“Glad to hear it.” She rested her head against him once more, the trust and affection in that simple gesture warming his heart.
He wanted to stay like this forever, but his earlier movement had reawakened his aches and pains and his body cried out for the relief of a hot shower. He moved again, trying to be unobtrusive about it so as not to disturb Darcy. But she felt his motion and sat up.
“Sore?”
He nodded. The fact that he didn’t have to explain how he felt—that she just knew—served only to emphasize their connection. “I’m going to take a quick shower.”
“A bath would be better,” she replied. “You need to keep the stitches on your shoulder dry.”
He’d forgotten about that part and felt a momentary pang of disappointment that he would be denied the restorative powers of a shower. But a soak in the bath was almost as appealing, and would definitely help soothe his aches.
He pushed himself off the couch and hesitated, uncertainty tying his tongue. What was Darcy going to do? They hadn’t talked about it on the drive over. Was she going to spend the night, or had she come over only to make sure he got inside safely? He didn’t want her to go, but he also didn’t want to try to rush her into something she wasn’t ready for.
Truth be told, he was more interested in her company than in sex. Not that he would turn it down, if she offered. But being near her again was just so amazing he wasn’t ready to have her leave, even if they were going to only be apart for a few hours. So much for being an independent adult—he and Darcy had only been around each other for a few days, and he was already a needy mess.
But he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Darcy stood and shoved her hands in her pockets, apparently feeling just as awkward as he did. “Um...” She trailed off, clearly at a loss. “Do you need any help?” A blush darkened her cheeks and her eyes widened. “Wow. Talk about being forward.” She laughed. “Not trying to put you on the spot or anything. I just figured with your knee...” She gestured to the joint in question.
Ridge didn’t try to stop his laugh at her discomfort. “It’s okay,” he said. He leaned down and kissed her very softly. “I like it when you’re bold. And as for needing help... I think I can manage on my own, but I wouldn’t turn down any assistance you might care to offer.” With that, he turned and hobbled out of the room, giving Darcy space to decide. If he stayed, he’d be tempted to try to convince her to “help” him. And while the idea had merit, he wanted Darcy to come to him because she was ready, not because he’d pressured her into it. They had shared intimacies ten years ago, but given the time that had passed it was foolish to think they would just pick up where they had left off. They were going to have to find their way back to that part of their relationship as they worked to forge their new union, and while he couldn’t wait to find out what new mysteries Darcy possessed, he also wanted to savor the journey.
The tub sat at the end of the bathroom under a large window. Since he lived on the outskirts of town, Ridge had never worried about his privacy. But now that Darcy was in his life, he would need to hang curtains to preserve their modesty. It was one of a long list of adjustments, both large and small, he would have to make to accommodate her presence in his life. But the thought of so much change didn’t scare him. Rather, it filled him with anticipation as he pictured making those changes with Darcy by his side.
It took several minutes for the tub to fill. While he waited, Ridge shucked his clothes and tossed them into the corner. He’d deal with the laundry later. Right now, the hot water was just too appealing to pass up.
Steam rose off the surface of the water in lazy tendrils and soon the room felt like a sauna. He climbed into the big tub slowly, carefully, wincing only a little as he lowered his punished body into the hot relief. The cuts on his back stung when they first hit the water, but it was a cleansing, almost cathartic burn that receded into numbness. He stretched out his legs with a sigh, suddenly very grateful he had splurged on an oversize bathtub.
After a moment he leaned back, making sure to keep the stitches on his upper shoulder dry. As the heat permeated his muscles his brain emptied, leaving him feeling pleasantly detached. It was a wonderful sensation after the general craziness of the past few days. An image of little Sara floated into his mind, but he pushed it aside. He didn’t want to think about the baby right now, or about how much he was going to miss her. There would be time for that, later.
There was a soft stirring outside the bathroom door, and he froze, feeling like a rabbit caught out in the open. Was Darcy going to join him, after all? Or was she merely going to say her goodbye through the door? His heart rate kicked up a notch and his muscles tensed in anticipation, ruining the relaxing effects of the bath.
The doorknob moved slightly and then ever so slowly, it began to turn. Ridge held his breath, hardly daring to believe it. He forced himself to remain still, afraid that if he moved at all, Darcy would change her mind.
But she didn’t. The door swung open on silent hinges and she stood at the threshold, backlit from the lights in the hall. It took a second for his eyes to focus, but once they did, his mouth ran dry and he swallowed hard.
She was wearing one of his shirts. It was a red-and-black-plaid flannel number, one he’d donned a thousand times before. But it had never looked quite this good.
The neck hung off one shoulder, leaving it enticingly bare. She had most of the buttons fastened, save for a few at the top and bottom. The shirt fanned over her chest in a deep V, revealing the curves of her breasts. Ridge tracked his gaze down the lines of the fabric to where it ended midthigh, the tails flaring out and hinting at what lay underneath.
Darcy had pulled her hair out of its customary ponytail, and the auburn waves hung free about her shoulders and framed her face, highlighting the angles of her cheekbones. The casual style made her look softer somehow, warmer. His palms tingled to feel the silky-smooth strands, and he clenched his fists to keep from reaching for her then and there.
“Hi,” she said quietly. She sounded almost shy, and Ridge was grateful his waist was below the level of the tub. If Darcy could see how much he wanted her right now, she’d probably run away screaming. He needed to appear calm and confident, not like some horny teenager seeing a naked woman for the first time.
“Hi, yourself,” he replied, the words coming out scratched even to his own ears. He cleared his throat and tried again. “You changed clothes.”
She smiled, her dimples making an appearance. “I thought I would make myself comfortable. I hope you don’t mind.”
He laughed, a strangled sound full of appreciation and wonder. “Not at all. You’ve never looked better.”
Darcy glanced down, fingering the hem of the worn flannel. She lifted her hand a bit, and Ridge couldn’t look away from the edge of the cloth as it inched up her bare leg, going higher, higher, almost there...
She dropped it and his gaze flew to her face to find her grinning at him. She was taunting him!
“That wasn’t very nice of you,” he grumbled. She merely laughed, a musical sound that made his heart swell. He leaned forward to snag the soap and began working up a lather, then spread it across his chest. He glanced over to find Darcy’s eyes glued to his hands as they passed across his arms and down his torso. The warm glow of satisfaction spread through him as he realized two could play at this game.
He deliberately slowed his movements, enjoying the way her muscles relaxed and her eyes took on the unfocused look of arousal. She took a half step into the bathroom without realizing it and he felt like yelling in triumph. But he stayed quiet, enjoying the seductive spell weaving around them both.
His body heated in a way that had nothing to do with the water. Darcy’s eyes on him were better than any drug, erasing his aches and pains and making him feel like Superman. It was almost too good to be true, and that was before sh
e’d even touched him. How much better would he feel with her skin against his?
He wanted to take things slow, to savor the moment and cherish every look, every smile, every sigh. But his body cried out for the release her hands would bring, and he found himself unable to appreciate the subtleties of the moment.
Darcy appeared to be running out of patience, as well. She stepped fully into the bathroom and used her foot to nudge the door closed. Even though there was no one else in the house, the added privacy gave him a little thrill, as if they were going to do something naughty.
Ridge swallowed hard as she moved forward. His self-control was fighting a losing battle and the closer Darcy got, the harder it was to stay seated in the tub and resist the temptation to grab her and pull her in there with him.
Darcy stopped at the edge of the tub and stared down at him, running her gaze from the tips of his toes to the top of his head and everywhere in between. Ridge forced himself to remain still, letting her look her fill. It would be his turn soon.
Her dark brown eyes warmed, reminding him of pools of melted chocolate. The steam from the bath made the tendrils of hair around her face stick to her cheeks and neck, and her skin glistened. She looked like a woman who had been well pleasured, which served only to arouse him further.
At last, she met his gaze. “You’re bigger than I remember,” she said, then blushed prettily, sending the remaining blood in his body straight to his groin.
“That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” he drawled, earning a laugh from Darcy.
“You know what I mean,” she said, gesturing to her own frame. “You’re taller, and your shoulders got bigger.”
“Is that all?” he asked suggestively.
She bit her bottom lip. “I’ll have to let you know.”
His mouth went dry and he could only nod.
“So...” Darcy trailed off, eyeing him up and down once more. Her mouth curved up and her eyes sparkled. “Want me to wash your back?”
It was quite possibly the sexiest invitation he’d ever heard, and for a split second, Ridge lost the ability to speak as his brain imploded.
He grinned at her and spread his arms wide. “I thought you’d never ask.”
* * *
Darcy couldn’t take his eyes off Ridge.
He was truly a sight to behold, the lines and angles of his body stretched out in a glorious display. The water rippled as he moved, blurring and softening his edges but doing nothing to diminish his size.
She fingered the buttons of his shirt, knowing she needed to take it off. But something held her back. She knew as soon as she joined him in that tub, it was all over—his desire for her was plain to see. And she wasn’t quite finished looking at him yet. It had been so long since she’d seen him. She’d forgotten how nice it was to simply watch him. He was a large man, but his movements were so graceful, so controlled. The promise of power held in check.
Would she ever tire of the sight of him?
Ridge held out the bar of soap, a sexy smile on his face. “Change your mind?” His tone was light, but she saw the hint of vulnerability in his eyes. It always shocked her to realize that no matter how confident and tough he appeared, Ridge was a sensitive soul. More than that, though, Darcy was touched that he was giving her an opportunity to back out, despite having come this far.
“Not on your life,” she said. “I’m just trying to figure out how I’m going to climb into this thing without falling. It’s huge!”
Ridge’s eyes were full of laughter as he looked up at her. “That’s what every man wants to hear.”
She groaned and shook her head. “When did your sense of humor become so juvenile?”
He cocked his head to the side, apparently considering the question. “When was it not?”
“Good point.”
“Come on in, Darcy,” he coaxed. “The water’s just fine.” His expression turned serious, those dark eyes drawing her in. “And you know I won’t let you fall.”
She shivered at the promise, recognizing the truth of his words on a bone-deep level. In a split second, they had gone from flirting to serious, and they both recognized his statement went beyond helping her into the bath.
“I’m ready.” And it was the truth, on so many levels. She was ready to let go of the hurts and disappointments of the past, ready to start a new life here in Granite Gulch. Ready to make her dreams of family a reality with Ridge by her side.
She unbuttoned the shirt in record time, letting it fall to the floor in a puddle of fabric. Then she took his hand and stepped into the tub, lowering herself into the warm embrace of the water and Ridge’s arms.
He leaned back, taking her with him so she rested with her back against his chest. His arms circled around her torso, locking her into place as he let out a deep sigh.
Darcy relaxed, her muscles turning liquid in his embrace. As they sat there together, she lost track of where her body ended and his began, feeling as if they had melted into one.
She felt him pressed hard against her lower back, but he made no move to change their position. After a moment, she sighed. “I thought I was supposed to help you get clean.”
His answering chuckle vibrated from his chest into her back. “We’ve got nothing but time.”
“Not too long, though, or the water will get cold.”
“True.” He sounded thoughtful. “Guess we should get started then.” Without sitting up, he took the bar of soap and lathered his hands. Then he spread them across her stomach and began to move, sudsing her skin with every pass across her body.
Her breath caught in her throat as he moved up her stomach to graze the undersides of her breasts. He traced lazy circles on her skin, sending zings of sensation through her limbs that made her shiver.
She arched her back, seeking more contact. His frictionless touch ignited a firestorm of need within her, but did little to satisfy her desire. She needed more, and her body moved restlessly against him, instinctively searching for the satisfaction only he could provide.
Ridge spread his palms on her torso, effectively anchoring her in place. “Patience,” he whispered, his breath hot in her ear. “Just feel.”
“I need...” She trailed off, unable to put her feelings into words. But that didn’t seem to matter.
“I know,” Ridge soothed. “Soon.”
Darcy let go, surrendering herself to his embrace. His hands swept over her, his touch everywhere, overwhelming her senses. It was the best kind of torture, and she wished it would never end.
Time lost all meaning as they explored, getting reacquainted with each other’s bodies. Darcy had the strangest sense of déjà vu—Ridge’s body was so familiar, and yet it was as though she was touching him for the first time, relearning the planes and lines of his body with each pass of her hand.
She didn’t know how long they stayed in the water. Somewhere along the way her conscious thought fled, leaving her a creature of sensation. She dimly registered Ridge helping her out of the bath. They dried each other off, the big fluffy towels adding a new layer of feeling. Then he guided her into his bedroom.
“I wish I could carry you,” he said ruefully.
It was a romantic notion, but Darcy didn’t want his injury getting in the way of this moment. “Save your knee,” she murmured, enjoying the play of the light on his muscles as he pulled down the bedspread.
“Next time,” he promised.
Darcy shivered. There would be a next time. Many more next times, in fact. There was something so freeing about that knowledge. It filled her heart with joy and made her feel safe and secure for the first time in years. Ridge was her home, her center, her safe place. And she was never going to let him go again.
She pushed his shoulder gently until he stretched out on the bed. Then she joined him, car
eful to avoid his knee as she fit her body around his. Moving slowly, deliberately, she rose over him, then sank down with a sigh of completion. Ridge’s own breath echoed hers but then he froze, his fingers digging into her hips.
“I’m not wearing—”
“Shh,” she assured him. “I’m protected.”
He relaxed. “It’s not that I don’t want—”
“I know,” she interrupted. “Just not right now.”
“Exactly.” He sounded relieved. “I’m so glad we’re on the same page.”
“Ridge?” Darcy rotated her hips in a move that made his eyes roll back in his head.
“Yeah?” His voice was a strangled croak.
“Let’s talk later.”
He moaned as she picked up the pace.
“Later is good.”
CHAPTER 17
Two weeks later...
Ridge threw the truck into Park and cut the engine, but made no move to get out. He’d put this visit off for as long as he could and now that the time was here, he was even more reluctant to go inside.
But he owed it to his siblings to talk to Matthew and get his clue. The old man was determined to play his little game, and since it was the only way they were going to find their mother’s body, Ridge and the rest of his family were forced to play along.
That didn’t mean he was going to enjoy it.
After a long moment, he climbed out of the truck. He might as well get it over with. The sooner he went inside, the sooner he’d be able to get back to Darcy. She was back at the cabin with Penny, baking and cooking up a storm. Flo was bringing little Sara over for dinner tonight, and he couldn’t wait to see them. It was the bright spot in this day, and he couldn’t wait to hold that baby girl again.
But first, he’d need a hot shower to wash off this visit. No way was he going to risk contaminating her innocence with the darkness of his father.
It didn’t take long to check in. They were expecting him, after all. He signed in, walked through the metal detector and followed a guard down a series of corridors. The halls were wide and painted white, but Ridge still felt his shoulders tighten as they moved deeper into the prison. He was so used to being outdoors—the lack of windows in this place made it all the more depressing and triggered instant claustrophobia.
Harlequin Romantic Suspense March 2016 Box Set Page 42