I convinced myself to think of it as a pre-workout routine. The ballet lessons may have dredged up bad memories, but they were still preferred over facing Pasha. I told the season sister bears about Pasha, too. They knew everything about my life. Summer would be the loudest in her response to Pasha if she were here.
“I can’t imagine how much it hurt to say goodbye without truly saying goodbye. Maybe you should just tell him it’s you. Either way, I’m happy you got to see him again.”She’d even hug me if she were here. God, I could use a hug right about now.
I needed to start preparing for the date tonight. A nice soak was first on the list. I filled the tub with water and some oils and got in. I pulled up my playlist and went to push play when I got a text from Aleksandr.
REAPER:
We’re still on for tonight. Don’t even think of canceling on me.
KINSLEY:
What happened to leaving me alone?
REAPER:
It’s Friday, and I agreed to leave you alone until then. Wear your hair up for me.
KINSLEY:
Let me guess, you insist?
REAPER:
I need to see that beautiful neck of yours.
KINSLEY:
You can look, but no touching.
Why did the thought of him wanting to look at my neck make my stomach swirl with butterflies again?
Because, stupid, you know he’ll want to kiss it. Then if you let him kiss it, he’ll want to kiss your lips, and then…“Ugh,” I groaned aloud.
REAPER:
Are you sure I can’t get you to change your mind about the lingerie? I can have Marcus there in no time.
KINSLEY:
Sure, send him over. I’m in the bathtub. He can bring it in and lay it out for me. Do you think he’d help me put it on?
I jumped when my phone rang, hitting the answer button immediately.
“You trying to get my man killed or something?” Aleksandr growled into the phone.
“You’re the one who brought him up, not me. Plus, he has that military persona that makes a girl feel safe and warm,” I teased, leaning back and relaxing in the water.
“Are you insinuating that I can’t keep you safe and warm?” He sounded offended, completing the first strike to his ego for tonight.Put a tally in my corner.
“Hmm, you’re not someone I’d associate the wordsafewith, necessarily. Your persona screams danger.”
“Are you really in the bath?” His voice dropped an octave, and I closed my eyes, thinking about him.
“I swear, if you pull out the Reaper creeper before you even get here, I’ll go dark on you.”
“The reaper in me always exists, and I’m not afraid of the dark. In fact, I’d like to persuade you to join me. And as far as pulling out—”
“All right, enough of that. I’m serious,” I warned.
