Chapter 205: Bath Time I
"You should get a shower and change into clothes," I told Blaise as we left the infirmary. He was still in the nude, splattered with Darach’s blood. Blaise looked down at his own state and chuckled weakly.
"Right. I almost forgot," Blaise said. He rolled his shoulders and smiled reassuringly. "Darach will be fine; Nicole won’t let him die on her watch. You should get some rest too. I noticed you didn’t get any sleep during the car ride despite being tired."
"It’s not like I could have, after that commotion. I don’t think I can sleep now either― there are too many things to worry about." I sighed, but then a yawn escaped my mouth.
Blaise’s answering grin was very fond, and it warmed my insides better than any bonfire. "Harper, take your own advice and go to bed. Whatever you’re worrying about will still be here when you wake up after your nap. If you don’t... I might as well invite you to shower with me. We need to save water now, before Hornstead delivers us supplies."
"You idiot, we lack food, not water," I pretended to grumble as my cheeks flamed red at Blaise’s direct invitation. He knew better than anyone that I was amused at his attempt to find a justification for our shared shower.
"It’s still a precious resource that deserves to be saved," Blaise said cheerily,
"Can’t argue with that logic," I sighed again, this time with less tiredness and despair. Affection and arousal curled in my gut as I caught sight of the mischievous glint in Blaise’s eyes. "Lead the way."
"Of course, milady," Blaise humored, a glint in his eye.
I tottered after him as we headed for his bedroom, but halfway through, Blaise stopped in his tracks and turned back. If it weren’t for the fact that I stopped in time, I might’ve collided against his back.
"Woah!" I instinctively gasped. "Is there something wrong?" I asked.
"You’re walking a little too slow," Blaise said.
I raised an eyebrow. "Slow?"
He merely nodded with affirmation. "We’re both filthy after a long trip," he said. "Can’t have us both staining the floors, now, can we?"
Before I had the chance to reply, Blaise bent down and swooped me into his arms. He held me by my back and under my knees, effortlessly carrying me in a bridal style. A small gasp of surprise left my lips as my arms came to wrap around his neck in an attempt to steady myself, earning a delighted laugh from Blaise.
"Why, my dear," he mused, "if you wanted a hug, you could just ask."
I scowled at his teasing words, but that didn’t stop my face from betraying my thoughts with a blush. My chest fluttered at his words, cheesy as they were. Blaise seemed to know just the right things to say all the time.
His footsteps were much quicker than mine, and in his arms, we quickly reached his bedroom. Blaise ceremoniously kicked the door open as though he were a groom bringing his bride into their martial room for the first time, marching straight for the bathroom door. Once in, he placed me down on the floor, and without warning, he leaned in and our lips brushed in a fleeting, gentle kiss that left me yearning for more.
"What was that?" I asked breathily, looking up at him in surprise.
"Do I need to explain every kiss now?" he asked teasingly, his eyes trailing down my body as my skin flared red beneath his line of sight.
"Of course," I said. "I think I would deserve to know whenever you decide to steal a kiss," I joked.
"Well..." Blaise trailed off.
His hands were on my hips, gently guiding me further into the bathroom before kicking the door shut on the way. A slow grin appeared on his face, curving his lips as he leaned forward. I could practically feel his breath fanning over my lips, as tempting as the kiss he had left me just seconds prior.
Naturally, my eyes trailed down to stare at them before returning to his eyes, moving just in time to catch the smirk he had.
"Because it’s been too long since I’ve had you for myself," Blaise said. He thoughtfully added, "Werewolves are awfully possessive creatures, you know? We don’t like to share."
"I didn’t realize I was being shared," I said, playing along with his words. "You know that my eyes are on you."
His fingers quickly caught the hem of my shirt, and with a gentle tug, it was yanked off me and tossed to the floor as if it was nothing more than garbage.
"Your attention was shared with an awful lot of people," Blaise said with a pout. "Running here and there, tending to little miss Dahlia’s every whim and word. It breaks my heart."
"Dahlia?" My lips quirked into a smile, prepared to laugh. "I think she’s the least of your worries."
"Why don’t you soothe my worries, then?" he asked. Blaise leaned in, his lips brushing against mine but not pressing down into a real kiss.
I clenched my jaw, eager to close the minimal distance between us but was stopped when Blaise leaned back. His hands moved to the front of my jeans, toying with the buttons slowly in a move to unclasp it.
"How do you want me to soothe your worries?" I asked. "Perhaps I could wash you?" I suggested.
"That would sound lovely, yes," Blaise said. He continued to smile, and from my peripheral vision, I could already see his arousal growing with every passing word.
"Then there isn’t a need for this, is there?"
This time, I wasn’t going to be passive any longer. I reached for his shirt, pulling it over his head. He complied, raising his hands and allowing the shirt to be removed, even bending down a little so that I could get it completely off and over his head despite our height difference.
I did the same for his jeans, my hands brushing against the bulge that had formed as I quickly freed them from its confines. Once we were fully unclothed, Blaise swept me into his arms, my legs wrapping around his waist as his hands supported me from behind. He brought us into the shower area, shutting the door behind him before flicking the switch.
Water rained down on us, going from the initial shock of cold to warm. All the while, Blaise kept me in his embrace, his fingers kneading into the flesh of my rear. His member was pressed against my core, quickly causing my stomach to flutter and tingle.
I needed to be closer to him. This wasn’t nearly enough.
"You’re a tease, Blaise," I murmured with a pout, reaching down to stroke him.
"And you love it, baby," he said with a grin, and that was all before he leaned in, crashing our lips together in a passionate kiss.
