Page 73 of The Story of Us
The doorknob twitched like he’d touched it but didn’t open. Eloise needed his hands on her.
“Yeah?”
“Do you maybe want to join me?”
He didn’t answer immediately, and some of Eloise’s bravado disappeared, evaporating like the little bubbles popping around her.
Something thunked against the wooden door between them—she suspected it was his head—and Nate groaned loudly. “I don’t think I can see you like that and not lose control.”
Desire and neediness landed heavily between her thighs, and she clenched her hands into fists to stop herself from touching where she wanted him.
“We had a deal. To keep this easy and fun. To go at your pace. But if I come in there and see you the way I’ve been imagining, I won’t be able to take it slow.”
Eloise’s breasts rose and fell with each breath, pushing up through the filmy soap residue left behind from the bubbles. “What if I don’t want slow? What if I’m ready for more?”
She held her breath and the bathroom door opened.
* * *
Sweet merciful Jesus.If this was how Nate died, he had zero complaints. None. Nada.
Bubbles covered most of Eloise’s body, clinging to the swell of her breasts, decorating her neck and arms. Drool pooled in his mouth. The water rippled as she shifted, brushing her hair off her forehead. Her rosy nipples peeked out, and all the blood in his body thrummed to the beat of a snare drum. The other night, out by the fire, he’d purposely not let himself see her full tits knowing they’d be his undoing. His brothers had always teased him about being a boob guy, and they weren’t wrong. There was nothing sexier than a set of lush, full tits.
“Well,” she said, arching an eyebrow at him as she twisted her hair into a messy bun on top of her head. Drops of water ran down her neck, sliding over her chest, exactly where Nate wanted to put his face. He’d meant what he said before. His control was hanging by a thread.
“Well, what?” The amount of effort it took to force those two words out was almost as exhausting as tearing his gaze away from her breasts.
Her cheeks were red, eyes soft. Eloise was a siren, and Nate would never be able to refuse her call. Not now, not ever.
“Are you getting in or not?”
Before Nate could stop his brain from going on a pointless meander down the path of ‘what he should do’, he pulled his jumper and shirt over his head, shoved his pants down to his ankles.
Too many people had seen him naked over the years, and he didn’t just mean all his teammates and trainers. There’d been the women before Cobie and the horde who’d followed her when he’d been trying—and failing—to forget all his failures. But no one had ever looked at him quite like Eloise was right now.
Her eyes tracked over his chest, down past his abs to his already painfully hard cock. It thickened and grew longer under her hungry gaze.
Soon,he told himself. But not now. Not until he was sure. That Eloise was ready to cross this line with him.
“Please, Nate,” Eloise whimpered, her hands disappearing under the bubbles and hell no, that was his job.
He kicked off his pants, barely registering the thump as his phone fell out of his pocket and landed on the floor. Nate had chosen the oversized freestanding tub because he loved relaxing in a bath after a long day. But he could truly appreciate the benefit of his choice as he lowered himself into the warm water opposite Eloise, his legs brushing against hers. Steam swirled through the air, destroying what was left of his ability to think clearly. Or maybe it was the naked woman in front of him, sliding her feet across his thighs and inching closer. Her breasts were exposed now, full, firm and totally fuckable. He added that to the list of things he wanted to do to her. Leave his mark on her chest, brand her as his, even if just for a moment.
“Why aren’t you touching me?” Eloise’s whisper pulled Nate from his thoughts.
“I just wanted a minute to look at you. To remember this.”
He didn’t verbalise the rest of his thoughts. To savour her. To catalogue every movement, every sound she made so he’d always have this memory because too soon Eloise would go off and find someone who could give her everything she wanted.
And he wouldn’t stand in her way.
“What do you think?”
“I think you’re perfect.” He pulled Eloise closer. Water slopped over the side of the bath, but Nate didn’t care. He didn’t care about anyone or anything other than the beautiful woman in his arms right where he’d always imagined she should be. He was lost in the feel of her under his fingertips, drinking in the sight of her perfect body in the soft candlelight, her surprised littleoofthat quickly transformed into a moan.
Nate nudged her face with his nose, waiting until she tipped her head up towards his, their eyes meeting. Eloise didn’t hesitate, scooting forward until their bodies were pressed together, thighs touching, her warm heat teasing where he was hard. Nate’s fingers pressed into her ass and for a fleeting second, he worried he might bruise her until Eloise tangled her hands in his hair and pulled.
He stilled.Goddamn, she’s perfect.
