Page 74 of The Baby Dragon Cafe
She sneaked a glance over her shoulder and saw the muscles of his back moving. Heat shot through her, and she quickly turned back around, fanning her face.
A moment later, she heard him approach, and then enter the water to sit across from her. The spring had seemed adequately sized before, but now it felt tiny, hardly big enough for the both of them.
Saphira swallowed, biting her lower lip. Aiden’s face was unreadable, as if he wore a mask of stone. They both looked at each other, neither speaking, eyes drinking the other in.
The space shrank, even more intimate somehow, and she was glad for all the steam. She felt she could hide behind it. His eyes were scorching, and she was afraid she would simply melt into the waters.
He ran a hand over his face, wetting his lashes, then rested his arms up. Saphira stared, mesmerized by the muscles in his shoulders and arms, his glistening skin.
Her heart raced, and she touched a hand to the base of her throat, pressing in, willing her heart rate to steady. As she did, his eyes followed the movement, lids lowered. His throat moved as he swallowed.
With some difficulty he dragged his eyes up her throat to meet her gaze, and she felt heat spread through her as though everywhere his eyes went, so did his hands.
She could almost feel the phantom touch, could almost imagine what it would be like.
Her body ached with desire. She unknowingly moved closer in the water until their knees bumped. Steam warmed her skin, and she felt tendrils of hair curling around her face and neck.
He reached a hand out, and she held her breath, yearning for him to touch her, anticipation making her blood run wild. His jaw clenched.
His hand hovered in the space between them, gently drawing closer until he traced a finger along a curl of hair by her cheek, his eyes dark. Slowly, he wrapped the tendril of hair around his finger, then pulled slightly. She felt that tiny tug until he released the curl, and it bounced back into place. Her whole body felt taut, the air between them charged with tension.
His breathing hitched. Blood roared in her ears.
Then, under the water, she felt his hands, fingers skimming against her legs. She pushed into the touch, and his hands slid against her thighs, pulling her closer, onto him. She straddled his lap, as she had out in the snow, though this time, there was hardly any fabric between their skin, and she could feel all of him.
Her hands landed on his chest, then moved up, out of the water, to settle on his neck, the ends of her fingers sinking intohis hair. Both of them were deadly silent, as if speaking would break the moment.
His eyes burned into hers. Then, with gentle precision, he inched his head closer until he pressed his mouth to her neck.
The contact sent flames sweeping through her. He kissed her throat, teeth scraping against her skin, and she tossed her head back, body humming with desire.
She pressed closer, and a cry rose in his throat, his fingers digging into her hips with desperation.
Saphira wanted him, all of him. She brought her gaze down to meet his, and he looked at her as if he’d had an epiphany—as if, maybe, the epiphany was her.
And suddenly, fear rippled through her.
She hesitated. Aiden was still, his breathing heavy, but he waited. He held himself back, even though she could feel how much he wanted her.
She felt as if she was on the very edge of a cliff, about to fall, and there was a distant feeling that there would be someone there to catch her when she did, but even so, she couldn’t find the courage to take the leap.
She swallowed, pulling away from him. His gaze shuttered, a muscle twitching in his jaw. He eased his grip on her, and she moved away.
He looked disappointed to see her retreat but didn’t push her, which she was thankful for.
“We should get back,” she whispered, even as her body cried out in protest.
He nodded. Neither of them moved, catching their breath. Saphira willed her heartbeat to steady, and he was doing the same.
Eventually, she got out of the steamy waters and into the cold, shivering. She dried off, then put the robe on, and Aiden did the same, neither looking at the other. She had already felt his body under hers, and that was torture enough.
A gust of wind blew, and they hurried inside, a novice directing them to where they would be staying.
They walked over, then stopped in the doorway as a realization struck them.
Pretending to be married meant they would be sharing a room. Which meant sharing a bed.
Ohno. Aiden clenched his hands into fists at his side, knuckles white.
