Page 25 of When Sinners Rise
“No. Only a bit of Europe.”
He finishes his slice, leans over for the wine and offers to top up my glass. I hand it out for him, and he puts another splash into the glass. I grin at him as I take in the devastation in front of us.
“What?”
“It’s just, everything about today seems crazy. Scandalous, even. This isn’t real.” I say the words with a smile that won’t budge from my face, but it’s the truth from my heart.
“Just go with it. There’s zero harm in having a little fun. Life’s hard as fuck sometimes.” He leans in and kisses my cheek before getting up and heading to the bathroom. “No one gets enough fun before reality comes calling. Wholly fucking God, your bathtub looks like a swimming pool!” he calls. It’s as ostentatious as the owner and everything else in the apartment. “You said scandalous. What would you say to me drawing you a bath? Get you nice and relaxed. All clean, ready for me to dirty you up a bit more?”
“A bath?”
He comes back out, giving me plenty of time to admire his chest. “Why not? I'm thinking you could help me with tub sex. I might drown if you’re not there to help with my first time.”
“You are incorrigible, Shaw Harris.”
“Always.” He doesn’t wait and disappears into the bathroom again. I hear the water start to fill, and I get a flight of nerves in my stomach, crashing around at the thought of sex in the bath.
He emerges and heads straight to my side of the bed. “You’re alright with me staying the night, right? If not, I’ll finish the bath and go. It’ll kill me, but I’ll leave you. It’s your call.”
Stay? It’s weird because the thought of him not staying feels wrong. After today, I don’t want to say goodbye. Not yet at least. “You can stay.” I look up and stare into his eyes. There’s a tightening in my chest, and I don’t know if it’s nerves, excitement or something else that’s happening, but I feel it.
“Good answer. Drink your wine. I’m indulging you.”
He heads back to the bathroom, and I do as instructed and finish the glass.
The time for the water to fill the bath feels like an eternity, but I stay on the bed, not wanting to look impatient myself.
“You ready?”
I jump up and pad across the floor. My balance falters, and my head tilts as a dizzy spell takes over. Too much wine too quickly, perhaps. I shake my head clear, and I push the door open to peek in.
The bath is filled to the brim, complete with a small topping of bubbles. Shaw sits on the edge with only his briefs on, looking pretty damn pleased with himself.
He doesn’t say anything but pulls me further into the room and offers his hand to help me into the water. I oblige, a warmth spreading through my limbs. I lift and dip my toe through the bubbles and into the hot water. As I get in, the heat rises through my body and sets about working on each of my muscles, magically dissolving away any tension and stress that was left. I feel like I’ve just melted into the water.
“Good?”
“Bliss.”
“Clean. Then, dirty time. I’ll go get you a glass of wine to complete the vibe.”
I nod, feeling sleepy from the heat. My head rests on the lip of the bath, and I close my eyes, just for a moment.
The glass is at my lips, and I take a sip as I open my eyes. Shaw’s sitting on the edge of the bath, the wine glass in his hand, as he helps tip it to my lips.
“Now is not the time to sleep.”
He picks up my hand and wraps it around the glass, and I take hold, blinking my eyes open. My heart starts to race as I get hotter in the water. His hand trails down my arm, over to my knee, and down my leg, heading for my foot. The foot with the raised and ugly scar on the sole.
The thought sends a bolt of panic and adrenaline through my body, and I sit up, sending the water sloshing.
“Wow, you okay?” He keeps his hand on my leg but doesn’t move it lower.
“Yeah. Yeah. Sorry.” I take a gulp of my wine and put it to the side before letting out a deep sigh.
My head’s beginning to spin.
No more wine, God.
