Her Wicked Proposal novel Chapter 55

The corners of his eyes wrinkled into fine lines as he smiled. "We are kindred spirits. You make me whole again. When I am with you, Anne, the darkness in my eyes ceases to penetrate my soul."

Anne's own eyes suddenly burned with tears. What a tragedy for him, to know the life he loved had been changed forever. There were so many things he could no longer do. The thought that she could help him was a powerful one, a wonderful one.

Cedric led her into his room. It was dark, the curtains pulled over the window, making Anne feel that it was evening rather than midday.

Evening. Such an intimate hour of the day. She couldn't help but imagine that he might finally take her to bed, despite his insistence he would not until she was better. He pulled a cord and a maid appeared immediately. Her eyes widened as she took in the soaked clothes of her master and mistress.

"Molly, would you be so kind as to fetch Anne's nightgown and have a footman prepare a bath here in my chamber?"

Anne blushed as Cedric tugged her toward his dressing room. A large metal tub awaited her behind a screen, big enough for two people.

"Wait here." Cedric went around the other side of the screen to change his clothes.

Through the dim light Anne could only hear the rustle of fabric, the whisper of it on skin. Her body began to ache. One peek, she promised herself, and leaned around the edge of the screen. Cedric had stripped every bit of clothing off, with his back to her as he shuffled through a collection of clean shirts, his hands rubbing the cloth between his thumb and forefinger as though measuring the quality of the textures.

Anne, however, could not keep her eyes off his hips and buttocks. The sculpted flesh looked hard and trim. She had the sudden urge to dig her fingers into it, to urge him to take her body now, and to hell with waiting. Anne made an involuntary sound as he spun around, revealing his front. That male part of him was there before her eyes and she swallowed hard. He was incredibly large. Too large.

Her thighs clenched together. That would never fit.

"Everything all right, darling?" he called out, unaware she could see him.

Anne ducked behind the screen and responded. "Yes, I was just cold." A blatant lie. Her body was hot enough to warm the entire lake.

More soft rustling, the sound of bare feet and then Cedric came around the screen in a loose shirt and snug trousers. His feet, Anne noticed with fascination, were large and beautiful. She'd never thought feet could be lovely, but his were. The feet of an athletic man. He padded over to her and kissed her forehead.

Anne was overcome. This beautiful, seductive man was all hers. How did she come to deserve him?

"A hot bath and warm meal will do you good. How is your shoulder? I want the doctor to come and put a new sling on as soon as you are done here."

"It aches a little, but otherwise it's fine. The doctor set the shoulder well."

"Thank heavens for that." Cedric sighed against her cheek before kissing her lightly.

A few minutes later Anne was stripping off her clothes and easing into the steaming bath. Cedric remained close by, and although he could not see her, Anne felt exposed and vulnerable nonetheless.

"Feeling better?" Cedric asked as he knelt by the tub, his hands coasting along the outer rim, moving slowly toward her upper body as though he was trying to find her.

"Immensely." Anne rubbed her sore neck. It ached occasionally, probably from her accident. The second she shut her eyes, Cedric's hands descended on her shoulders from behind. She was about to protest, but he shushed her and began a relaxing massage. The intimacy of the moment felt blindingly familiar. A splash of memory, white lace and the smell of roses and orange flowers, and Cedric's healing hands.

"You are so wonderful at that," she said drowsily. He rubbed a knot out of her shoulder and answered with a throaty laugh before kissing her neck.