Dream Lover

EIGHTEEN

She was already naked in the tub, her panties washed and wet in the in the sink when she remembered the shirt she needed.

She stared at the closed door trying work out a casual looking way to get the shirt on without him seeing her naked. When she realized she was sucking on her bottom lip, trying savor the flavor he'd left there she came back to herself turned away from the door.

She was hooked.

Byron dried himself off and got into bed feeling a little smug and as he drifted toward sleep with thoughts of seduction on his mind. He doubted Elle realized she'd admitted to trying to seduce him. He smiled just thinking about it. He hadn’t thought anything about the way he emerged from the bathroom until he watched the flush cross her face. He’d been wondering if he should pretend some sort of modesty or just continue to the dresser where he kept the towels when she started towards him with one. She caught him by surprise. It had probably been a key part of her plan but by the glazed look in those big doe eyes of hers, he'd guess she'd been just as surprised as he was.

Byron had to admit there was something unique about the way she made him feel.

There was something different about her. Maybe it was the mystery. He couldn’t help but believe her when she talked about where she was from, she was sincere when she spoke of it and it just didn’t seem possible for someone to be as baffled by magic as she was. He’d explained that it was standard water magic that ran his bathroom and fire magic that started the fireplace that it only took a witch’s apprentice and something to trade to get them but she’d only insisted that the water had to go somewhere and that something had to be responsible for starting the fire. She was intriguing in a way unlike any other woman he’d ever met. Still, it wasn’t just curiosity, he'd been curious about women before.

There was an attraction. She was pretty enough with all that hair and its peculiar brownish-red color, those big eyes she liked to scowl at him with, and her body was all curve. She had a solid frame, but her silhouette was dramatic, the round curve of her breasts made her waist look nearly nonexistent; an illusion only amplified by the outward curve that led to her hips and an ample bottom.

Still, Byron had had his share of beauties even a few mysterious beauties, there was something about Elle; something only she had that made his blood run hot. He didn't plan on letting her out of his sight until he found out what it was, and how hot they could get together.

Sometime later, he woke up again, alone, which didn't seem wrong until he saw his pristine floors and remembered Elle. The light was still on in the bathroom and the door still closed she mentioned a long bath but she'd gone in around sunset and it was full dark.

He’d watched her closely for the signs he’d seen in others. In the boys who’d joined the knighthood for the challenge and the celebrity without considering the possible responsibilities. Boy’s who’d survived the battle with no visible injuries, boys whose minds never returned from the battlefield. He hadn’t noticed any of them in her since they’d left the river.

Only mildly concerned, he got out of bed, covered the short distance to the door, and knocked softly. He waited a beat, then two, before he knocked again louder this time. When she didn't respond the second time he pushed the door open.

She was still in the tub. He had the tub made for him it was long, wide, and deep for the rare occasion he needed to spend any amount of time in it. Mostly that time was spent entertaining women daring or seduced enough to make the climb.

She'd stretched out and was resting as she had earlier in the river, with only her eyes, nose, and mouth floating above the surface. The sponge had absorbed enough water to sink to the bottom while the bar of soap swayed gently in the waves her breasts made as the slow steady rise and fall of her breathing sent hardened n*****s gently up to break the surface of the water and down again.

She'd fallen asleep with her head barely above water.

After that kiss, Byron had nearly forgotten that she'd fought for her life today. Of course, she was exhausted. He approached cautiously remembering how she'd reacted earlier the first time she'd fallen asleep. 

Elle had worked the late shift with her little brother Henry, it wouldn’t have been terrible if they’d had their usual neighborhood drinkers but there’d been some kind of special UFC fight on TV and the bar was packed. After ten the restaurant portion of the Fontaine’s Bar and Grill was closed off and all the dinners sat at the bar or the tables positioned around the four big screens they had. The crowd began to dwindle when the kitchen closed at twelve and the last stragglers, a couple who’d met at the bar earlier and looked like they might be going home together finally closed their tab and cleared out. She was too tired to stash her tips in her new shoe’s saving jar when she got home. She left the wad of it in her apron stripped down for bed and was trying to last just long enough to see the next day’s forecast on the weather channel. The contemporary jazz got the best of her before eight minute loop told her what she wanted to know. She was sleeping, the chipper saxophone medley still playing when she felt herself begin to float.

"Elle?"

"Hmm" she kept her eyes closed but she responded 

"You’re sleeping in the bath tub."

"Okay" 

"Have you bathed?"

"Five more minutes." she mumbled groggily. 

"Look at me." It took her awhile but Elle peeled an eyelid back and peered out at him one-eyed. She didn't seem completely aware but she was looking at him. "Are you finished?"

"Finished what" The one eye he’d talked her into opening slid closed again.

"Washing"

"I lost the—

"Bathing" he said quickly before she could finish the thought, he didn't want her going back there.

"Washing me?"

"Have you?"

"I washed my hair; I’ll do the rest in a minute." Byron figured that was the line of thought that had her sleeping in the tub.

"I'm going to do it for you." She mumbled something that sounded like, ‘Fine.’ Byron set about the job. He reached in for the sponge and began to work. Then he pulled her up so she was resting her head on the lip of the tub. She groaned about it a little but didn't bother to wake up.

He started at her feet and worked his way up. He couldn't help but notice every scratch, every bruise as he scrubbed. She'd been lucky today. She had some bruises that would be tender some scrapes that would need time but otherwise she was fine. 

He washed all of her carefully, then pulled the plug and let the water drain. She moaned about that a little louder, she even took the time to look around. 

"Why are you naked?" she asked him as her eyes slid shut again. He hadn’t thought to dress before he checked on her. Since she’d seen all of him already and was even now drifting back to sleep he ignored her and lifted her out of the tub. She surprised him when she reached back to smooth back her hair and squeeze the water from it. She opened her eyes again looked around then up at him. "Can I get down?" He obliged and after she gained her balance, she went about drying off.

As she bent to dry her legs, Byron had a moment to think he probably should give her some privacy and knew even as the thought crossed his mind that it would take a hell of a lot more than chivalry to convince him to give up this view. When she straightened, her hair was wrapped in the towel and her body completely exposed she yawned. Eyed him sleepily, "you're still naked." He grinned at her.

"So are you,"

"Yeah," she sighed sleepily. "I like sleeping this way better but it sends the wrong message a naked woman climbing in bed with a man."

"I don't mind."

"Because you think we're going to have sex."

"Aren’t we?"

"Nope" She said so the p made a little popping sound. "And I'll tell you why." pointed at him, "if we do it, it'll be my first time and your—what—one hundred and fifth? I know, I know,” she said as if he’d tried to interrupt her, “it's not your fault, you’re gorgeous. Gorgeous men have a lot of s*x I get it. But if we do it, I'll be in love with you and you'll just have had your one hundred and sixth orgasm." she yawned again. "I'm still sleeping naked though because you already said I could and there’s not going be no touching." He was certain she thought she looked serious, but she was still mostly asleep and she looked more like a pouting child than a grown woman. With all this unabashed behavior and candor, he had to consider that she might be half drunk as well.