Until then?
He shook his head and wondered how he’d survive.
He walked over and hunched down beside the tub. She was a beauty in every sense. Her body was curved to perfection, her breasts and hips molded just right. He ached to reach out and touch every bow and arch.
He closed his eyes, hung his head and took a deep calming breath. If he continued to look at her, he’d continue to want to make love to her. He needed to get his soaring desire under control, get her out of the tub, dried, and in bed.
“Lord, give me strength,” he muttered, then gently tapped her shoulder. “Zia, wake up.”
She didn’t budge. He muttered several incoherent oaths and tapped her shoulder more firmly while raising his voice. “Wake up.”
Her eyes drifted open and the tip of her tongue slowly licked at her bottom lip.
He muffled his groan with a hard swipe of his hand across his mouth and this time spoke louder than he intended. “Wake up!”
Zia catapulted forward, splashing water over the sides, and glared at him wide-eyed. “I’m cold.”
“No doubt,” he said. “You’re sitting in a tub of cold water.”
Zia looked down, and a moment later her arms rushed to cover her naked breasts. “I fell asleep.”
Artair grabbed a towel from the nearby bench. “So it appears.” He stood and spread the towel wide. “Now stand up.”
She didn’t hesitate; he doubted she would, since her hands were shriveled, gooseflesh prickled a good portion of her skin, and there was a noticeable shiver to her.
He wrapped the towel around her and began rubbing her dry. As he ran the towel over her, Zia’s shivers began to lessen. Scooping her up, he carried her to the bed and set her down on the edge.
“Arms up,” he ordered, grabbing her nightdress and slipping it over her head. Then he hunched down in front of her and, when she finished wiggling the gown onto her body, snatched up one foot at a time and dried them with the towel.
Even her feet were beautiful, toes neatly shaped, a soft arch, smooth skin. When he realized that the towel had slipped from his grasp, he caressed her foot with his hand instead, and damned if he wanted to stop.
He didn’t. It was Zia who slipped her foot away from him and crawled under the woolen blanket, pulling it up to her neck.
“All settled?” he asked.
She nodded, her fingers over the edge of the blanket and her eyes intent as she watched him.
He turned and walked to the door.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
He didn’t look back. “I need a cold bath.”
She chuckled. “There’s one right here.”
He spun around. “Want to see me naked, do you?”
He had his clothes off before she could respond, but she didn’t disappoint him. She continued to watch him. She even propped herself up on her pillow to get a better look.
He wasn’t shy. Once naked, he took his time getting into the tub. With one foot in, he almost changed his mind, since the water was colder than he expected.
“Coward.” Zia laughed.
“I was giving you time to enjoy the view.”
“I’ve seen enough.”
“Like what you see?” he asked, his chest puffed broad.
“You’re passable.”
He turned too quickly to protest her witty response and lost his footing, plunging down into the tub. The water splashed up and over the sides as he plopped down on his backside.
Zia fell forward with a burst of laughter, holding her stomach as she came up to laugh some more at him.
“This is all your fault,” he said, rivulets of water running down his grinning face.
She controlled her laughter, though it slipped out between words. “I maneuvered the tub just fine.”
“But you failed to get out, didn’t you?”
“Better than falling in.” A yawn interrupted her laughter.
“Go to sleep, you’re tired.”
“I’ll wait for you,” she said, snuggling down beneath the blanket once again.
He wanted to ask why, since she certainly didn’t intend for them to make love, and luckily she answered without him asking.
“I want to know what your brother thinks of our marriage, and with the water so cold, it shouldn’t take you long.”
She was right about that. He hurriedly washed his hair and his body and was out of the tub and dried in rapid time.
Then he approached the bed, the towel wrapped snug around his slim waist. “I sleep naked.”
“I don’t,” she said. “And stay on your side.”
“I’ll try,” he teased, released the towel and hopped into bed.
After he was settled, she asked, “What did your brother say? Oh, I do like him and Honora. They make a wonderful couple, and your mother is perfect; I do feel so sorry for her, though. You can see the sadness in her eyes. And Lachlan…” She chuckled. “He’s a charmer and hides what a truly caring man he is.”