Ella felt nervous as she sat in the bedroom later that night, just after getting home. They’d left before the rest of their family because she’d been tired, though not wanting to admit it.

And also because she was a little worried about Dante starting something with Cliff, despite his promises not to.

She’d often caught him scanning the room, and while he didn’t admit it, she knew what he was doing.

And she was kind of flattered because she’d never been able to depend on anyone like that before. Never trusted them like that.

Maybe she was ready to trust him in other ways, too.

Or maybe not. She didn’t know.

She wanted to try, though. All night, she’d felt sexier and more beautiful than she ever had in her life. That was thanks to him.

She’d given up on trying to be beautiful. She’d satisfied herself with feeling competent. Smart. Good at her job. A good person.

But there was something about seeing a handsome man’s eyes just melt when he looked at her that just made everything inside her light up.

Like old circuits she hadn’t even known were there were suddenly working.

And she liked it a lot.

He’d told her to wait in the bedroom and take her shoes off, but nothing else. He’d said he had a surprise for her and disappeared into the bathroom.

When she heard the water running, she guessed what. A smile crooked her lips, and she waited, listening to him move around.

“Okay, I’m ready,” he said, opening the door so that steam wafted out.

It smelled amazing. She stood and walked toward the door, seeing a bath drawn with scented bubbles and little flower petals poured in. “Where did you get this?” she asked, dipping her fingertips in the water.

He shrugged. “Might have stopped somewhere on the way to help with the rehearsal dinner. I wondered if something like this existed, and the shop owner was able to help me.”

How could he not know bubble bath existed? He was so funny sometimes. But as she put her hand up to cup his face, feel his hard jaw, watch his gold eyes soften tenderly at her, she knew she wouldn’t want him any other way.

“Do you want me to take my dress off?”

He shook his head. “No, because I’ve been wanting to all night, and I’m going to go crazy if you don’t let me.”

She giggled as he reached around behind her and slowly began lowering the zipper. His fingers caressed her bare skin, skipping over her bra strap and continuing down until the dress was fully unzipped, falling around her shoulders.

She gasped as he stepped back from her, taking a long, heated look before lifting the straps in his hands and sliding them off her shoulders.

The strapless bra she was wearing could barely contain her boobs, and she smiled as he bit his lip in agony just looking at her cleavage all pushed up like that.

He continued pushing the dress down until it got sort of stuck on her hips.

“It’s tight there,” she said, amused by his intent expression. “If I wiggle, it might help.”

He swallowed visibly as she moved her hips slightly back and forth, taunting him, as his hands slowly moved the dress over the curve of her butt and let it drop to the floor, revealing black panties she’d worn to match.

He stepped back once more to take it in, then bit the top of his fist again. “My hell, you’re beautiful. Or should I say heaven. I—”

She stepped forward, putting a finger to his lips. “Shh.” She reached for her bra, unhooking it and letting it fall, revealing her breasts to him.

It was so different from the only other man who’d seen her breasts. In this moment, she felt safe and beautiful, so she let her hope wash all of that away.

She was about to take off her panties when she realized she still needed to strip him. She stepped forward, running her hands over his powerful shoulders, his beautiful suit. Then she helped him shrug out of his jacket. She was eager now, and her hands fumbled with his shirt buttons, hurrying to get him free.

She helped pull his shirt off and then struggled with the button of his pants. He smiled, gently moving her hands away, then undid the button and the zipper and stepped out, revealing tight boxer briefs and an absolutely enormous bulge.

For a second, fear tripped over her, but she took a deep breath, looked into his warm, golden eyes, reminded herself she was here with Dante, who would only be gentle with her, and slowly calmed.

He watched her, making sure she was okay, and when she smiled up at him mischievously, he knelt and grabbed the edge of her panties lightly with his teeth, slowly dragging them down to her knees, where he brought up his hand to take them the rest of the way so she could step out of them.

So hot.

“I’ll get in first,” he said, reaching for his underwear. “You ready?”

She nodded eagerly. The thought of a dick had scared her before, but right now, she wanted to see it. More than she’d ever wanted anything.

He nodded and pulled off the underwear, revealing something more beautiful than she’d ever expected. Silky skin, defined head, almost sculptural. She almost reached out to touch it, but then pulled back.

She needed time to warm up first, and a bath was perfect for it.

He stepped into the tub first, then put out a hand to help her. She stepped in cautiously, not wanting to slip. She was glad her parents had decided to put in a large Jacuzzi with plenty of room.

When both her legs were in the water, Dante sat first, gently resting against the back of the tub. Then he reached up, cupping her hips and butt and gently pulling her down in the water to join him.

Around her, the water was just the right temperature, almost unbearably hot but perfect once you got used to it. Kind of like Dante, whose golden eyes were watching her intently, as he had the other night when they’d first done things.

But as hot as the water was, his hands were like liquid fire as they began to move over her, thoughtfully caressing every inch. The thick foam of the bubbles and the powerful aroma of lavender flowers permeated the air around her, adding to the ambience as his slick hands explored.

It was as if he were memorizing the feel of her. A tiny shock of pleasure went through her as his hands found her breasts, squeezing them and making the water ripple around her, but not lingering as he moved to her hips, gently playing with her stomach and pressing a single finger into her belly button.

After that, his hand made a trail to her back, making her spine tingle and arch as he ran the entire length down to her hips. She saw him grin a little as he squeezed, making her blush, but too overwhelmed by the raw, sensual heat of the moment to be able to care.

Ella scooted closer, wanting to touch him while his hands moved down to her thighs, teasing the insides and making her ache for more deep within.

His own body, surrounded by water, was just as tight as she remembered, his taut muscles slick and sensual and glistening.

As his hand moved to her center, playing between her folds and around her clit, she felt hard muscle encased in velvet skin as she grabbed his arms, the sensation of it all almost overwhelming her.

Dante’s other hand came around her back, pulling her closer and into his lap. She had a second’s hesitation, but when he stopped all pressure, she relaxed, moving onto him of her own volition. Realizing how amazing this felt when it was her choice.

He gave her a reassuring smile. “You all right?”

“Better than all right,” she said. “Don’t stop. More.” She was hungry for him. For everything she’d been missing out on while hiding from romance and focusing on her job.

He flicked his finger against her clit, pulling a moan from her mouth.

“So beautiful,” Dante murmured, moving around softly.

Ella closed her eyes, awash in a sea of pleasure and sensory stimulation so powerful she could focus on nothing else. Then she felt Dante’s lips on her breast, just above the water, the touch a sensual contrast to the feverish excitement he built within her between her legs.

But Dante wasn’t rushing, which made it all the more sensual.

With intentional, agonizing deliberateness, he stroked his finger over her clit again and again. She could feel every ridge, every accentuation of his digit, his fingerprint as it passed over her center. And as he did, he slowly licked and kissed at her breasts, making a circle around one nipple with his perfectly timed tongue, then moving to the other before she could get too heated.

It was as if he were trying to make her come harder than she ever had before. The delay was erotic and frustrating, so hot it blew her mind yet so careful she wanted to go faster so the incredible fire burning within her could abate, if even for a second.

“Can I feel inside you?” he asked.

She thought about it. She’d never had anyone do that. But looking into his gorgeous golden eyes, she felt safe. “Yes.”

She pressed her hips toward him and felt his finger gently slip inside. Somehow, that added a whole new level of want to the situation.

Ella arched slightly, leaning against his hand on her back as she explored the intense sensation. It grew more powerful as he hooked his finger slightly, rubbing a specific spot that made lightning go up her spine. The hot water, the light feel of bubbles popping around her, his other hand holding her steady amidst it was all just so perfect it defied description.

She felt Dante’s hair, wet from the tub, tickling her skin as he placed several deep, delicious kisses at the base of her neck. Instinctively, she brought a hand to the back of his head, running a hand between his thick, blond locks even as he continued to stroke inside her with one, then two fingers.

When she felt something jolt through her as tension inside her began to reach an unbearable level, her hand gripped his hair, holding on for dear life.

“That’s it. Hold on to me. Look at me. Only me, Ella,” Dante said possessively, his warm breath coursing over the heated, wet skin of her neck and shoulders.

“Only for you, Dante. Only ever for you,” she replied, too caught up in the passion to care how intense that sounded. Right now, it matched how she felt.

She’d never before experienced pleasure like this, and she was quite sure that nobody else would ever be able to make her feel the way he did.

Ella didn’t know if it was the water or just her body’s response to such pleasure, but she felt she was getting warmer by the second. As if the tub water was getting even warmer from their lovemaking.

His fingers went faster inside her, taking less time between strokes, and her entire body felt alight with fire, every nerve poised on the brink of complete release.

She felt Dante’s lips on her breast again, suckling hard, just as his fingers thrust into her and touched that one spot that made her crazy with pleasure, and she tipped over.

This time she arched, hard, and she was grateful for Dante’s firm hold on her as she cried out his name over and over. She threw both hands around his neck to hold on tight. White light and lavender flooded her consciousness as powerful waves of sensation crashed inside her again and again.

In the back of her head, she was vaguely grateful for the fact that the guest bedroom was on the far side of the house and they’d come home long before anyone else should, so nobody should be able to hear her. Because she just couldn’t stop the sounds from coming out of her mouth.

Dante didn’t help, though, still stroking inside her even while she orgasmed, pushing her further than she could have ever thought possible in a single release. Or was it two back to back? Either way, her whole body felt as if it could tear apart as her muscles clenched from the unrelenting pleasure he was giving her.

When she finally calmed, she was aware of Dante’s gaze on her, watching her, apparently very satisfied, but not at all smug. Which was surprising. Instead, he just looked sublimely happy.

Like how she felt inside.

But as he pulled her up to hold her, her body meeting with his rock-hard abs and her legs feeling his taut thighs, she was aware of his thick erection beneath her, so hard it was as curious as it was arousing.

Suddenly, she felt the sudden urge to do some exploring of her own.

She wrapped a hand around it, feeling the thick ridge of the tip and then down the shaft, which was silky and hard at the same time.

She squeezed lightly, and Dante jerked a bit in shock. Ella couldn’t resist the feeling of control, knowing he wasn’t the only one that could get a reaction out of their partner.

“No need. I don’t expect anything from you,” he said. “We can just cuddle here in the water if you’d like.”

His handsome face was flushed as he tried to redirect her focus.

But as her other hand came down and she stroked along his length, his expression tightened in arousal, and Ella felt a thrill of anticipation go off inside her.

For all of Dante’s perfect ability to pleasure her, he seemed a little uncomfortable being on the receiving end of things.

And that was both fascinating and arousing.

She began to stroke faster, her hands inexperienced but her mind focused on making him come so she could see the way his muscles tensed, the way his body looked as he went.

At first, Dante tried to lean back against the edge of the tub, as if trying to escape the sensation. And for a split second, his deep golden eyes seemed to change color, going brighter like gold dust glittering with the reflection of the noonday sun.

“Well, if you’re going to play it that way,” Dante said almost indiscernibly. A second later, he pushed himself toward her, bringing them both into the center of the water as his hands found her breasts and squeezed feverishly.

Instantly, a tingle of sensation crawled up her shoulders. But as good as it felt, she was even more intrigued by the sense of control. Knowing such a tall, powerful man could be overtaken by something so simple as her two hands.

He groaned as she moved faster on him, and without expecting it, she felt his fingers inside her again, this time stroking intensely.

Was he trying to make her come before he went?

Of course Dante would be like that. But in spite of everything inside her going haywire from the insane pleasure building at breakneck pace in her body, she focused herself on keeping the upper hand.

But that was hard to do when you had the sexiest man alive squeezing a breast, kissing your neck, and stroking inside you all at the same time.

But seeing the slight flinch of Dante’s body, the way his shoulders tensed as her hands went down him and then back up again, the rush of his breath against her as he tried to hold back himself, was almost as erotic as the things he did to her.

Then Dante’s free hand left her breast and he flicked a finger against her clit at the same time his finger hooked inside her, and she felt her body brace for incredible release. Flustered, she rapidly thrust her hands down his length and squeezed, and a split second later, she felt his cock twitch in her hands even as her own body collided with the built-up arousal and exploded into an incredible release.

Dante wrapped both arms around her, holding her tight as she orgasmed in tandem with the huge man that pleasured her as if his life depended on it. And as she moaned out his name between pulses of sensation, she could hear him, face buried in her shoulder, saying her name.

For many long moments, they went together. And even as she relaxed and could feel him relax beside her, he still held her close. By now, the water in the tub was only a few degrees over lukewarm, but she still felt like a bed of hot coals inside.

“That was…” Dante said, lacking for words for the first time since she’d known him.

“Amazing? Wonderful? Incredible? Take your pick,” Ella replied, satisfied she was able to obtain her goal and, in the process, see the sexiest thing she’d ever seen in her entire life.

“Beyond anything I ever imagined,” he said. “Though you didn’t need to do anything for me.”

“I did,” she said, stroking wet hair out of his face. “Because I wanted to.”

“Thank you,” he said. His stare on her was intense. What on earth was he thinking?

“I know we haven’t gone all the way yet,” she said, running her finger down his chest. “And I appreciate you being patient with me.”

“Of course,” he said. “I love you.”

They both froze. She bit her lip. Had he really just meant to say that?

He blinked, gold lashes tipped with tiny droplets of water. “Wait. I meant I love being patient with you.”

She cocked her head. “Really?”

He looked around for an escape or maybe a towel and then reluctantly lifted himself out of the tub. He grabbed a towel and rubbed it over himself quickly to dry off, then wrapped it around his waist and grabbed another for Ella.

“Come here,” he said. “Let’s get you dried off.”

What had just happened between them?