Page 42 of The Firebrand
With a bar of soap that smelled like her intoxicating kidnapper, she scrubbed her body, rinsing under a cascading waterfall of luxury. Clean, she opened the steamy door and stepped out to dry off with a fluffy towel. Having no usable clothes in the heap on the floor, including panties or bra, she slipped Rein’s tee back on, holding the hem up to her nose, sniffing to detect the man’s unique scent. When she did, heat spread between her legs.
Braelyn scavenged through the cabinets for toothpaste. Finding a familiar brand, she put some on her finger, rubbing it across her teeth.
I’ll need toiletries if I’m here longer.
Next, she spiked her hair.Gel?Doubtful he had any.
Leveraging onto her toes, she leaned over the counter, so close to the mirror that her breath fogged it. Her eyes were fresh, alert, quite a surprise after a restless night along with an over-zealous tumor. She lifted her lids to examine her irises. The color was off. Purple flecks dotted the usual gold on hazel. Probably the light.Oh, well. Life wasn’t normal anymore. She ran a finger across her nose. Countless freckles. Smiling at her reflection, she thanked her orthodontist, despite a huge bill for straight white teeth. Her face? Poets would never claim she “launched a thousand ships.”
Funny, though, with my crazy mind at the helm, I only want to launch one boat. Enough seagoing analogies. My father would edit them out if they popped up in a story for the paper.
When she came out of her reverie, Rein stood behind her, a reflection in the mirror, a giant wall of muscle.
Not turning around, she eyed his image. “You’re naked.” Her voice was whispery soft as she swallowed the lump in her throat.
Strong fingers clamped onto her hips. Braelyn gasped as Rein’s arousal pressed against her lower back. Her legs turned to rubber, forcing her to grab onto the counter.
Rein planted a fist on each side of her, blocking any escape.
“You look nice in my shirt.” His voice was husky.
She closed her eyes, enjoying the friction of his cock rubbing against her. But she wanted to turn, to touch him, to feel his shaft throb in her fist.
I am in so much trouble.
“I don’t understand why I want you,” she mumbled. For all the man’s beauty, there was a subtle cruelty in the sculpted planes of his face, the twist of his smile. She had never before been attracted to bad boys.
His gaze captured hers in the mirror. “Do you need to know why? It’s sex. Not a lifetime commitment.”
“Ouch.”Hurtful. Of course, he was right. The relationship would not be long term. What they had wasn’t even a brief romance. Still, she needed to pretend he had feelings for her, because she didn’t want to stop.
Rein inhaled, closing his eyes, his nostrils quivering as if catching the scent of Braelyn’s arousal. His hands crawled under her tee, sliding it over her head. When the fabric passed over her, an erotic thrill skittered across her flesh.
He tossed the garment onto the floor.
Responding to Rein’s fixed gaze on her breasts, her nipples hardened. He grasped her shoulders, leaning down to blow on her neck before touching his lips to her skin. The kiss was the brush of a soft feather.
“Um.” Braelyn’s head rolled to the side, an invitation to bite.
Still kissing her throat, he dropped his gaze to her red-tinted mound. Rein pressed his shaft harder against her, grinding as he explored her with his warm mouth.
His tongue traced a pattern from her neck, along her hairline, down onto her shoulder. He grazed her with a fang, not penetrating the skin. Teasing, he licked the spot.
Does he want to drink from me? Damn. That makes me wet.
“You’re spicy.” He moaned, his hips continuing to rock.
“Probably your soap. I showered. You don’t mind, do you? I wanted to get clean. I used your shampoo. A towel, too. Hair gel would be great, but I figured you didn’t have any. Do you?”
Stupid nerves.
“No. Shush.”
“Okay.”
He glanced into the mirror, his mouth still traveling along her skin. “You have the most fascinating eyes.”
“My dad says they’re hazel like my mom’s. I’ve seen pictures. It’s true. They’re a little weird today, though. I like yours, too. Blue. Sometimes they’re bright but sometimes very dark, so dark that…”
