Daimon stood on the wooden walkway of the wing opposite her, bathed in early morning light. She shivered, achy again as she studied him. She cursed him. What was it about him that had her on fire with just a glance at him?
Cal approached him from her right, the direction of the main room of the house. Daimon shrugged, rolling toned shoulders beneath his tight long-sleeve turtleneck sweater. She wanted to peel that off him. She shook that rogue thought away.
“Tired,” he muttered and stifled a yawn.
“Still can’t sleep?” Concern filled Cal’s blue eyes.
Daimon was having trouble sleeping? She could help him with that if he let her, and she wasn’t even talking about wearing him out with sex.
Although, that was far more appealing than using a spell on him.
Daimon shook his head and ran a hand down his mouth. “I need to unwind or something.”
Cass could help him with that too.
He had certainly helped her unwind just now.
She couldn’t imagine how he would react if she told him he had starred in a wicked fantasy that had given her one hell of a memorable release.
Her cheeks heated again.
She huffed, irritated by the reaction. She was a grown woman and there was absolutely zero reason for her to feel ashamed of what she had done.
“Where is everyone?” His icy blue eyes scanned the garden and she ducked back behind the panel as they neared her, not wanting him to see her.
She swore his gaze lingered in her direction, that she could feel him staring straight through the panels of the room at her.
She looked down at herself.
Just how good was their sense of smell?
Her face heated again.
Could he smell her, what she had done?
The thought he might be aware of it had a hot achy shiver rolling through her and her nipples beaded, her breasts yearning for his touch. She huffed and ignored her rebellious body, trying to regain control of herself. She was damned if she was going to let Daimon see how flustered he had gotten her.
“Ares took Megan back to get some rest. Keras just left. Marek took Caterina to see her brother.” Cal hesitated. “Aiko is… she went out with some friends for the day. I think she needed the pick me up today. Valen and Eva are keeping an eye on her from a distance.”
“I thought the place seemed quiet.”
“Me and Mari just got done with the bath,” Cal said and Cass peered at them again, tempted to scowl at him.
She reminded herself that Mari was a grown woman. It was still hard to accept that at times. Mari would always be the little girl she adored, had watched growing up and had been sad when she had been forced to keep her distance so she wouldn’t notice that Cass didn’t age.
Although, Mari had had a wonderful idea.
A bath did sound good.
“You should have one. Might help you relax and sleep.” Cal shrugged, his shoulders hiking beneath his black T-shirt. “Just an idea.”
“It’s a good one. Long baths are always nice.” Daimon smiled at his younger brother.
A genuine one.
He was right. Long baths were always nice.
But long baths with another were even better.
She huffed as she looked back at her clothes and hit a snag.
She didn’t have a bathing suit with her.
Cass shrugged that off. Cal would be occupied with Mari for some time, and Aiko was out of the house for the morning at the very least. The only one liable to see her was the only one she wanted to see her.
She had some decency though.
She plucked a black lace bra and matching panties from her pile of clothing and slipped them on, following it with an onyx satin robe. She hurried from the room. Not a sprint. Sprinting wasn’t very ladylike.
But she did make it to the bathing area in record time, beating Daimon there.
She stopped on the damp tiles that separated the showers on her left from the stone pool on her right. It was large, almost a small swimming pool, and the view from it was breathtaking. Her gaze traversed the sweeping lines that had been raked into the pale gravel of the zen garden to swirl around rocks and pockets of greenery, danced over the delicately clipped topiary, to the large maple tree that was turning red, and then the crisp blue sky beyond.
Steam curled from the surface of the water, tempting her to slip into it to chase away the chill of the autumn morning.
She shed her robe, placing it on one of the dry stools at the side of the bathing area, and then twisted her black hair into a knot at the back of her head, securing it with a pin she formed with a spell. She washed off, hurrying through the process, and then stepped into the water.
It was hot, reminded her of the spring bath the older witches had been allowed to enjoy at the coven. Only here, she wasn’t expected to get all warmed up in the bath and then do something ridiculous like jumping into the snow or icy water.
Here, all she had to do was relax.
She stepped down from the submerged step that ran along the width of the pool, acting as a seat, and sank into the water. She ended up kneeling near the showers and staring out at the zen garden as the sun rose higher. It touched the maple first, chasing the shadow down it and brightening the vivid colour of its leaves.
Had reached the stone lantern at the far end of the zen garden when she realised she wasn’t alone.
She looked over her shoulder at Daimon where he stood at the end of the corridor that led to the main room, clutching a white towel in front of him.
Banked heat burned in his ice-blue eyes, had another achy shiver tripping through her.
“What are you doing?” he growled.
“Bathing.” She swished her hands through the water as she turned to face him.
