The Reluctant Vampire(82)

“It missed a couple spots as it poured over you,” he explained huskily, moving the cool red liquid around and over her breasts . . . repeatedly, first with his hands, and then with the cloth.

Drina bit her lip and clenched her fists to keep from reaching for him as Harper spent what seemed an endless amount of time, and half the jugs of tomato juice Anders had purchased, ensuring her breasts were spray free.

Her toes were curling in the red liquid now pooling in the tub, when he finally said, “Turn.”

Drina turned her back to him, and sucked in a breath as the cool liquid poured over her head and back. He again used his hands to direct the tomato juice around, this time paying special attention to her behind. His fingers sliding over the curves, under the curves, and then dipping briefly between her legs, making her brace her hands on the cold tiles to keep her balance as she gasped, “I’m pretty sure I didn’t get sprayed there.”

“Yes, but you were sitting in the first batch of tub water when you cleaned the surface stuff away, and it may have gotten everywhere. Best to do a thorough job,” he said, sounding cheerful and a bit breathless himself. His fingers slipped away as he turned to switch the empty jug for a fresh one, and then he repeated the process, once again ending between her legs.

Drina bit her lip as his fingers ran over her, sure Harper was punishing her for her earlier teasing when she’d been using the water-and-vinegar solution. On a bright note, though, as her life mate, she knew he was punishing himself as well since he too was experiencing the excitement he was stirring in her.

“Last bottle.” Harper’s voice was gravelly now, but she was amazed he could speak at all. She didn’t think she could, and then the cool liquid was pouring over her for the last time, little red rivulets running over her shoulders and down her arms.

This time Harper didn’t waste time moving the liquid over her derriere but immediately slid his free hand between her legs as he poured. Drina curled her fingers against the tile surround of the tub and moaned. When the bottle was empty, and he retrieved his hand to turn and set the jug on the counter with the others, she turned and leaned weakly back against the cool tiles, glad to still be on her feet. She’d begun to worry her shaking legs would collapse under her by the end.

Harper turned back and eyed her, then stepped to the edge of the tub, caught her arm, and pulled her forward for a kiss that did little to settle her excitement. His hands moved over her briefly as he thrust his tongue into her mouth, and then he broke the kiss and stepped back to begin removing his T-shirt.

“Going to scrub my back?” she asked huskily, sinking back against the tile again as the T-shirt hit the floor.

“Your back, your front, your top, your bottom, and everything in between,” he assured her, and reached for the waist of his joggers, only to pause as a knock sounded at the door.

“Drina?” Stephanie’s voice called. “I’m sorry to bother you guys, but this is the only bathroom, and I really have to go.”

Drina bit her lip as Harper closed his eyes on a sigh.

“You don’t have to get out of the tub, Dree,” Stephanie added now. “Just pull the shower curtain closed if you want. I don’t mind. But I really, really have to go.”

“One second, Steffie,” Drina said finally when Harper bent to retrieve his T-shirt and quickly pulled it back on. He leaned forward then to kiss her again, a quick, hard one, and then tugged the shower curtain closed and turned to open the bathroom door.

“Sorry, Stephanie. Go right ahead,” Harper said as he slid from the room.

Drina sat down in the tub with a little thump, grateful to get off her shaking legs. She heard Stephanie enter and a rustle as the girl announced, “Teddy sent up some joggers and a T-shirt for you. I’m putting them on the counter.”

“Thank you,” Drina murmured, picking up the washcloth. She soaked it in the tomato juice in the tub and began to scrub herself as her nerve endings slowly began to calm.

“The tomato juice and stuff must have worked. It only smells a little in here now, and I think that’s from the sheet.” Stephanie’s words were accompanied by a rustling Drina supposed was the girl preparing to “go.”

“Yes, I think it worked. I can actually smell the tomato juice now, and I haven’t been able to smell anything for hours,” Drina said.

“Lucian still hasn’t called Anders back,” Stephanie announced, and Drina suspected the girl was just talking to try to hide the sounds as she relieved herself. “You don’t think Lucian will make us go back to Toronto now that Casey Cottage is temporarily uninhabitable, do you?”