Page 45 of A Secret Escape

Breathless, I pull away with a reluctant groan, kissing her one last time before dragging myself off her and turning on the tap to the bath. As the sound of rushing water fills the room, I have to remind myself I’ve got the rest of the week to make love to her as many times as I want.

“I’ll be right back.”

Jogging down the stairs, I grab the pack of condoms from the shopping bag by the door, along with the bubble bath liquid I happened to spot next to the shampoos.

Back upstairs, I round the corner into the bedroom and my heart stops me in my tracks .

Lila is standing at the foot of the bed, her top and jeans folded neatly on the blanket beside her. The sight of her standing there like that, in nothing more than a bra and a lacy thong – confident, calm, and so fucking beautiful – steals the air right out of my lungs.

“Wow,” I breathe.

She’s stunning. And it’s not just how good she looks physically – it’s the trust in her eyes. The quiet strength in the way she’s standing there, unashamed, letting me see her. Letting me in.

“Hi,” she says softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

God, how is it possible to be so fucking sexy but adorable at the same time?

A grin takes over my mouth as I walk towards her, setting the condoms and bubble bath down on the bed without a second thought. I sink down onto the edge of the mattress, pulling her to stand between my legs, my eyes level with her breasts.

She rests her arms on my shoulders and I look up at her – really look – and my heart swells with emotion so vast, it feels like drowning. It’s overwhelming. Fierce, and raw, and real, stronger than anything I’ve felt before.

It’s more than want. Deeper than need. Something unnamed that makes every past relationship in my life feel like a rehearsal.

And with more certainty than I’ve ever known, I am completely, undoubtedly hers. The realisation doesn’t frighten me as it should. Instead, it feels like coming home to a place I never knew I was searching for.

“You are so beautiful,” I whisper, my voice shaky as I lean forward and kiss the soft skin just under the centre of her bra.

Her hands slide through my hair, and I close my eyes at the feeling .

The sound of the bath filling up, the gentle hiss of rising steam – it all adds to the dream-like haze that wraps around us like a cocoon. She leans down to kiss me, slow and warm, and I let out a low groan, pulling her closer.

“I need you,” I whisper.

My skin feels like it’s on fire, her bare stomach pressed against my chest, her skin soft and warm.

I stand up slowly, keeping her hips flush against me so she can feel just how hard I am for her. Her eyes darken, her lips parting slightly as her breath catches.

She runs her hand gently over the front of my trousers, her touch light but deliberate, and I nearly lose it right there.

She steps back, just enough to give herself space to look at me – and God, does she look. Her eyes roam over every inch of me, slowly, hungrily, like she’s trying to drink me in. I don’t even think she realises she’s doing it.

And the way she looks at me – it’s not shy. Not even a little.

She doesn’t try to hide herself or shrink away. She’s just there, tall, confident, and breathtaking.

Most women I’ve been with always try to pull the blanket up or cross their arms over their bodies, even when they have nothing to be self-conscious about. But not Lila.

She lets me see her – and God, do I love looking.

Every perfect detail. The little beauty mark just above her hip that I already want to kiss.

The graceful curve of her waist, the swell of her breasts.

She’s a work of art, and she’s standing there like she has nothing to prove. Like she knows she’s wanted.

She has no fucking idea just how bad .

I lift my eyes to hers again, and it hits me all at once.

This is real. She’s here. The girl I’ve caught fleeting glances of for months, who I thought would forever be a beautiful, unattainable thought in the back of my mind, is here, with me, in this quiet cottage that feels an entire world away from reality, about to climb into a bath with me like it’s the most natural fucking thing in the world.

She brings her hands up behind her back and unhooks her bra, letting the straps drop down, but holding the cups in place at the front with her arm across her chest. Then, slowly, deliberately, she pulls one strap down, then the other, and the bra drops silently to the floor.

And I swear, I forget to fucking breathe.

Her gaze drifts down to my waist before tracing a line back up my abs and meeting my eyes.

I’m ready to pounce on her, to kiss and bite every part of her, but I hold back, watching as she slides her fingers under the stringy elastic of her thong and slowly pulls it down to the floor, stepping out of it.

She steps towards me, pressing her breasts against my chest, her lips finding my shoulder as she runs a delicate hand down my arm.

She reaches for the bottle of bubble bath on the bed, giggling as I groan from the loss of her lips on my skin.

She turns away, walking towards the bath, and my gaze locks onto her arse - round, firm, and so fucking perfect - taking all my willpower to not drop to my knees and bury my face in it.

A thought flickers through my mind, wondering if anyone’s explored her there before.

But I stay where I am, drinking her in, mesmerised by every movement as she leans over the bath, exposing just the smallest bit of flesh between her thighs. It’s enough to drive a man insane .

Unable to resist any longer, I come up behind her, tracing my hand up her leg until my fingers slip between her thighs. She’s already soaked, and I bite my lip at the feel of her.

She lets out a soft breath, her hips tilting back to meet my hand, surrendering completely as she drapes herself further over the bath, her body opening up to me.

I rest my free hand on her hip, breathing in deep as my fingers glide across her skin. Every soft catch of her breath, every little whimper, stokes the fire burning low in my gut.

Her thighs part just enough – a silent, perfect invitation.

She glances over her shoulder, eyes darkened with desire, lips parted, and we don’t need words. The way she looks at me tells me everything.

I trail my hand lower, circling her clit before sliding back up to her entrance, dipping one finger inside her ever so slightly and pulling it out again, before drawing it up higher, pressing gently against that forbidden spot with the lightest touch.

She gasps – sharp and surprised – but she doesn’t pull away.

A quiet, curious moan escapes her lips, and she shifts slightly, like she’s not sure what I’ll do next, but part of her wants to find out.

“Get in the bath,” I murmur, my voice low and strained.

And fuck – the way she looks at me, heat blazing in her eyes as she lifts one leg over the side of the tub – I could come undone from that alone.

Bubbles froth up around her thighs as she sinks in, slow and sensual, like a dream I never want to wake up from.

I take in the sight of her, completely relaxed, completely mine – and it’s enough to make my chest tighten.

I pull down my trousers and briefs, my cock springing forward as the cool air brushes against my heated skin, and I climb in facing her .

The hot water rises around us, lapping gently at her breasts. She adjusts her legs so that one leg is against the side of the tub, but with her other foot, she stretches forward and presses it against my balls, rubbing it up and down over me.

A low growl rumbles in my throat as I drop my head back, sliding down further to press against her foot as she continues to tease me.

“I love your animal roars,” she says with a slight giggle that makes me smile so wide, I think my face is going to split.

Sitting up straighter, I move her leg to the side and pull her in so that she’s straddling me. The heat of the water only serves to intensify every sensation, my skin burning with need.

Her breath is heavy as I scoop up a handful of bubbles and rub them over her chest, a slight whimper escaping her as I pinch and play with her nipples.

My hands slide down her waist and across her legs, one hand finding her centre as I slowly move my fingers across her clit. Her head falls back and she moans my name as I slide one finger inside her.

She’s tight and hot, and her muscles tighten repeatedly around my hand with need. I add a second finger, moving them in and out, savouring the sound of her moans getting louder as her body tenses.

I press my thumb against her clit and rub it, curling my fingers inside her, not letting up as her moan breaks into a scream and her body shudders, her head flinging forward as she breaks, digging her hands into my shoulders.

The wave washes over her, and I keep my hand there, rubbing over her slowly as she comes back down, her lips landing softly onto mine with a breathy moan.