“Something upset you. What was it?”
“Uh, you guys didn’t...”
He wasn’t following, and he gave his head a little shake.
She gestured to her naked body. “Please tell me you two didn’t plan...this.”
The question shocked him so much, it took several seconds to form an answer. “No.”
Admittedly, it wasn’t the most comprehensive answer in the world. He tried again. “We didn’t plan a thing. Okay, yes, I know that Luca likes Destiny. And I guess he knows I like you. But we never talked about sex, and we sure as hell didn’t plan out some Christmas Eve seduction scenario.” Frankly, he was a little insulted by her suggestion.
“You don’t talk to Luca about sex?”
Her question was so genuine that Cole’s annoyance disappeared. “I don’t talk to him about sex with you.”
“Oh.” She shifted under the water, looking decidedly guilty.
Wait a minute. “You talked about me with Destiny.”
Amber blushed. “She asked me.”
“And you told her?” He pretended to be affronted, but it was a struggle not to laugh.
“Sorry,” she offered faintly.
He polished off his glass of champagne. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m just messing with you. Tell anybody you want.”
“I only told Destiny.”
He gave a shrug as he reached for the champagne bottle. “I honestly don’t care. But I won’t tell Luca anything that makes you uncomfortable.”
He gestured with the bottle.
She held out her glass. “I know it seems like the double standard.”
“It is a double standard. But me and the rest of the male population have come to terms with it.”
“Now I feel guilty.”
“Don’t. Believe me when I tell you, guilt is the last thing I’m going for here.”
She seemed to relax and leaned back against the edge of the tub. “What exactly are you going for?”
“I have to say, I enjoyed the part where you said I was too good at sex.” He paused. “And I liked the expression on your face when you said it. And I liked that I was holding you in my arms at the time. And that you were naked.”
Arousal reawakened as he spoke.
He couldn’t seem to get enough of looking at her, talking to her, touching her. But it was close to midnight, and he knew this interlude had to end—likely very soon.
“Come here,” he told her softly.
Her blue eyes went wide in obvious surprise.
He set his glass aside. “Come sit with me.”
It took her a minute to react. But then she braced herself on the edge of the tub and slipped across, candles flickering in the mist as she settled between his legs. The glass of champagne was still in her hand.