Page 14 of Master of Games
“Are you certain? It’s fun.”
She gave her head a small shake. “How many women would you say you tested the act out on, in order to determine that it is a fun activity?”
He grimaced and her stomach dropped. Because while he was a rake, and her question was likely fair, it also wasn’t all that kind.
“I cannot change my past, Tabbie. I wish that I could.” He gently removed the biscuit from her hand and then brought it to his own mouth. “I’ll have to accept if it’s a hurdle you can’t see yourself clearing. But I’d like for you to give me the chance to try and prove I’m a different man.”
Slowly, she blinked, attempting to absorb those words.
Was he really attempting to tell her that he’d mended his ways and he was reformed? Part of her jumped to believe it.
But the part that had taught her to be wary, had learned the hard way how cruel people could be, pulled her enthusiasm back.
Believing him now would cause nothing but pain. “You don’t have to prove anything to me.”
And then she pushed off the bed, standing over him.
She might have said more, but the tub arrived, a parade of footmen bringing the large metal container into the room and setting it near the fire as more came with bucket after bucket of water.
When the tub had been filled, they left again, the door softly closing behind the last footman.
Ironheart rose again, swinging his legs over the side and began to unbutton the falls of his breeches.
“What are you doing?” she gasped.
“Taking a bath,” he answered, rising up from the bed. “You’re welcome to join me.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Tabbie stared at Ironheart as he gave her a saucy smile over his shoulder.
The man had lost his faculties.
Join him in the bath? It was ridiculous. It was absolutely absurd. Not only could she not see him without his clothing, he most certainly could not see her?—
He shucked his breeches off his waist and down his thighs, his rear on full display.
“Ironheart!”
“Caden,” he replied winking over his shoulder once again. “I think we’re ready for you to call me Caden, don’t you? You have now seen me naked.”
“Not by choice,” she croaked back, her body aflame. And not all of it was revulsion. In fact, a very large part was pulsing desire as she stared at his firm backside and powerful thighs, the breadth of his shoulders perhaps even more impressive than the front.
He walked over to the tub and stepped into the water, sinking down until he lounged in the tub. “Feels amazing.”
“I’m sure it does,” she whispered and then realized that the proper thing to do in this moment was to leave.
Why hadn’t she gone sooner?
She turned away from the sight of his amazing shoulders resting on the lip of the tub and started shuffling toward the door.
“Tabbie. Sweetheart,” Ironheart called. “Can you get me a cake of soap?”
“Iron—Caden. I don’t think?—”
“Please. I’m not sure I can lift out of the tub to get it myself.” Her eyes narrowed. Granted he had a fever last night, but he’d also gotten out of the bed without issue. Was he putting her on?
Then again, she’d thought he might die last night. With a huff of breath, she walked over, carefully averting her eyes, found the soap that had been left a few feet from the tub and tossed it in the water near his feet. “There.”
