With his hands, his tongue, and the shower, he brought her to climax five more times.
"Please, Julian," she begged after the last one. "Have mercy. I can't take any more."
Deciding he had tortured the two of them enough, Julian reached behind him and turned off the water.
Grace couldn't move. Any sensation, no matter how small, rocked her. She watched him stand up between her legs, staring at her with a hint of a smile on his face.
"You've killed me," she breathed. "Now you have to hide the body."
He laughed at that. He stepped out of the tub, then reached over and picked her up.
She savored the feel of his bare skin against hers as he carried her to the bed, then dried her off with the towel. Slowly, carefully, he used the terry cloth in a way she was sure no one had ever meant for terry cloth to be used. He slid it sensuously over her arms, her breasts, then down her stomach in slow, torturous swirls.
"Open your legs for me, Grace."
Her will gone, she obeyed.
Grace moaned at the feel of the cloth stroking the tender, throbbing flesh between her thighs. Then the cloth was gone, replaced by his fingers.
"Julian, please. I don't think I can do it again."
He didn't listen. Neither did her body. To her amazement, she came again.
Julian leaned over her then and whispered in her ear, "I could make you do that all night."
She looked up into his eyes, and it was then she realized the full extent of his curse. His body was still fully erect, his brow covered in sweat.
How could he stand to watch her climax again and again, knowing he, himself, couldn't?
Her only thought her love for him, she sat up and kissed him.
Julian pulled away violently. He sank to the floor, writhing as if he were being beaten.
Terrified of what she'd done, Grace slid off the bed. "I'm sorry," she said, reaching out to him. "I forgot."
He whirled on her then, his eyes that strange, horrible dark color.
Julian trembled as he fought his madness down. It was the fear in her face that finally succeeded in calming him.
He moved away from her as if she were poisonous.
Grace watched as he used the steps to her bed to push himself to his feet.
"It's getting worse," he said, his voice shaky.
Grace couldn't speak. She couldn't stand seeing him in pain. And she hated herself for pushing him over the edge.
Without looking back at her, Julian gathered his clothes and left the room.
It was several heartbeats before Grace could move again. When she finally found the ability to stand, she went to dress. She opened the top drawer and her eyes fell to the box that contained the handcuffs.
How many more days would they have before she lost him forever?
Chapter 14
The next few days were the best of Grace's life. Once she got used to Julian's rule of no kissing and hot, intimate touches, they fell into an easy relationship that amazed and delighted her.
She spent her days at work, often meeting Julian and Selena for lunch, and her nights lying in Julian's scrumptious arms.
But with every day that passed, the knowledge that he was going to leave at the end of the month cut her all the more.
How would she be able to bear it?
Though the subject was never far from her mind, she refused to bring it up again. She would just live for the moment, and worry about tomorrow when it arrived.
Saturday night, they met Selena and Bill at Tip's in the Quarter. Though more touristy than the original Tippitina's, it was Zydeco Night and she wanted Julian to hear the music New Orleans had made famous.
"Hey!" Selena said as they approached the tables in the back. "I was beginning to wonder if you were no-shows."
Grace felt her face flame as she remembered what had kept them. One day, she was going to learn to lock the bathroom door when she bathed.
"Hi, Julian, Grace," Bill greeted.
Grace smiled at Bill's plaster cast, which Selena had painted with fluorescent colors.
Julian inclined his head to Bill as he held a chair out for Grace, then took a seat beside her. As soon as a waiter came over, they ordered beer and nachos while Selena kept the beat on the table with her hands.
"Come on, Lane," Bill said, his voice testy. "We'd better dance before I kill you over that incessant noise."
A little envious, Grace watched them walk off.
"Would you like to dance?" Julian asked.
She loved to dance, but she didn't want to embarrass Julian. There was no doubt in her mind that he had no idea how to do a modern dance. Still, it was incredibly sweet of him to offer. "That's okay."
He didn't listen. He rose to his feet and held his hand out to her. "Yes, you do."
As soon as they reached the dance floor, Grace realized the man could dance as good as he looked.
Julian knew every step as if he'd been bora to it. In fact, he had perfect moves, graceful, yet incredibly masculine and sexy. Grace had never seen anything like it. And judging by the envious glares the women around them were directing at her, she figured none of them ever had either.