Page 78 of Hallows End

“Do you know what we need?” I raise my eyebrow and feel a sassy smile spread over my mouth.

“I couldn’t begin to guess.”

“A bath. A nice, long soak in the tub. And I just mixed up a new bath tea for us, too.”

“We certainly can’t let something that special go to waste.” He kisses my hand. Ilovehow this man can’t keep his hands or lips off me. “Let’s go.”

I don’t ask Nera to stay behind when we go upstairs. I can still sense the fear and uncertainty in him, and I want him nearby, so he follows us up to the owner’s suite and lies on his bed.

“He’s as exhausted as we are.”

Jonas looks down at my familiar with affection. “He should be. It’s been a busy week.”

I run the water in the tub and drop the mesh bag that holds all the herbs and flowers for the bath under the stream, turning as Jonas grips the hem of my shirt and tugs it over my head, letting it fall to the floor.

With greedy eyes, he waves a hand, bringing all the candles in the room to life, and then he finishes undressing me.

When I’m naked and standing in the candlelight, his eyes slowly make the journey from my feet to my face, and then he takes in a long, deep breath.

“My goddess, you’re beautiful.”

I wrinkle my nose, ready to come back with something witty, but he shakes his head sharply.

“Youarebeautiful, Luciana. In every way.”

“And you’re still clothed.”

He narrows his eyes and quickly tugs out of his clothes, then helps me into the hot bath.

I lean back on one side, and Jonas does the same on the other so we can face each other.

He lifts one of my feet and begins digging his thumb into the arch, sending me straight to ecstasy.

“One thing hasn’t changed through the ages,” he says mildly.

“What’s that?”

“Womenlovea foot rub.”

“Oh?” I tilt my head to the side, watching him. “I was under the impression that you haven’t been intimate with a woman in more than three hundred years.”

“That’s true,” he replies and moves his hand down to knead the heel of my foot. “That’s absolutely true. But I do read and pay attention, and women enjoy a good foot rub.”

I close my eyes and tip my head back against the rim of the tub, taking in the fragrance of the lavender and roses, the heat of the water, and the feel of Jonas against me, his hands doing wonderful things to my feet.

“You’re not wrong. Goddess, I love you.”

His hands still long enough that I open my eyes, only to find him frowning down into the water.

“What’s wrong?”

He shakes his head and starts rubbing my foot again, but I pull it from his grasp and move through the water to loop my arms around his neck.

“What’s wrong?” I ask again.

“There are moments, such as these,” he begins and twirls a wet lock of my hair around his index finger, “that I’m reminded just how deeply I love you and how absolutely terrified I am at the same time.”

“What are you afraid of?”

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