Page 46 of Absolution

I took the tray to the kitchen, and on my way back to her room, I grabbed a couple bath towels from the hall linen closet.

“You ready?”

“I guess so.”

I helped her out of bed and into her bathroom. In the quietness of the room, she let me undress her. Her entire body turned a light shade of pink. Holding my hand, she stepped into the clawfoot bathtub and slowly lowered herself into the water, her nakedness disappearing under the bubbles.

It wasn’t the first time I’d seen her without clothes. I’d given her a sponge bath every day through her detox. But then, she hadn’t really been with it. Now, though, she was awake and fully alert. This felt different. I knelt on the floor next to the tub and reached over to pick up a washcloth. I dipped it in the water and gently began to wash her shoulders that peeked out.

“Lean forward for me.”

Gina raised up, covering her breasts with an arm, and I ran the cloth across her back. I raised first one arm, then the other, and washed under each and along their length.

“Back down.”

She leaned back and lifted her leg out of the water when I’d reached under the surface and tapped her calf. I sensed her eyes on me as I traced the cloth down the length of her leg. She jerked and giggled when I reached her foot and toes.

“Sorry, I’m ticklish.”

The sound of her laughter was music to my ears. It had been far too long since I’d heard it. I relished in the sound. I repeated my care with her other leg, earning the same response when I reached the other foot.

Gina’s breath caught in her chest and our eyes locked when I dipped the washcloth back in the water and began to wash the area of her upper chest exposed above the bubbles. Slowly, I moved downward. Her eyes darkened, and I knew the heated look in them rivaled the heat in mine. I pulled my arousal back a notch. That wasn’t what this was about.

I finished with her breasts, then her stomach. I’d almost reached the top of Gina’s pubis when her small hand clutched mine, staying any further movement of my arm.

“I can get it,” she whispered.

I let her take the cloth from my hand, but my eyes never left hers while she finished the task I’d started. When she was done, she lifted the washrag from beneath the water and handed it to me. I rinsed it out and set it on the edge of the tub.

I had to clear my throat before I could speak. “Now your hair.”

Briefly, I stood and reached for the handheld shower head before kneeling again at the head of the tub. “Under.”

Gina sunk under the surface and then resurfaced. I poured her fruit scented shampoo in my palm and began to lather it in her shoulder length locks. She released a soft sigh as I gently massaged her scalp.

“That feels wonderful.”

I smiled at the sound of contentment. After washing and rinsing it, I helped her stand and I turned on the shower to wash off the remnants of bubbles. Then I dried her off, doing my damnedest to ignore her pebbled nipples almost begging to be touched. I knelt down to rub the towel down her legs and her feet, and the scent of her sweet perfume filled my nose. I swallowed my groan when Gina’s breathing changed over my head. All I’d have to do was turn my head and nuzzle her soft, flat belly. My mouth watered at being so close to her pussy. I could almost taste her juices on my tongue.

Forcing myself to my feet, I wrapped the towel around her, gently tucking the ends in between her breasts. I led her back out to her bedroom and while she sat on the edge of the bed, I pulled some clothes out of her closet.

“I’ll let you get dressed.”

“Okay. Thank you for the bath and for washing my hair.”

“My pleasure.”

I quickly disappeared back into the bathroom to clean up, my erection throbbing behind my zipper. I needed to get my arousal under control before I went back in there. Gina was in far too vulnerable of a place right now. I’d be damned if I’d take advantage of that.

Chapter 28

Gina

Holy shit.I’d never known how sensual and arousing a bath could be. I almost cursed myself when I’d stopped Leo earlier, but common sense reared its stupid, ugly head. Letting something happen between the two of us was such a horrible, awful idea. The dumbest, in fact. I was feeling exposed and in a place where any sign of affection from either of us might be misinterpreted for something else.

It was an epically bad idea. Which was why I needed to shut it down. I needed to focus on my mental health and recovery. I also needed to talk to Bridget. Leo had told me she’d called a couple times to check up on me, but obviously I hadn’t been in a place where I could chat. I quickly threw on my clothes, and I’d just finished smoothing down my skirt when he stepped back into the bedroom.

“Now that I’m feeling better, I need to call Bridget. And Sonia. And Madeline. God, the list is miles long of every one I need to check in with. I forgot how overwhelming it is at the beginning of sobriety.”

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