine. The floor is fitted with a number of different sized pools of steaming water. This space could service a hundred people, easily.

“This... this is amazing,” I gasp, turning in place, marveling at how this was a mere walk down a hallway. Stone House is more astounding than I predicted.

“It's very wonderful,” Jared agrees, though he sounds edgy. “Take your clothes off and get in this bath here.” He points at the one nearest him.

“I—just take my clothes off? You're going to watch?”

“Of course I'm...” He stops himself, smoothing his hair like he's at his wit's end. “Veronica, Listen. We need you to follow directions. First rule of serving at Stone House, you'realwayssupposed to obey.”

“But asking me to strip with no time to ease in...”

He begins shaking his head. “Maybe Shawn is right, this is a fool's errand.”

I can't explain it, but his disappointment galls me. “I'm asking you to let me adjust, that's it.”

Reclining against the counter, he rubs a fingertip over his mouth. I'm sure it's just an absent motion, him thinking through things, but to me, it comes across as erotic. I stare too long—he catches me, and his smile is deadly. “Would it help if I stripped myself naked first?”

Yes, please.“Oh,” I breathe out. “No, no.” How can he say that with such a straight face? “I don't think that would help me relax.”

“What if I strippedyou?” He curls his hand. “I can get you naked faster than... that.” He snaps his fingers; my heart pistons against my ribs.

“I've got this,” I say quickly. “I'll do it myself.” I set my phone on the counter. Tangling my fingers in the hem of my shirt, I summon all my inner strength.Just pretend you don't care. He sure doesn't. Get over it, hold your head high.

I throw the clothing to the floor before I lose my courage. Though the room is sweltering with steam, I tremble in my pink panties. I want to be brave, to shove this in Jared's smug face, but when I see the intensity in how he's watching me, I start to falter.

Jared lifts his eyebrows. Clenching my jaw, I tug my panties down my thighs and step out of them. His smile grows hungrily. Just like that my indifference shatters; compulsively, I cover my pussy with my hands.

“You're very beautiful,” he murmurs, his warm eyes eating me up.

I bite my tongue and make no comment.

“Now, into the water, let's go,” he says, clapping his hands sharply. It isn't hard to coerce me, I don't want to stand around naked.

The water seeps into my skin deliciously. I sink down in the bubbly liquid up to my neck. “Oh, that feels good,” I whisper.

“Yes, our guests compliment our baths quite frequently.” Jared crouches beside me, his ankles by my head. “Here,” he says, handing me a sponge that's slippery with a sweet smelling soap. “Wash yourself.”

I'm not some filthy rat,I think indignantly. Rubbing the suds all over my hair, I encounter many tangles. I guess I do look pretty awful after my night of binge drinking.

Scrubbing my shoulders, then my collar bone, I touch the tender area where my new tattoo is.Five years of servitude.I close my eyes and inhale deeply. Washing my arms, my back, and then my soft belly, I dunk under to rinse off and come up with a cough. “Alright, done.”

“Good.” He hooks his hands under my arms. Easily, he lifts me from the bath, water dripping everywhere.

“Whoa, hey!” I argue. Jared binds my arms at my lower back. When I glance over my shoulder at him, I glimpse his cocky grin. “Why are you restraining me? I'm going along with your plan!”

He lets go of my arms, moving to the side to retrieve a thick white towel. “I just like seeing what you'll do. You're not like most of the women I deal with.”

“Why, are they all meek slaves?” I say mockingly.

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