As I Breathe (One Breath at a Time: Book 2) (42 page)

Before disrobing, I took a moment to see if there were hidden cameras. The thought of Rain secretly watching me made my stomach quiver the same way it would prior to boarding an airplane. Actually, the pangs felt more like the way it had the night I watched my neighbors having sex, thrilling yet precarious.

The lights were very dim and a dozen candlewicks flickered against the wall behind the vintage bath. It seemed private enough so I thought, why not?

I bundled my tresses into a messy bun and secured it with the large silver barrette. Facing toward the darkest corner of the room, I pulled off my damp, flimsy tank over my head. In the vanity mirror, I caught a glimpse of my bare silhouette.

I laid my tank neatly across the back of the chair and quickly slipped on the soft robe. Although it was quite translucent, it was long, glamorous and felt delicious up against my bare skin.

Beneath the privacy of the robe, I unzipped my skirt and let it puddle to the floor around my ankles. I decided to leave on my panties, even though there wasn’t much to them in the first place; they still provided a sense of security.

If I were a native French girl, I probably would’ve had the confidence to strip down to nothing and skip the robe all together. But, I was not French, nor had I lost all my modesty in Europe.

I giggled out loud at the image of some perverted little wizard watching me from behind a curtain. In return for allowing him to see me naked, what wishes might I have asked him for? I looked down at my pink patent leather four-inch stilettos. Why not, I closed my eyes and tapped the back of my heels together.

Click!

The sound of my heels echoed in the chamber, much louder than what I figured it would. The acoustics in the chamber almost seemed to have a mind of their own, very ominous.

“
Take me home and love me forever,” I whispered.

Click!

“Take me home and love me forever,” I whispered, for the second time.

Click!

“Rain, take me home and love me forever,” I whispered on the third tap of my heels.

I slowly began to open my eyes. My lids were heavy. I blinked a few times to clear the mist that had settled on my lashes. As I expected, I was not at home, nor with Rain.

“Well, this isn’t a movie,” I said quietly, giggled, and then tried to muffle my laughter.

I balanced on my wiry legs, one at a time, and unfastened the straps on my heels. I thought I heard the doorknob jiggle.

“Who’s there?” I called out. There was no answer. I thought Rain had said that no one could enter once I used the key to lock the door. I waited a moment more. I reasoned it had been the wind kicking up outside, again. Without delay, I walked behind the half-opened curtains.

-37-

Bathed in the Light

I eased into the spa bit by bit, immersing myself into the soft comfort. The silk robe clung to my curves like a second skin. It certainly left little to the imagination.

The water was silky warm, and it smelled strongly of rose and lavender. I closed my eyes and I rested my head against the soft white pillow. The bubbles gathered up and around my breasts as the jets kneaded into my flesh.

A feeling of being swept away into deep relaxation overcame me. Many moments passed when I thought I heard the door quietly shut. I barely could open my eyelids to see who had entered.

“
It’s only me,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m checking in on you.”

I recognized Rain’s deep baritone voice. I tried to open my eyes to respond, anything, but I could not.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” His voice hummed deep sonorous tones as he stood over me. “May I massage you?”

When I nodded, yes, almost simultaneously his hands made contact with my shoulders. My body melted into his touch as he massaged me ever so gently.

“Mmmm,” I moaned as his long fingers worked my tender muscles. His touch was incredible. He knew exactly where to apply pressure and so perfectly as if we were one.

His palms rolled down my décolleté with his fingers fanned out above my breasts. I nervously touched his hand with mine. My breath was slow and shallow, and my stomach muscles tightened beneath the gushing water.

Rain came around from behind the spa and sat on the lower step, perfectly in line with me. I gingerly sat up, staring into his smoldering features. Our faces were eye level. I narrowed my stare to his lips.

I felt an unbidden urge to leap out of the spa; it felt like my body did, but in reality I didn’t, I supposed it was my inner siren making her intentions known. A shameless creature she could be at times, although I wished I had the guts to be so bold. I wanted to kiss his bow shaped mouth so badly, all afternoon. I forced myself to stop staring at his lips and purposefully turned my gaze toward the frothy water. I felt beads of perspiration gathering on my forehead, it was so hot.

Without trepidation, I spurted out before rationalizing my thoughts first. “Would you like to join me?” I couldn’t believe that I was so bold and so confident. What was I thinking? Apparently I wasn’t—

“
Your wish is my command.” He joked and winked again for the seventh time today. I was keeping track.

Before I could retract my invitation, he began unbuttoning his shirt. Oh Lord, I trembled when he exposed his broad pectoral muscles. I couldn’t stop him from undressing if I wanted to, and I didn’t want to!

He lifted his collar over his broad shoulders and peeled off the sleeves from his muscular arms. With every move, he made his already defined shoulders pop, revealing muscle upon muscle. He watched me as I inquisitively took in his every move.

His stomach muscles were as flat as a knife blade, stocked with a nice toned six-pack and sprinkled with a sparse crop of fine dark hair. The colorful reflection of the water used his chest as its canvas, painting strokes of perfection against his taunt flesh. Muscles paraded over his pelvic bones, creating a V-line on the edge of each hip that I am sure trailed beneath the waistline of his slacks. I visualized my fingers tracing along the curve of his pelvic muscles down on each side of his hips.

His body was a sculpted masterpiece, every detail carved to perfection. As he unzipped his slacks, my eyes fell to the bubbles then shifted back to him. I watched him in silence.

He removed all his clothes and shoes, save for his tight briefs. My eyes fluttered over his masculinity; every inch of him was exceedingly masculine, strong and thick.

As he climbed into the spa, the muscles in his thighs expanded. I imagined myself digging my fingers into them as he wrapped them around me.

Without words, he spoke to me with his piercing sexy eyes that radiated a smile in them, asking if he could come closer to me. His eyes were mesmerizing. I silently answered in return with mine, connecting with his gaze.

Come closer, you gorgeous creature.

We were finally
vis-à-vis.
(That’s French for face to face). I could feel my blood rushing through my veins. My insides trembled in perfect rhythm to the beat of my heart. The water seemed to rise a few more degrees. If it got any hotter, I would have melted into the abyss of colorful bubbles.

There was not an exchange of conversation, save for the sound of our breathing, up close and personal. Time and space no longer seemed to exist between us.

I slanted a challenging glance from beneath my long dark lashes, begging without words:
Would you please kiss me?

The silence and the hypnotic hum of the spa’s motor evidently served as a catalyst for my desires, from my mind to his ears, allowing him to hear my unspoken plea.

He held both of his hands against my face and then ran his fingers through my hairline, combing back the loose baby strands that had fallen into my eyes. He leaned into me, nestling his face into the crook of my neck, his breath danced across my skin, and when he whispered my name, “Brielle, you are so beautiful.” Me, I melted.

“
Thank you—you are too.” My breathy words skipped, as did the beat of my heart. I wasn’t sure how I managed to speak as my fingers simultaneously caressed his unshaven face. Breathing, speaking and touching...it was all too much to do at one time while trying to not faint in his arms.

“
Don’t ever doubt that you will find love.”

All I could do was smile. How does someone respond to that?

He pulled back slightly, brushing his firm lips along my jaw line. Indescribable chills raced across my extremities. He slowly brushed his lips against mine, and with the tip of his tongue he tasted my lips, preparing me for more to come.

His lips were taut against my mouth; it was as I had envisioned and beyond. When the honeysuckle wetness of his mouth deliberately met with mine, I welcomed the gentle, yet deep and affectionate kiss.

His moist lips played with mine, gathering the steam of passion. His tongue parted my lips and dipped into my mouth, ever so sensually. I felt weak as he probed slowly and deep, discovering every inch of my watering mouth. It was the most seductive kiss that I had ever had the pleasure to partake in.

My teeth lingered and sucked on the fullness of his bottom lip as his hand searched beneath the opening of my robe, causing me chills, even in the warmth of the water. Yet, my response to his touch was none other than that of an open invitation.

“Is this okay?”

“
Yes, oh yes...” I whispered, surprised by my own eagerness to give myself completely to Rain.

“
Oh Brielle,” he moaned my name, his breath picking up speed.

Ever so tenderly, he slid the robe off my shoulders. It loitered around my hips. My heart pounded dreadfully with anticipation of sexual excitement. I shifted my weight from hip to hip, leaning into his broad chest, as I did, the robe released from beneath me and slipped into the sudsy abyss, taking my inhibitions along with it.

He placed his hand against my bare breasts, over my pounding heart. As I reached to feel the beat of his heart, he intersected my hand, baptizing my mouth with his. We kissed fervently and wantonly. Then he broke his lips away, abandoning mine as he pulled back and stared at me, intently.

My eyes fell into his; they were like dark pools of water. His eyes were contemplating. I could see a degree of deep thoughts playing in his mind. His pupils shifted in size as a lone teardrop escaped down his cheek. I turned my eyes away, perhaps, it was a drop of water; nonetheless, it pierced my heart. His eyes narrowed into a secret smile, and if only I could have heard his thoughts, as he seemed to hear mine, I would have known his greatest secrets. However, I trusted my instincts, and I hoped I would not be fooled.

There was a sublime connection between us. I was certain he felt it as I did. We both were profoundly becoming one...in lust, in love and physical beyond morality.

“
Rain, I feel like I am being lifted away.”

“
I have you.”

A cool breeze swept around us. I had never felt like this before. I was captured on fire by his presence and every inch of him sparked my attention. There wasn’t enough water in the spa that could put out the fire that burned for him in me. Certainly, he sensed my desire as I sensed his—his body, his soul, and all of him was falling into mine.

Could Rain be the one I have been waiting for all my life?

Rain whispered under his breath, “I am.”

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with a feeling of certainty. It felt like my entire life was leading up to this moment. His beautiful hands embraced my waist, embedding his long sturdy fingers into me. I gripped his flexing biceps as he lifted me closer onto his lap. I obliged him, leaning in tighter, placing my face deeper into his chest.

The scent of his skin was of cedar and musk, and supremely manly. I didn’t care that we had just met hours ago. I wanted to be showered in his affection, touched, adored and loved. My passion hungered for all of him. His touch was tender as he caressed the small of my back in a circular motion. Every spinning cell in my body burned with pleasure.

Like yarn roping me in, we tangled and soon found our limbs entwined with one another’s, unleashing our raging passion. It was rhythmic and reciprocal.

My fingers traced through his hair and reached around his steely back, grasping at his shoulders in desperation. As my body strained to get closer to him, he embraced me tighter.

I closed my eyes as his warm moist mouth continued to make me quiver. His kisses made my mouth salivate for more. I desired him to explore every inch of my body as I consumed all of his. I mewled as pleasure coursed through me. His breath deepened to husky, low gasps of air, escaping his lips. I caressed along his thighs, inching my fingertips, closer, and toward his groin, which was hard, straining beneath the cheeks of my ass.

“
Wait, slow down my sweet girl...I am as anxious as you are, but you have to remember...” His face softened and his whispers blurred into deep listless murmurs that I could not comprehend. I couldn’t keep my hands off of him or stop my need to touch his rising hardness.

There was an intensity of making myself vulnerable to him that I had never expected with a man. Without even having been on a first date.