Chapter Seven
James set April down on the edge of the bed as carefully as one would handle porcelain, and backed away a step. He trailed a hand through April’s hair, letting the soft, wavy locks slip through his fingers. He worked out the knots he found as gently as he could when his fingers caught, and April closed her eyes. She preened under the attention, allowing James to lavish her with his tenderness.
“Wait here,” James said.
He leaned down and gave April another quick kiss before he left her side and retreated into the bathroom. April, dismayed, watched James leave. He shut the door to the bathroom behind himself, but it didn’t do much to block out the sound of rushing water.
April pulled James’s fluffy bathrobe tighter around herself, wondering exactly what it was that he had planned.
The scent of roses hit April’s nose next, permeating from the crack under the bathroom door. The smell was heavenly, even better than the scent of James’s cooking from earlier. April’s eyes drifted shut in response to the relaxing smell that eased each of her muscles and made her feel almost boneless. Other scents began to mix in with the rose, but none were quite as strong as the soft caress of the flowers.
April wasn’t sure how long she waited until James reappeared from the bathroom. The scents around April were washed anew as James opened the bathroom door, steam pouring out from behind him and clinging to his body and hair. James silently walked to April, and offered her his hand.
“Whatever you’ve done smells fantastic,” April told him dreamily. There was no hesitation on her part to take James’s hand and allow herself to be all but dragged into the bathroom.
“The scented oils originally belonged to my cousin,” James said. He allowed April to enter the bathroom first and let her look around.
Steam permeated the air, and carried the scent of various flowers through the bathroom. On the sink counter sat various bottles of soaps and oils, some uncapped and wafting more smells. April was almost overwhelmed by it, but the mixture drifting around her was so calming and soothing. She glanced around the bathroom, spotting various towels draped on metal towel racks. To one side of the bathroom sat the tub, and it was full to the brim with steaming water. April’s heart leapt in her throat. Had James prepared this just for the two of them? It made her feel like the pampered doll, but she wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“I wanted to do something nice for you,” he told her, as he pushed the robe off one shoulder and leaned in to kiss her bare skin. “You went on that hike with me yesterday, and probably not used to it, your muscles might be tightened up. These bath oils are good for body aches.”
April blushed as the robe fell away. It wasn’t much longer before James pushed away the other side of the robe. The thick, plush material hung from her arms as she squeezed them to her sides in an attempt to keep herself covered. She noticed that her clothes were still in the hamper, and she felt a thrill go through her body thinking of exactly what James had done to her in the bathroom less than twenty-four hours ago.
James tugged against the robe, silently encouraging April to relax. Her body wasn’t anything that James hadn’t seen before. More than anything, he wanted to see more of her.
April took a deep, steadying breath in before she relaxed her arms and let the robe drop away from the upper half of her body. It clung to her waist and hips, supported by nothing other than the sash tied around her middle. April turned around a moment later, facing James once again.
The air of desperation that had crowded the bathroom the night before had vanished entirely. April could sense his desire and see it written plainly in his expression. His eyes were on April’s body, unable to look away from the curves of her breasts and waist. April bit down on her lower lip as James stared. She couldn’t have guessed at what James was thinking even if she tried. The man was a mystery. April hoped that one day she would learn to read him the way he seemed to be able to read her.
James stared in rapt fascination. If it hadn’t been James looking at her, it might have felt uncomfortable and unnerving. April felt anything but. Knowing James adored her from deep within his body made her more confident.
April stepped forward, and grabbed James’s hand. That seemed to shock him out of his reverie. His eyes flickered up to meet April’s. It didn’t go unnoticed the way his eyes had remained brown the entire time he drank in the sight of April half-naked. April let out a small sigh. At least it wasn’t only the wolf that wanted her.
Emboldened by James’s affection, April reached out with her other hand, and placed it over James’s heart. She could feel each beat, strong and fast against the back of his ribcage. His chest was nearly to the point of heaving under her touch. She pressed down with her fingers, and James’s skin was pliable, but firm under her ministrations.
James gulped hard, and his Adam’s apple bobbed with the motion. April found herself unable to look away from the way the muscles in his jaw flexed.
“Thank you for drawing the bath, James,” April said.
Something lingered in the air between them, left unsaid. April could tell by the way his eyes flickered, pondering what he should say. April’s hands meandered down to his hips, massaging gently circles into his supple skin. She was almost jealous of his tan and how he managed to keep it even and perfect all over his body.
“And I was hoping that I could join you,” James continued. His voice had dropped at least an octave when he said it, and his eyes were flashing between gold and brown in an enticing way as he fought for control over his wolf.
“How could I say no?” April asked with a warm smile.
James broke into a small grin at April’s words and it made her heart melt to see his smile reach his eyes. April turned from James, and lowered her hands to the sash around her waist. She hesitated for half a second before untying the loose knot in the fabric. April held onto the edges of the robe for a moment longer before she dropped it and let it pool around her feet.
If she wasn’t wrong, she could hear James gulp that time. Excitement burned through April’s body as she approached the bathtub and slipped one leg into the water. It was hot, but not enough to burn. All in all, it was the perfect temperature. April drew her other leg into the bath, and then sank down with a pleased sigh into the warm embrace of the bath.
James was right. Her thighs were sore from their hike the day before. They quivered in the hot water as she leaned back against the edge of the tub, clinging to the sides with her fingers to keep herself from dipping under.
April looked back over at James, who looked absolutely shocked. His eyes were wide with a hunger that April wanted to entice and tease until James lost all control once more. It made her feel as light as a feather to know she had that control over James.
“Well?” she asked. “I thought you were going to join me, cowboy.”
James blinked twice and snapped out of his slack-jawed staring. He dropped his hands to his hips, fingers toying with the waistline of his boxers. A blush crept up the back of April’s neck, but she could easily blame it on the steam if James asked about it.
April’s mouth felt as though it was made of cotton as James dropped his boxers. April wanted to feel embarrassed for taking in James’s body so hungrily, but she knew James felt the same way about her and it soothed her nerves.
April’s breath stuttered. His hips were prominent, but filled out in a healthy way. His thighs were strong, and she could see the line of shadow separating the muscles that made up his legs. He had sculpted caves dusted with light brown hair. James approached the bathtub, and April scooted forward for him.
James lowered himself into the tub, and put a leg on either side of April, effectively boxing her in against his body. April stayed leaning forward until James was comfortable. A strong arm snaked around her waist, and she allowed herself to be drawn back against his body. She had felt it all before, but this moment was so much different.
James peppered kisses along the back of April’s neck, and the attention was more than she could have ever asked for.
It had to have been the most erotic moment of April’s life.
“Is the water a good temperature?” James asked, his voice low and quiet.
April found herself with a lack of words. She floundered for a moment before she nodded. April pulled her hair to one side of her neck, giving James more room to kiss the nape of her neck.
“Are you nervous?” James pressed.
April shook her head.
James chuckled. The sound rang through April’s body like a bell. She leaned back against James fully, loving the feel of his chest against her shoulders. His body dwarfed hers, and it made her feel safe and cared for in his grasp.
James’s arms shifted splashing some water against the edge of the tub. April shifted to adjust for James’s change as he leaned them both forward. He caressed her legs slowly, and gently, with his fingers, dancing along her skin like a master pianist at work. He knew exactly where to touch to make her skin come alive, like she had been set on fire, but the feeling was amazing. April never wanted him to stop.
“I bet you give the best massages,” April mused. She let out a little laugh when she realized she had said it out loud. She made to apologize, but James was laughing as well.
“I’ve never had anybody to practice on,” James said.
“I could be your first client,” April offered.
James nuzzled the side of April’s neck, and his breath ghosted along her shoulders, sending glorious shivers over her skin, even in the warm water. April adjusted once more as James sat back. His hand pressed against the middle of her back when she leaned too far, keeping her sitting upright. April glanced over her shoulder at James, one eyebrow raised in question.
“I’ll take you up on that offer,” James said.
April grinned at James, and he grinned easily back at her.
His hands started at the base of April’s back, kneading her flesh in delicate circles that grew increasingly wide and harder with each swipe of his thumbs. He never went too far, and if April winced, he backed off almost immediately.
James was thorough in his touches, and made sure not to leave a single inch of her back untouched. James had just gotten to April’s shoulders, nearly turning her into putty under his dexterous fingers, when they both paused at a distinct humming sound.
James reacted first, his hands stopping mid-circle under April’s shoulder blades. It took April a while longer to realize what the noise was. Her thoughts were fried; she couldn’t think of anything other than James’s fingers and his warm palms.
“My phone?” April questioned.
“That’s what it sounds like,” James agreed.
April sighed as she glanced over at the hamper with her clothes. Sure enough, in the back pocket of her shorts, she could see the dim glow of her phone shining through the thin denim. Her body pleaded her to stay in the bath with James, but she knew that she should get up and answer. It would only take a few moments, and it could be something important.
“Do you mind?” April asked.
James shook his head. “Just be careful on the tile,” he said, as she stood. “I don’t want you to slip.”
“I’ll be careful,” April replied.
She slipped from the tub slowly. James’s massage had been focused on her back, but every bone in her body felt strangely noodle-like. April stopped for a moment to pick the bathrobe up from the floor, and drape it around her shoulders. She walked over to the hamper next, where her phone had stopped buzzing. A moment later and it was back at it, loud and insistent against the material of the hamper.
April fished for her phone, and unlocked it with a press of her finger.
The moment April’s eyes landed on the horrifying amount of missed calls, from both Jesse and Lisa, they snapped open. All the lethargy that had been weighing her down was gone in an instant. The call from Jesse ended before April could answer. Lisa’s contact popped up on the screen a moment later, and April hit answer.
“April!” Lisa shouted.
April drew her phone away from her ear and winced.
“Lisa, I am so sorry I missed your calls,” April said. She ran a hand through her damp hair. “How long have you been calling? I’ve got so many missed calls and voicemails from you two.”
“All morning, April,” Lisa replied curtly. April could see her standing with her coffee pot in one hand, phone in the other as she jutted her hip out to one side. “What are you thinking, skipping a shift without telling anyone?”
The words dawned on April slowly. Her jaw dropped when she realized, and she gasped in an entirely unattractive way. James though, seemed to think it was funny, if his snickering was anything to go by.
“Oh my God,” April practically shouted.
“Oh my God is right, April!” Lisa snapped. “We been worried sick over here! We couldn’t get a hold of you all morning, and we even called up your neighbor, but they couldn’t get you, either. Do you know how worrying that is?”
“I’m so sorry, Lisa,” April replied solemnly. “I can be there in a little bit, I swear. I’ll have to make a quick trip back to my house and get changed, but I can be at Jesse’s in less than an hour.”
There was a pensive, troubling silence on the other end of the line. April wondered if she was in trouble with the two of them, aside from just worrying them. April rubbed her forehead as she waited for Lisa’s reply. She couldn’t afford to lose her job. What would she do if she couldn’t pay for her house, or gas for her car, or food?
“We’ll see you in an hour, or so,” Lisa replied after a long silence. “You better show up, otherwise Jesse will get to complainin’ again. I’ll call Esther and let her know you’ll take her shift, yeah?”
“Yes, please,” April said. “And thank you, Lisa. Really, I am so sorry that I missed my shift. Was it a busy morning?”
“You bet your backside it was busy,” Lisa replied, but with a lighter, almost laughing tone. “But, really, it’s okay, April. We know that you wouldn’t do this to us on purpose. Just make sure that you get here, okay?”
“I will, Lisa,” April promised again. “Thank you so, so much, Lisa. Bye, now.”
“Seeya soon,” Lisa replied, before she ended the call.
April groaned as she pushed her hair out of her face. “I can’t believe I forgot about my shift. I didn’t even think about it. I’ve never done that before.”
James had moved to rest his arms on the side of the tub, and perched his chin on top of his left forearm. He was smirking like the cat that caught the canary.
“I’m glad to hear that I’m such a distraction for you,” he cooed.
April wanted to be upset with his words, but she found she couldn’t. James wasn’t being serious, and she knew it.
“I gotta head out, James. I don’t have any clean clothes here, and I have to get to Jesse’s in an hour,” she explained. April stood, holding the robe around herself. James probably knew the situation, there was no way he hadn’t heard every word from how loud Lisa was. “Thank you for breakfast. I really appreciate it.” April paused, meeting James’s eyes. “And for everything else, too. Showing me the orchard, and that place above the trees. And for showing me you.”
James smiled like melted butter. “It was no trouble April. If you want,” he offered, tilting his head to one side, “you could borrow some of my mother’s clothes. I’m sure something of hers would fit you. Jeans and a black shirt is your uniform, right? Once you get changed I can take you to Jesse’s. It’s no trouble and it’ll be quicker.”
“Are you sure?” April asked. She furrowed her eyebrows pensively. “I don’t want to intrude and borrow your mother’s things.”
James waved his hand dismissively at April. “She always helped people that were in need. I want to do the same thing for you.”
April sighed softly. “You’re so kind, James.”