lhamilton.thekillingdance-第77部分
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ed the perfection of his chest。 He held his boots in one hand; a towel as scarlet as the sheets in the other。
〃I washed up in the sink while the tub filled。〃 He walked barefoot across the white carpeting。 〃I'm afraid I used the last clean towel。 I will fetch you more。〃
I took my hand away from my mouth and nodded。 I finally managed to say; 〃Fine。〃
I stood before he could offer to help me up。 I didn't need any help。
Jean…Claude moved to one side。 His black hair lay in nearly tight curls across his pale shoulders; curled from the humidity of the bathroom。 I ignored him as much as it was humanly possible and walked inside。
The room was warm and misty; the black marble tub full of bubbles。 He offered me a black lacquer tray from the vanity top。 Shampoos; soap; bath crystals; and what looked like oils were grouped on the tray。
〃Get out so I can undress。〃
〃It took two people to dress you tonight; ma petite。 Won't you need help getting undressed?〃 His voice was utterly bland。 His face so still; his eyes so innocent; it made me smile。
I sighed。 〃If you get the two straps in back; I think I can manage the rest。 But no monkey business。〃 I held my hands over the bra because one strap would loosen it。 The other strap; as far as I could tell; was the pivot point for the rest of the outfit。
His fingers moved to the top strap。 I watched him in the fogged mirror。 The strap came unbuckled; and the leather gave with a small sigh。 He moved to the second strap without so much as an extra caress。 He undid it and took a step back。 〃No monkey business; ma petite。〃 He backed out of the room; and I watched him go like a phantom in the mist…covered mirrors。 When the door was shut; I started on the rest of the straps。 It was like peeling myself to get the goo…soaked leather off。
I put the tray of bath accessories on the tub edge and slipped into the water。 The water was hot; just this side of too hot。 I sank into it up to my chin; but I couldn't relax。 The gunk clung to my body in patches。 I had to get it off me。 I sat up in the tub and started scrubbing。 The soap smelled like gardenia。 The shampoos smelled like herbs。 Trust Jean…Claude not to buy a name brand from the grocery store。
I washed my hair twice; sinking under the water and ing up for air。 I was scrubbed and virtuous; or at least clean。 The mirrors had cleared and I had only myself to stare at。 I'd washed off all the careful makeup。 I smoothed my thick; black hair back from my face。 My eyes were enormous and nearly black。 My skin so pale; it was almost white。 I looked shocked; ethereal; unreal。
There was a soft knock on the door。 〃Ma petite; may I e in?〃
I glanced down at myself。 The bubbles were still holding。 I drew a pile of them a little closer to my chest and said; 〃e in。〃 It took a lot of effort not to hunch down in the water。 I sat up straight; trusting in the bubbles。 Besides; I would not huddle。 So I was naked in a tub of bubble bath。 So what。 No one can embarrass you unless you let them。
Jean…Claude came in with two thick; red towels。 He closed the door behind him with a small smile。 〃We wouldn't want to let the hot air out。〃
I narrowed my eyes but said; 〃I guess not。〃
〃Where do you want the towels? Here?〃 He started to lay them on the vanity。
〃I can't reach them there;〃 I said。
〃Here?〃 He laid them on top of the stool。 He stood there; staring down at me; still wearing nothing but the black jeans。 His feet were startlingly pale against the black carpet。
〃Still too far away。〃
He sat down on the edge of the tub; placing the towels on the floor。 He stared down at me as if he could will the bubbles away。 〃Is this close enough?〃
〃Maybe a little too close;〃 I said。
He trailed fingertips over the bubbles at the edge of the tub。 〃Do you feel better now; ma petite?〃
〃I said no sexual innuendo; remember。〃
〃As I remember; you said no sexual innuendo until after you were clean。〃 He smiled at me。 〃You're clean。〃
I sighed。 〃Trust you to be literal。〃
He trailed his fingers in the water。 He turned his shoulder enough that I could see the whip scars on his back。 They were slick and white; and I suddenly had an urge to trace them with my fingers。
He turned back to face me。 He wiped his wet fingers across his chest; trailing shining lines of moisture across the flat slickness of the burn scar; down along his belly。 His fingers played with the line of dark hair that vanished into his pants。
I closed my eyes and let out a sigh。
〃What is the matter; ma petite?〃 I felt him leaning over me。 〃Are you faint?〃
I opened my eyes。 He had leaned his entire upper body across the tub; right arm on the far rim; the left near my shoulder。 His hip was so far over the water that if I'd touched his chest; he'd have fallen in。
〃I don't faint;〃 I said。
His face leaned down over mine。 〃So glad to hear it。〃 He kissed me lightly; a brush of lips; but even that small movement made my stomach jerk。
I gasped and pushed him away。 He fell into the tub; going pletely under; only his feet sticking out。 He landed on my naked body; and I screamed。
He came up for air; his long; black hair streaming around his face; across his shoulders。 He looked as surprised as I'd ever seen him。 He crawled off me; mainly because I was shoving at him。 He struggled to his feet。 Water streamed down his body。 He stared down at me。 I was huddled against the side; staring up at him; pissed。
He shook his head and laughed。 The sound filled the room; played along my skin like a hand。 〃I have been a lady's man for nearly three hundred years; Anita。 Why is it only with you that I am awkward?〃
〃Maybe it's a hint;〃 I said。
〃Perhaps。〃
I stared up at him。 He stood there; knee deep in bubble bath。 He was soaking wet and should have been ridiculous; but he wasn't。 He was beautiful。
〃How can you be so damn beautiful when I know what you are?〃
He knelt in the water。 The bubbles covered his waist; so he looked naked。 Water trailed down his chest in fine beads。 I wanted to run my hands over him。 I wanted to lick the water off his skin。 I drew my legs to my chest and locked my arms around them; not trusting myself。
He moved towards me。 The water sloshed and curled around my naked body。 He stayed kneeling; so close that his jeans brushed my huddled legs。 The feel of him in the water; that close; made me hide my face against my knees。 The pounding of my heart gave me away。 I knew he could taste my need on the air。
〃Tell me to go; ma petite; and I will go。〃 I felt him lean over me; his face just above my wet hair。
Slowly; I raised my face。
He placed a hand on the tub edge; one arm on either side of me; bringing his chest dangerously close to my face。 I watched the water bead on his skin; the way that he sometimes watched blood on mine: a need almost too overwhelming to deny; an urge so plete that I didn't want to say no。
I unclenched my arms from my knees and leaned forward。 I whispered; 〃Don't go。〃 I touched hands to his waist; tentative; as if it should burn; but his skin was cool under the slickness of water。 Cool and smooth to the touch。 I glanced up at his face and knew that there was something close to fear on my own face。
His face was lovely; and uncertain; as if he didn't know what to do next。 It was a look I never thought to see on Jean…Claude's face when I was naked in his arms。
I kept my eyes on his face as I moved my mouth towards his stomach。 I ran my tongue over his skin; a quick; tentative movement。
He sighed; eyes fluttering shut; body almost sagging。 I pressed my mouth against his skin; drinking the water off of him。 I couldn't reach his chest。 I moved to my knees; hands steadying me against his slender waist。
The air was cool against my naked breasts。 Kneeling had bared them。 I froze; suddenly unsure。 I wanted desperately to see his face and was afraid to look up。
His fingertips brushed my shoulders; sliding down the wet skin。 I shivered and glanced up。 The look on his face caught my breath in my throat。 Tenderness; need; amazement。
〃You are so beautiful; ma petite。〃 He put his fingertips to my lips before I could protest。 〃You are beautiful。 On this I do not lie。〃
His fingers moved across my lips; down my chin