Page 75 of Tacos & Toboggans
“Let me run you a bath before we lose power and hot water. Then, once you’re relaxed and toasty, we’ll retire for the evening. Did I mention I have an electric blanket warming the bed? At least until—”
“The power goes out,” she teased. “I think we’ll be saying that a lot. I’d love to have a bath. Will you join me?”
“Me? Join you?” I stuttered, my heart growing two sizes in my chest at the thought she was ready for that kind of intimacy with me.
“You’re right, I shouldn’t have asked. Forget I mentioned it.”
I rested my finger on her lips. “You have zero idea how much I want to climb into a bubble bath with you, baby doll. I just can’t figure out how to. That’s why I’ve never used the tub. Once I take my leg off, there’s no way to get out.”
“I think I worked that out,” she said, holding up a finger. “You start the bath. I’ll be right back.”
With a quick kiss to my lips, she left me standing there, my mouth agape, still trying to wrap my head around her wanting to share a bath. As far as I was concerned, that was more intimate than lovemaking. It was a willingness to share more than your body. It was a willingness to share your vulnerabilities both in body and mind, and I had plenty. Was I brave enough to show them all to her? I’d done plenty of brave things in my life, but opening myself to her unconditionally with no way to hide might be the bravest of all. Especially when the scars were more than a few bubbles could hide. The thought crossed my mind that she was off doing something to help me be on equal footing with her, and that spurred me into action.
The tub wasn’t deep, but it was big enough for two, so I started filling it, dumping in a metric ton of sensitive skin body wash. For the first time in my life, I wished I had a bottle of opulent bubble bath. She deserved it. Once the water reached the right temperature, I let it fill while I quickly lit some candles to sit along the edge of the tub, then shut off the harsh bathroom lights. With the candles flickering and reflecting in the mirror, it set the perfect ambience for what I hoped was the first of many baths together. If I could get in and out safely. Before another thought crossed my mind, I heard her struggling in the hallway and walked out to see her pushing a table with her knee.
“What on earth are you doing, Jaelyn?”
Rather than let her struggle, I grabbed the lip of it and lifted it on two legs to pull.
“I didn’t think you’d want me to carry it with my arm,” she explained, holding up the splint. I gave her my 'do you think'look, and she snorted. Rather than say more, she grabbed the other end and turned, so I was walking forward rather than backward. Together, we carried it into the bathroom. She was also incredibly intuitive in understanding how I moved and what made things easier. I loved her for that, too.
Once the table was in place, she grabbed a fluffy towel from the closet and laid it over the top before motioning to it. “Sit.”
I tipped my head at her, but did what she ordered, surprised to see it was the perfect height to get into the tub. “You’re brilliant.”
“Just observant,” she corrected. “I was worried that if we put the legs on your shower chair as high as they go, it would be unstable.”
“You’d be right,” I said with a nod. “That’s the reason I’ve never used the tub. Safety is always first when you’re an amputee and live alone.”
She held up her finger and walked into the bedroom, returning with my crutches, which she leaned against the tub, knowing I’d need them after the bath. Then she cranked the water handles off, and she smiled as she kissed my lips. “You’re not alone tonight, so I say you should get to enjoy it for the first time.”
“Oh, I will, because I’ll be enjoying it for the first time with you.” My voice was low and filled with desire I couldn’t hide and didn’t want to. She should know how much she turned me on every second we were together.
She walked to me and started unbuttoning my shirt, an intimacy usually reserved for the bedroom, but the memory would fill my dreams for nights to come. “Are you sure it’s safe. I don’t want to do anything to hurt you.”
“As long as you’re by my side, nothing can,” I promised, leaning in for a long tangle of tongues that left us both breathing heavily. Once my trousers came off, there would be no hiding what her kisses did to me, but then again, I was tired of hiding. “Getting in will be easy. Getting out will require another towel on the lip of the tub for me to sit on to swing myself onto the table. You’ll have to hold the table, so it doesn’t tip.”
“I won’t let you fall, Major,” she promised with a reverence that told me I may not be the only one who found love at the tree farm today.
“We’d better get in before the water cools off,” I said as I finished what she’d started with my shirt. I focused my gazeon the floor, because if I focused on the tantalizing bits she revealed, I was going to demand she get in bed or ravish her right here on the bathroom floor.
“I’ll go first,” I said, my breath heavy in my chest as the candlelight flickered across her olive skin, rounded in all the right places. “Then I’ll help you in. Gotta be careful with my handiwork there,” I said, motioning at the splint she’d removed already.
Sliding into the water was much easier than getting out would be, but I put that aside, and once submerged, I held my hand out to her. I was unable to keep my damn disobedient eyes from drinking in every last bit of her as she stepped over the ledge and into the water, lowering herself slowly to steal away a masterpiece.
“You are stunning, Jaelyn. I feel like an eighteen-year-old kid who has never seen a naked woman before,” I admitted with a lip tilt.
“If you honestly believe I’m stunning, then maybe you haven’t seen a naked woman before.”
“Wrong,” I said, grasping her long legs and tugging them over mine before handing her a cup of eggnog. “I’ve seen more than my fair share as a doctor. Trust me when I say you are stunning.” I held up my cup. “To Bells Pass for changing my life in unexpected ways.”
“And to tacos and toboggans for doing the same for mine.”
“Beautiful and hilarious,” I said as we tapped glasses. “The whole package.”
The eggnog was smooth, and I reminded myself to be careful being in a bathtub with only one leg, a sexy woman, and a glass full of brandy. A dangerous combination from multiple different angles.
“This is a great tub,” she said, setting her glass on the tile edging. “I’m glad we could put it to use.”
