Savor (33 page)

apparently.

Head down, I stepped aside and let Luka into the bathroom. I shut the sliding doors to

keep the steam inside. “Let me make things clear, this is just a sponge bath, nothing else.”

He hooked a finger between my breasts and undid the towel, ignoring my gasp. I had no

idea why, but having Luka in the bathroom made me conscious of my half-naked state. He’d

already done several highly sexual things to me, and yet right now, I felt the urge to cover

myself. I searched his eyes for any hint of desire and found none. Huh.

Luka pushed up the sleeves of his sweater before he turned me around so my back faced

him. Then he unclasped my bra. I reached up to hide my breasts only to have my arm drop

again because he slipped the bra strap down. He unhooked the IV from the stand and

threaded it out of my other strap. Returning the IV onto the stand with one hand, he dropped

my bra into the hamper with the other.

“I can do this part.” I slipped my thumbs inside my waistband, but Luka’s hands stopped

me from pushing the panties down.

His breath reached my earlobe when he said, “Let me. You don’t have to do anything. Just

relax.”

Yeah right. As if that was going to happen. A delicious shiver rattled down my spine as he

pulled the last of my clothing down. I couldn’t mistake the slow glide of his fingertips along my legs. Damn weasel. He enjoyed undressing me way too much.

Taking my hand, he guided me toward the claw foot tub. When I first saw it, I didn’t think

I’d ever use it in this capacity. I could see the headlines now. Bassist of Super Group Vicious Bathes Photographer. The internet would explode. I’d be the most envied and despised

woman in the world. Did not relish that idea.

Luka dipped his fully ringed hand into the tub, checking the temperature. The water could

be boiling for all I cared. I wanted the bath way too much. Without waiting for any signal—

which I suspected he would give any second now—I used Luka’s shoulder for support and

stepped into the tub. The water was fucking perfect. Luka took my hand and guided me down.

His forehead resembled an accordion. So he didn’t like my impulsive tub hopping ways, huh?

Well, tough!

I groaned as the water cocooned my body in wonderful warmth. In seconds, I felt the rest

of my sickness melt away. Nearly a foot of bubbles covered me, assuaging my worries of

being exposed. Okay, kinda too late since Luka had already seen me naked, but still. The

blanket of bubbles let me maintain some modicum of modesty.

Positioning himself behind me, Luka filled a tiny golden bucket with water and rained its

contents over my head. “Lean back,” he said.

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I scooted deeper into the tub that could easily fit two and

leaned my head over the side. “You’ll get wet.”

“I can easily change.”

I stopped caring when he massaged shampoo into my head. His kneading fingers coaxed a

moan from my already healing throat. As much as I hated to admit it, Luka was right. I let go

of all my worries and enjoyed the feeling of getting clean. My body relaxed with the closing of my eye.

Luka’s heavenly scalp massage continued when he asked, “How’s the pressure?”

“Mmm,” was all I could manage, lost in the yummy goodness. It was all I could do to keep

my arms balanced at the edges of the tub on either side of me. I’d never been one for spa

treatments, but Luka’s expert fingers made me rethink the possibility.

I growled my displeasure when the kneading stopped. Luka chuckled under his breath as

he rinsed off my hair. His lovely fingers returned seconds later with what I assumed was

conditioner. Apparently, being the bassist of Vicious made for limber fingers. I did not want

him to stop.

Already half-asleep when Luka finished with my head, I couldn’t find myself to protest

when a sponge meandered along my body. He began at my shoulders, using his callused

thumb once in a while to untie a knot of muscle there. My moan was positively animalistic at

this point. Any concerns I’d had about Luka bathing me moved farther and farther into the

recesses of my mind. He had me in such a blissed out state that I didn’t even mind when the

sponge lingered on my breasts, teasing the nipples into hard pebbles.

When he asked me to bend my legs, I didn’t question him. Of course I had to because how

else could Luka reach them from his vantage point. It didn’t even occur to me that he could

have shifted further along the tub instead of staying right behind me. His arms were long

enough. I couldn’t be bothered with semantics. The soapy sponge travelling leisurely up and

down my legs was all that mattered. I didn’t even mind that by now Luka kneeled so close

behind me that my head rested against his chest.

He returned the sponge to my abdominal area, easing the tense muscles there. I hadn’t

realized I’d been clenching until he rubbed lazy circles around and around my navel. Soon

fingertips replaced the sponge.

My breath hitched when they traveled across my sea of scars. Luka’s middle finger traced

the biggest of them. It might as well be the road that led to the one place begging to be

touched since this crazy sponge bath started.

Luka traced the seam of my sex. My hips jerked in surprise.

“Shhh,” he breathed into my ear. “Let me make you feel good.” He parted my slick folds

and circled his middle finger against my clit. I gasped, reaching for his shoulder and grabbing a fistful of his sweater.

Using his second and forth fingers to part me further, Luka glided his middle finger from

base to peak, teasing panting moans from me. I kept my eye closed the whole time, all my

senses focused on what was happening below my waist. Jasmine mixed with Luka’s scent

each time I inhaled.

I whimpered the second Luka inserted the middle finger he used to torture me with into

me. My inner muscles clenched around the intrusion. He pushed in and out then added a

second finger. Couple that with his thumb rubbing against my pulsing mound and it equaled

a scream, the pain in my throat completely forgotten.

“That’s it,” he encouraged, stepping up the pace he’d set. My pelvis moved to receive his

fingers as deeply as they would go. I needed more. I craved it. The familiar pressure built,

stealing my already quickening breaths.

“That’s it, Dakota.”

Inch by incredible inch I climbed, allowing Luka to take me higher and higher. I’d lost all

feeling in the fingers clutching the side of the tub and the ones crumpling his sweater. I was close. Oh so close. Water splashed to the floor from the hungry movement of my body. I felt

no shame. No guilt. I greedily took what he deemed to give.

And just when my insides became a tight coil ready for release, Luka added a third finger

in me. I cried out at the stretch. With a flick of his wrist, he twisted the fingers he had inside me and pushed his thumb against my center. Time stopped. My breath froze in my lungs.

Then I tumbled into sweet oblivion.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Decorations

I woke up dressed and alone in my bed hours later, judging from the orange sunlight

slanting into my room. The IV had been removed and there was no sign of Luka anywhere. I

pushed up and stared at the cotton stuck to my arm by medical tape. It had a small brownish

dot at the center.

Picking at the tape, I removed the cotton and threw it into the trashcan left by my bed.

Besides a small round scab, nothing remained of my downtime due to exposure. My throat

hardly ached when I tested a swallow.

No other aches surfaced when I did a mental check. My muscles were relaxed, and I

actually felt good for the first time in months. All warm and cozy. Huh. What wonders a good

orgasm brought.

I gazed down at the Wexler T-shirt I woke up in then hooked my finger on the collar. He

even put a bra on me. After I passed out he took care of everything. The grin that pulled at my lips distracted me from my flaming blush. The last of my anger for what he’d done melted

away. I never really liked holding on to a grudge anyway. I had seven days left to complete my project. If I let Luka’s mistakes continue to affect me, I would never get the pictures I needed from him. Once I left Lunar Manor we would go our separate ways and I wouldn’t have to see

him in person anymore. A part of me actually looked forward to that. Yana was right when

she first told me about the craziness in Lunar Manor breaking people. If I weren’t under

contract, I would have left the morning Luka tied me to the bed. Another part of me

wondered how returning to the real world would feel. I couldn’t deny my attraction to Luka.

Besides the physical, he had his sweet moments. That was the reason why he got away with

half the things he’d put me through. How deep that attraction was exactly, I had no idea, and

didn’t care to explore. It wouldn’t do me any good to obsess. The end of this year marked the

end of my relationship with Vicious. I wanted to make the best of the last few days I had left.

Galvanized by a renewed sense of motivation, I pushed aside the comforter and slid out of

bed. I popped another lozenge into my mouth then padded to the dresser. I’d pulled on jeans

and a shirt when the door to my room opened.

“Luka?” I called, a creeping blush surprising me.

“No, Miss,” Deidra’s voice reached my ears before I saw her come in with another tray.

My blush intensified when her gaze raked over me. She must have had an idea of what

Luka did after he’d asked to bathe me. I was pretty sure I had “sexually satisfied” stamped all over me.

Yanking the hem of my shirt down extra hard to keep all my bits covered, I shifted my

weight from foot to foot. “Did the band leave for the party already?”

Deidra nodded, setting the tray on the coffee table. “I brought you some sandwiches. You

must be hungry for more than yogurt.”

“What’s with the formality?” I forced myself to ask, suddenly defensive. I was a grown

woman with needs. If those needs were suddenly met by a sexy rock star then so be it. I

wouldn’t stand for blatant judgment. “If this has something to do with Luka—”

“Those scars,” Deidra cut me off, leveling a serious stare at my abdomen like she had X-ray

vision.

“Oh.” I pulled at the hem of my shirt again. “I take it this has nothing to do with…”

She shook her head. “What you and the Master do is your business. But I can’t stand by

and feel alright about what I’ve seen. What happened to you?”

For the first time since I’d met Deidra, she dropped the servant’s veil that kept her apart

from me. I felt her concern from all the way across the room. Uncomfortable by her stare, I

reached behind my head to make sure my patch stayed secure.

“Shit happens,” I said, not quite meeting her gaze.

“Yes.” She folded her hands in front of her. “Yes, it does. I apologize for stepping over the

line.”

Little by little, I felt the veil coming up again. Not wanting for a wall to be between us, I

moved forward until I had Deidra in my arms. She gasped at my hug, not moving. We stood

that way for a while.

“You can hug me back, you know.”

It took her a couple of seconds, but eventually her arms wrapped around me. “Servants

aren’t allowed to interact this way with their employers.”

“Well, good thing I’m not your employer and right now you’re not a servant.”

Her arms tightened around me. “I’m sorry for what happened to you, whatever it is.”

“Yeah.” I huffed. “I’m sorry too. And thank you for feeling strongly about it. But…” I pulled

back until I held her at arm’s length. I wanted to make sure she saw my expression when I

said, “I decided years ago that I wouldn’t let my scars define who I am. Sure, I still have my insecure days, but if I lived my life hiding behind what happened to me then whoever did this

wins. I can’t allow that.”

Tears welled in Deidra’s gray gaze.

“Nope.” I shook my head. “None of that.”

She nodded and wiped away the tears that escaped her control.

“I appreciate you taking care of me during my stay here. I’m happy that I got to know you.”

The veil firmly back on, Deidra stepped out of my reach. “We’re decorating the Christmas

tree in the main room this evening. Would you like to watch?”

Excitement curled in my stomach. “Can I help?”

“I don’t know…”

“I dare you to stop me.” Then the presents I needed to wrap came to mind. “Can you bring

me a pair of scissors and some tape?”

Without asking what they were for, Deidra excused herself. Our moment was over, yet

something in me knew Deidra and I shared something deeper now. She may be a servant, but

I considered her a friend.

I sat on the couch enjoying the selection of sandwiches and tea Deidra brought me until

she returned with the scissors and tape I’d requested. I waited for a couple of minutes after

she’d left before taking out the two bags containing the frames, the pictures, and the

wrapping paper and ribbons I’d hidden behind the dresser. I cleared my early dinner—not

minding the fact that this would be another night I wouldn’t be with the band at the dining

room—and laid out everything I needed.

The pictures I’d printed out sat in a line in front of me. I pulled out the first frame in the bag on the floor propped up against the couch and quickly inserted Eli’s picture. I’d chosen

the one with him in all his bald bodyguard glory deftly escorting Luka through the sea of fans.