CAELLUM’S POV
I knew I was being a bastard.
But I hated being told no, especially by my own mate.
I walked into the bath, and closed the door halfway, listening to Naledi sweep the room and clean it all over again.
Feeling her so close yet so far made me feel like doing all the wrong things to her. Anything to make her stay longer.
I sensed her finish her task and another idea came to mind.
“Naledi,” I called from the bathroom door and she froze in her steps.
“I’ll need a hand in the bathroom.” My tone was strict. Like I wasn’t asking the impossible.
If I was being honest with myself, I wouldn’t force her to join me if she refused. I was a dick, but not that much of a dick.
I hoped she knew that, and if she didn’t, I could live with that.
“What?”
“Join me in the bathroom.” I left her hanging and walked into the bathroom, leaving the door open.
A silent invitation.
With my back facing the door, I took off my robe and stood in my birthday suit for what seemed like a thousand years. I wondered if I was taking it a tad too far with my mission to make her regret rejecting my offer.
Just when I decided she wasn’t coming and went ahead to fill my bath, she stepped into the bathroom, and the space got twice as small with her entrance.
“What do I have to do?” Her tone was gritty, and straight to the point.
I turned in my naked glory. “Make the bath,” I ordered, looking her in the eye, wondering if she was ever going to look down.
She never did. And that hurt my ego more than I’d expected. I wanted her to look at me. I wanted her to desire me. To lust after me. Just like I did her. Then we’d be even.
Why didn’t she look at me?
Naledi proceeded to make the bath, mixing the scent and liquid bath like a pro. She did it like it was nature to her, and I resisted the urge to ask how many men she had done such favour in the past.
Jealousy at what she might have done bit me and I hated the fact I couldn’t ascertain how many people she’s slept with before meeting me. How many people have laid a hand and enjoyed what was mine before I came into the picture?
“Is it not to your liking? Do I re-do it or do you not take baths anymore?” Naledi snapped and I realised I was giving the bathtub a death stare.
I had been so lost thinking about the men she might have performed such an act for that I didn’t realise she was done and I was frowning. I bet she took it that I didn’t like her delivery of the job.
And maybe she wasn’t far from the truth. Maybe I didn’t like the way she did it without twitching an eyebrow at my naked self. I didn’t like that she was too good and comfortable with carrying out the duty.
And I hated feeling that way because it only made me want to test and see where she drew the line.
“Contrary.” I walked closer to her, standing a few inches from her. The air sizzled with tension as our eyes connected. She shot daggers at me, but I could tell she was affected by me. Her deep slow breath pattern was proof. “I was wondering how you got so good at it.” I purred, and let my hand sink into the warm bath. “Making baths this good.”
Naledi took in a deep breath, and the sound made my member come alive. In my semi-erected state, I wondered what it would take to get her lips around me. To test her gag reflex while she knelt before me as the perfect submissive – eager to please.
“Are we done here?” Her voice shook with anger.
I’d heard there was a thin line between love and hate. But I reinvented my version of that line. There was a thin line between anger and lust. And if I’d learned anything from my years of having my way with women, I was sure Naledi was close to tripping over that line.
If only I could push a bit more.
“We are only getting started, my love.” Her face turned sore and I knew a smirk stretched my lips. “Making the bath is one part of the job.” I stepped into the bath with my eyes on her, and slowly flexed my body till I was submerged in water and sat in a large bath.
For the first time ever, I noticed the bath was ridiculously big for one person. I had space for one more. And I might score if I played my cards right.
“Bath me.” The words fell out of my lips and I closed my eyes, enjoying the warm scented water and the presence of my mate beside me. Angry or not.
When she didn’t move an inch, I opened my eyes.
“Is that a problem?” I asked but she didn’t answer. Instead, she forced herself forward and dipped her hand inside my bath.
Like magic, I felt electric currents drop into the water with the descent of her hand. My dick got the wrong signal and twitched painfully inside the water, hoping, praying and expecting a touch from our mate.
My breath became shallow as her hand took up water and dripped it down my arm. The water droplets drove down my body, somehow managing to send a signal to my raging boner.
She continued messing with my head, dropping water but never letting her hand touch my body. It was sweet torture. And I could tell she enjoyed dangling a good time in my face.
After what felt like the hundredth time, I held her hand and placed it on my chest. As soon as her hand touched the skin of my chest, sparks flew like never before, sending waves and waves of pleasure.
My breathing was harsh and the silence was deafening. So much so that I heard her squirm. Her arousal flooded the air, and my wolf went rogue, wanting to pleasure our mate in the darkest ways.
She made to remove her hand but I held it in place, letting more of those sparks charge us with desire. As the seconds trickled by, I felt my brain go off. I needed more. More of her, more of what’s mine. And hell be damned if I didn’t get it.
I let go of her hands like a rabid wolf and said one word that changed everything.
“Strip.”