Page 278 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha

“You’re right. Maybe I could join you?” I asked. “Let me draw you a bath.”

He raised his eyebrows, and I read the intrigue and lust in his jewel-green eyes. “Sounds like heaven.”

I grinned. “I thought you might say that.”

Leaving him to relax, I went into the bathroom and closed the door. Night would be able to smell most of what I was doing, but I liked the illusion of mystery. I turned on the faucet, and as the warm water filled the tub, I looked around for something that would help my mate’s aching body. In the cabinets, I found dried rose petals and eucalyptus leaves. There were also delicious-smelling bath soaps and salts, which I was sure would soothe Night’s bruises and scratches.

Humming to myself and thinking of the gorgeous man getting undressed in our bedroom, I poured everything into the rising water. Night had drawn baths for me and pampered me plenty of times during my first trimester, so doing something nice for him pleased me. When the bath was full enough and the vanilla-scented candles I placed around the tub were lit, I called for him to come in.

He opened the door, and my gaze eased down from his messy black hair to his broad, muscular chest, washboard abs, and finally to the length between his powerful legs. I still couldn’t quite fathom that this man was mine.

“Get in,” I murmured. “The water’s nice and warm.”

A slow smile spread across his face. He did as I said, easing himself into the water filled with sweet-smelling bubbles, red and pink petals, and forest-green eucalyptus leaves. He eased in until his hair was submerged, then he came back up, pushing the wet strands out of his face. Laughing, I grabbed a washcloth and sat on the side of the tub.

I dipped the cloth into the water and gently scrubbed his shoulders. Night let out a long sigh as my fingers pushed away dirt and debris. Despite the old scars puckering his shoulders, back, and chest, his skin was smooth and soft. Each of those old wounds held a story about a battle, and I wanted to hear about all of them one day because that pain had allowed him to gain experience and skill. That said, I was glad that this alpha challenge hadn’t added another one, and I was grateful that his experience and training had made the fight such an easy win for him.

When I was done washing his body, I squirted some shampoo into my hands. “I think I’ll move on to your hair.”

“Mm,” he agreed, leaning his head back against the tub.

I rubbed the shampoo between my palms, then pushed my fingers through his jet-black hair. It was already a bit longer than he usually wore it, almost to his shoulders. Night moaned as Imassaged his scalp, his eyes slipping closed. I smiled to myself. I could feel every bit of stress and tension leaving his body as the seconds passed.

As I poured water over his hair to rinse out the shampoo, he suddenly winced and squeezed one of his eyes shut.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Did I get some in your eye?”

“I think so,” he said.

“Oh no, I’m sorry!” I reached for a fresh washcloth and leaned closer to him. “Let me see.” I ran the cloth over his eyebrows, then used a different corner of it to wipe his eye. As I leaned even closer to him, my hair slipping over my shoulders to dip into the water, he reached out to touch my face. He held me still and sat up to kiss me. Each kiss was longer and deeper than the last.

“You liar,” I protested weakly as his kisses trailed from my lips to my jaw. “I thought you were hurt.”

His answering laugh stoked the fire within my core. “I’m not sorry,” my shameless mate murmured against my skin. “I’m not sorry for this, either.” He lifted his hand from the water to smooth down the skirt of my dress.

“You’re getting it wet,” I whined. But I didn’t stop him as his hand slipped under the skirt.

“You’re already wet, love.”

He was right. I’d wanted him from the moment the challenge ended. My desire for him burgeoned as he pushed my panties to the side to stroke my sensitive lips with the pad of his thumb. I whimpered and opened my legs wider. He knew exactly how I liked it, knew when to add pressure, when to tease. I was soeager that it didn’t take long before he sent me over the edge. My hands clutched his hair as I panted, ecstasy rippling through me.

“Bryn,” Night rumbled. His eyes glowed like the candles around the bath. “I want you out of this dress and in my bed. Now.”

Only a fool would deny the alpha when he wanted something so badly, but I could stall. I kissed him twice quickly, but on the third kiss, I ran my tongue gently over his lower lip. His shudders made the water ripple.

“Bryn,” he warned.

I pulled away, pressing my lips together to keep from smiling too hard. Standing, I pulled the dress over my head as I made my way into our bedroom. I heard the water as he got to his feet. I knew he’d be drying off, so I swayed my hips a bit as I removed my soaked panties. I let him get a good look at what he had done to me, at what he was waiting for.

Slowly, I removed my bra, tossing it to the side, then fluffed out my hair. I trailed my hands over my stomach, feeling the soft swell of the baby bump growing there. Covering my breasts with one arm, I glanced at Night over my shoulder. He was staring at me, still half-wet, holding the towel loosely in his hands, still as a statue and rock-hard.

When the towel fell to the floor, I knew that I’d stalled too long and was in trouble. I laughed. That was exactly what I’d intended.

Night was next to me in a flash, lifting me into his arms and tossing me onto the bed. “Such a fucking tease,” he grumbled.

I giggled as he settled between my legs, the tip of his cock pressing against my entrance. But my laughter turned quickly into moans as he entered me.

His skin was even softer after the bath, slipping across mine like warm satin. The only time I felt complete was when we were connected like this, when his cock sent electric pleasure sparking through every inch of my body. He pressed his face to my neck, to the claiming bite he’d given me, and licked my skin. Tingles danced over my skin, goosebumps following in their wake. I sank into the mattress, holding onto the covers and pressing my thighs into his sides as he thrust into me.