Page 63 of A Dark Fall

It’s just before 9:00 p.m. when Robyn leaves. After she does, I go upstairs and run myself a steaming bubble bath, relaxing into it as I dial his number. Pathetically, I’m excited to hear the sound of his voice on the phone.

It rings twice before he picks up.

“Well, you took your time,” he says softly, no greeting. His voice is deeper and very masculine.

“Sorry. Rob just left, and I thought I’d run a bath before calling you.” I stretch out my legs, running my toes across the taps. The bubbles pop and crackle around me.

He groans softly. “Wait—you’re in the bath right now? Naked and wet?”

“Baths normally involve both of those things, yes.” I smile.

“You are fucking killing me here, baby. I’m not gonna be able to sleep tonight thinking about you naked and wet. Wait—I’m always thinking about that.” He huffs out a low, sexy laugh.

“Deviant,” I say. “So, what are you doing? No club tonight?”

“Nah, we’re closed Monday and Tuesdays. I’m watching the football. West Ham game from earlier, so don’t tell me the score, yeah?” I hear the smile in his voice.

“Oh, I’ll try not to let it slip,” I say. “So, a West Ham fan then? Must bank that little nodule of information away somewhere. Extremely sharey of you.”

He chuckles. “Told you I wasn’t that interesting, didn’t I? So, are there bubbles?”

“Always. Lots of bubbles. It’s also very, very hot.” I sigh. Jake curses on the other end.

“I could come over there, you know. Could be there in, say ... twenty minutes? Water would still be warm. Your bath is big enough for two, if I remember right.”

He sounds utterly serious. I’m utterly tempted. I close my eyes at the thought of him climbing naked into the bath with me, his body slippery and wet, and me wedged between his thighs. I almost groan out loud from want.

No. I can’t have him thinking I need to see him every minute of every day, even if it is probably the truth. That would be giving him far too much power. He has too much power over me already. A few nights apart will do us good.

“You’d be breaking the law if you got here in twenty minutes, and that wouldn’t be good. Anyway, I’m exhausted. It’s been a long and eventful day ...” I say pointedly.

“You saying no to me again?” His voice is low but playful.

“No,” I say, and he huffs out a deep laugh. I really, really wish he were here.

“Good. Because I don’t take rejection well.”

“Oh, really?”

“Wait—I don’t know how I take rejection ’cause it’s never happened before. It nearly happened with this gorgeous doctor I was mental about, but she came around in the end.”

I’m smiling like a fool now. “Well, she sounds like a pushover.” I slip down lower into the water.

“Nah. She just doesn’t know what’s bad for her,” he says.

My heart stumbles slightly at the warning. Which is what I assume it is. Another one.

“Well, I’m not rejecting you. I’m ... delaying you.”

He groans again. “Fine. So, how’d it go with your friend? Tell her about your sexual deviant, did you?”

“I did. She, um ...” Here goes. I take a deep breath. “She invited you to dinner at her place.”

“When?”

“Friday night. She’s having a few friends around. I told her you work Friday nights and it probably wouldn’t suit.”

“I’ll come,” he says. A strange, warm ripple courses over my body.

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