“And if there aren’t?”
“Then I’ll pretend like I can’t see,” I said through clenched teeth.
She peeled off the rest of her clothes and stepped into the tub. Her foot slid, causing a shriek to erupt from her lips.
I caught her before she collided with the tile.
Her breasts were pressed against my chest.
Worst timing in the world.
I wanted her.
But not after all that trauma. It wouldn’t be right.
But I was still a man.
“You okay?” I asked, voice rough.
“Yeah, sorry. It was slippery.” Her voice wavered.
I let out a groan and released her into the water, my eyes refusing to leave hers as she sunk beneath the bubbles. “Damn bubbles,” I mumbled, taking a seat on the wood bench and running my fingers through my hair.
“You got something against bubbles?”
“Yeah. I do.” I pointed at the tub. “They’re practically kissing every naked part of your skin while I sit here and watch.” I let out a dark laugh. “I had someone rip a nail from my finger once. This…” I swallowed and looked away. “…is so much worse.”
“Because of the bubbles?” A smile formed across her lips.
“Yes, because of the damn bubbles. Are you done yet?” I twitched in my seat, damn-near needing to sit on my hands.
“I just got in.”
I swore. “Right. Well, can’t you… just… be faster?”
“I thought you wanted me to relax? I was just attacked.”
I moved so fast I almost tripped and fell into the water. Within seconds, my hands were touching her skin. I dipped the loofa into the water and ran it over her broken body, my breathing so slow I felt like I was going to stop inhaling altogether and just pass out on the spot.
I washed her clean.
Washed him away.
“That feels good.” She closed her eyes as my warm hands replaced the loofa and began massaging her neck and shoulders.
“Just so you know,” I croaked, my hands still kneading into her flesh. “I’ve never had to practice so much restraint in all my life.”
“It builds character,” she mumbled, her eyes flickering open.
My hands froze as my gaze went to her chest. The same bubbles I’d been cursing minutes before had all but disappeared, giving me a perfect view of her breasts, her tight stomach. Shit. I was going to lose my mind. I pressed my lips together to keep from saying something I’d regret and managed not to kiss her.
“Sorry.” She moved to cover herself.
“Don’t be.” I swallowed slowly so I wouldn’t choke on the dryness. “Don’t you ever apologize for being beautiful — for being perfect. You are…” I moved my hands to tilt her chin. “…exquisite.”
She nodded and then burst into sobs.
“Trace.” I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her out of the tub. Without speaking, I set her down then grabbed a towel and covered her body. She felt almost weightless as I carried her into one of the bedrooms.
I located a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and handed them to her. When she dropped the towel, I closed my eyes, unable to handle seeing her naked three times in the span of fifteen minutes without doing something.
Wet lips met my cheek.
I opened my eyes and scooped her into my arms. With a grunt, I tucked her into my body, pulled her onto the bed and held her while she cried.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. I swear on my life, I’ll protect you until the day I die,” I whispered hoarsely.
“That’s a pretty big promise.”
“Well, you’re a pretty important person. Important people deserve big promises, and you, Trace? You deserve the world.”
She shook her head as if she didn’t believe me.
With a curse I tugged her closer. “You deserve the white dress, Trace. And the flowers and the music. You deserve that first dance with your husband. The stars in his eyes when he sees you walking down the aisle. You deserve the castle and the prince. A man who adores you, a family who sacrifices for you, friends who take care of you. Trace — you deserve it, but you have to believe it.”
She sniffled. “What if I just want you? What if I just want that one thing?”
“Damn it, Trace, I’m the one that doesn’t deserve you. The messed-up part is I know it, but I want you anyway.”
“Want?”
“Need,” I croaked. “I need you like I need my heart to pump blood through my body, like I need air to breathe, like we need gravity. Hell, Trace, you are my gravity. Being with you makes me feel centered and whole, and I’m too screwed up to convince you to want any different. I’m too selfish to push you into someone else’s arms when I know mine may be the worst ones for you to be in.”