He’d bloody known inheriting a dukedom would be nothing but trouble.
As the heat from the bath sank into his bones, he told himself he was being overly sensitive. He closed his eyes, and Tess’s beautiful face swam in his mind. She’d seemed so passionate, so loving, this afternoon. And the way she felt in his arms, the ardency of her kisses—surely that wasn’t feigned? It was ridiculous to think that she could be plotting against him. He was a cynical, jaded fool.
If she was pining for a lover, well, he’d simply have to make her forget the man even existed. He’d love her so thoroughly that she’d never want to let him go.
Of course, the reverse side of that coin was that Justin might never want to lethergo, but he dismissed that possibility as absurd. She might be the most fascinating, most beguiling woman he’d ever met, but he was in no danger of falling in love with her. The organ that had pounded so loudly when she’d been in danger hadn’t been his heart. He didn’t have one to lose.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Tess dismissed Hannah and eyed her bath with a sigh of pleasure. The expensive copper tub had been a luxury purchase she’d never regret, and the water, when she tested it with her hand, was the perfect temperature: a degree below uncomfortably hot.
The rising steam formed little beads on her hairline as she added a few dops of rose-scented oil to the water, looking forward to feeling the aches and pains of the near-miss with the gig melt away.
The click of the adjoining door made her jump, and her heart stuttered at the sight of Justin in the doorway. He’d already bathed; his hair was damp, and he’d donned a clean white shirt and breeches.
He was not wearing stockings, and she found herself intrigued by his lean, bare feet as he came toward her.
She cleared her throat. “I was just about to have a bath.”
“So I see.” He stopped in front of her and she sucked in a breath as he untied the sash of her dressing robe with slow deliberation. She was naked underneath, and a muscle ticked in his jaw as the fabric parted down the middle.
Without a word, he slid the robe off her shoulders andthen caught her hand, helping her step into the tub as if she was royalty.
Slightly confused—she’d expected him to kiss her—Tess sat in the deliciously warm water. Her skin turned pink almost immediately, adding to her self-conscious flush at being so exposed. Before, she’d been shielded by clothes, or bedcovers.
She sank down until only her knees and her head were above the water, and glanced up at Justin, unsure of his intentions.
He seemed to have a plan. With brisk movements he turned back the cuffs of his shirt and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows.
Tess bit back a groan. The sight of his forearms, corded with muscle and a smattering of dark hair, made her a bit lightheaded. And when she thought of those wonderful hands of his—
Still silent, he picked up the bar of rose-scented soap from her dresser and knelt behind her, on the floor.
She’d piled her hair haphazardly on top of her head, and she shivered in excitement as his warm breath teased the tendrils that curled at her nape. He dipped the soap in the water and made a froth of bubbles in his hands, then slid the foam over her shoulder and along her clavicle.
Tess closed her eyes, savoring the wicked slide of his hands. The soap reduced the friction, but she could still feel the slight calluses on his hands. When she dropped her head forward, he kissed the slope of her shoulder, and she arched, silently willing him to move lower, to her breasts.
But the perverse creature pulled back instead, and she watched in a daze as he rose and crossed back to her dressing table. He dried his hands on his breeches, and opened the case that held her jewelry.
Tess frowned as he selected the necklace he’d given her. He detached the diamond bow and pendant and placed it on the table, then returned to her with the pearl strands cupped in his hands.
Tess sat up a little higher in the bath.Did he mean to put the necklace on her? In the bath? How decadent!
She bent her head again, expecting him to fasten the clip at her nape, but he merely pressed another kiss there instead.
“When I ordered this necklace, I wanted,so badly, to see them against your skin.” His voice was low, gravelly with desire.
Tess shivered as he draped the heavy strands over her shoulder. The cool pearls heated to match her body almost instantly, but the end dangled dangerously close to the water.
“You’ll get them wet!” she scolded, a little breathless.
His low laugh made her belly somersault. “They’ve spent most of their existence under water. I doubt a dip in your bath is going to do them any harm.”
Tess exhaled. “Oh, I didn’t think of that. But surely the stringing shouldn’t—”
“I’ll have them restrung. A hundred times, if necessary.”
Whatever she was about to say next was lost in a gasp as he rolled the pearls down over her breast. Her nipples peaked, despite the heat, and she bit back a groan at the incredible sensation of the tiny smooth globes teasing her skin.
