Circle Eight: Vaughn by Emma Lang Read Free Book Online

hand and she shook her head. “I thought you wanted help.”
    “I do. I don’t suppose you will wash my back?” All playfulness faded from his expression to be replaced by that desire she’d seen. Sweet heat blasted through her. She had nothing to go on except instincts and they were telling her to touch him.
    She dipped the rag and soap in the water, then knelt beside the tub. Her hands trembled as she ran the soap on the cloth and set the bar on the floor. The expanse of male skin should have frightened her but it didn’t. She’d spent two days taking care of him before she knew his name. He had become a familiar stranger.
    Vaughn closed his eyes, a sign of trust. She began on his hands and worked her way up his arms. The clean scent of the soap filled the air, the sound of the cloth gliding over his skin, the occasional drip of water and breaths the only sounds in the room. Elizabeth reached his shoulder and shifted her position so she sat behind him.
    He leaned forward, exposing his wide back. She took her time washing all that maleness, fascinated by the way his muscles defined the structure. By the time she reached his right arm, she was perspiring. Her body had heated and it wasn’t due to the hot water. She was educated enough by her sister and sisters-in-law to know she was aroused. For the first time in her life.
    She washed his other arm and belatedly realized she had no clean water to rinse him. Her mind was stuck somewhere in the regions of her inner thighs, instead of working as it should. Anyone who knew her would have been surprised to see how she was acting. Even more so by what she was doing.
    “Back in medieval times, the lady of the castle would be expected to bathe noblemen who visited.” Vaughn sounded relaxed and well read.
    “I remember reading about that. I can’t imagine bathing all those naked old men.” She started on his chest, her heart picking up speed.
    “Some of them weren’t old.” His eyes open and she was caught in his dark gaze. Instead of pure color, shades of smoke, twilight and shadows swirled together. She was caught. “I think there were probably some naked young men too.”
    Elizabeth had lost the ability to speak. The washrag sat useless in her hand. He reached up with one wet palm and touched her cheek. She leaned into his touch as time slowed to a crawl. All she heard was the whoosh of the blood through her veins and the thump of her heart.
    He was going to kiss her.
    Vaughn moved toward her slowly as though he waited for her to pull back. She wasn’t about to move an inch away from him. His lips came closer and she closed her eyes. Soft as a satin ribbon, his mouth covered hers. A small sigh escaped as his lips moved across hers.
    Incredible.
    Amazing.
    His whiskers lightly scraped against her skin as he kissed her. She’d never understood the appeal of lips until his touched hers. Sweet heavenly saints. It was nothing like she expected. It was everything she wanted.
    Sweet liquid heat spread through her bones, turning her into a human puddle of tingles. Elizabeth trembled with sensations she’d never experienced before. This explained so much about why her siblings were enamored of being married. If she had this every day, she would love to be married.
    His tongue swept through her mouth, pulling hers into a dance of wet heat. A moan crawled up her throat. She needed more. He kissed his way down her jaw to her ear. When his tongue lapped at her ear, his breath caressed her sensitized skin.
    “You smell of roses.” He sucked at her earlobe then gently bit it. A shiver wound down her spine.
    “It’s the soap. Eva mixes rose petals in when she makes it.” Elizabeth knew the information was useless and silly, but she didn’t know how to behave or what to say.
    “Eva sounds like a wonder.” He didn’t mention wanting to meet her. That was okay because she knew as well as he did that Vaughn would leave as soon as he was able. Tomorrow perhaps.
    Tonight,