Chapter 405: Bath of Fire [Part-2]
Bath of Fire [Part-2]
He laughed, pushing a strand of wet black hair away from Cassidy’s face. "Easy when it’s you, my love. Everything with you feels. legendary."
Cassidy relaxed, pushing herself more fully against him now, the water rippling over their bodies, the weight of his chest, the pounding of his heart. Her black eyes sparkled with mischief, but beneath the teasing glint was warmth, desire, and a sort of vulnerability she reserved for him only. She leaned her head against him, lips grazing his shoulder as if to whisper thank you, love, need, into his skin.
"I... I feel so safe with you, Leon. So wanted... so loved," she breathed, voice low, husky, but laced with emotion.
"You are wanted," he stated, his palms digging into her flanks, tracing every inch of her form with reverent deliberation. "Every day, Cassidy. More than words could contain. You are mine. And I am yours."
Her breathing caught, her heart pounding against his, at his words sinking deep into the marrow of her bones. She moved a little, turning in his arms, leaving a soft, playful kiss on his cheek, teasing and intimate. "I feel it, Leon," she breathed, her voice shaking just enough to show the extent of her feeling. "I feel. everything. in your eyes. The love, the passion, the way you always make me feel special."
Leon’s lips crested into a slow, warm smile that reached his golden eyes, sealing a soft kiss to her temple. "Cherished," he whispered again, his voice heavy with purpose, "because you deserve it. And I will take every breath to see you know it, Cassidy."
A tender, playful laughter escaped her, heavy with warmth and need. "You... make it too easy to fall in love with you, Leon."
"I don’t make it easy," he taunted, nipping at her shoulder with a light bite, the caress sending shivers of spark racing through her. "I just... am who I am. And who I am is hopelessly, completely yours."
Cassidy closed her eyes, the closeness, the heat, the intoxicating blend of love and passion that flowed from them. "And I am hopelessly yours," she whispered in return. Her fingers stroked the ridges of his muscle along his forearms, remembering the warmth, the power that always left her at once safe and burning.
They remained like that, water rippling about them, the light from the sun shining through the window, golden patterns falling across their entwined bodies. The bath was not just a bath—it was communion of flesh and spirit, a world of solitude where the only temperature was the heat of their union.
Cassidy settled deeper, her head against him, allowing herself to drink in the heat of his chest, the strength of his arms, and the love in his eyes. She was cherished. Wanted. Loved to the point of irrelevance. And in that moment of suspension, Leon embracing her, she felt with absolute conviction that she was home.
"Leon..." she spoke softly, thick with yearning, half teasing, half pleading. "Never let go."
"I never will, my love," he whispered, kissing the crown of her head. "Never, Cassidy. You are mine... and always will be."
His mouth grazed her neck, and the mere touch sent shivers crawling over her spine. His breath was hot against her skin as he nuzzled her, drinking in the familiar scent of lavender infused with her own natural perfume—a scent that had always drawn him closer, that made him lose control even after all these years.
Cassidy’s hands wandered to the edges of the tub, fingers lightly touching the cool stone as if anchoring herself against the tide of feeling rushing through her. Her whole body tingled, every point of contact sparking waves of heat further into her belly. Their closeness was palpable, charged, yet gentle, ensnared in trust and silent devotion.
Leon’s fingers ran along her arm, stopping short of her wrist before he picked her hand up to his lips. He kissed the back of her hand very slowly, very deliberately, tasting the curve of her skin, before tracing feather-light kisses along the length of her arm. Cassidy gasped softly, bending her fingers into the water as a shiver ran the length of her spine.
"Leon," she breathed, voice shaking with that heavenly combination of excitement and exposure, "what... are we doing?"
"We’re bathing," he replied, voice heavy with warmth and gentleness, his hands drawing slow, intimate patterns down her spine. "But beyond that... we’re having this moment. This is ours, Cassidy. Just ours."
She swallowed hard, relaxing all the way into him. Vulnerability, desire, and love swirled around inside her chest, pulsating in sync with his heartbeat. She nodded marginally, allowing the moment to wrap around them fully.
Leon’s eyes relaxed, golden eyes mapping the shape of her shoulders, the curve of her neck, before his hand feathered across her collarbone. He closed his eyes, reveling in the heat of her crushed against him. Thoughts raged, shattered and disordered by the sheer intensity of the moment, until he felt her fingers wrap around his wrist, holding him fast.
Cassidy shifted in his lap, now facing him, black eyes scanning his, dark and liquid, with teasing confidence and unashamed want. Leon grinned, cradling her cheek, thumb tracing the outline of her jaw.
"You didn’t believe me, little Cassidy?" he taunted, voice half mockery, half something else, something deeper, more compelling.
Her cheeks burned scarlet, lips parted as she gasped, "N-No! I just... it’s... unreal..."
He leaned in, lips against her ear. "And yet... the instant I touch you, you shake," he whispered, velvet-thick. "What does that tell me, hmm?"
Cassidy gasped, the noise blending with the water as he pressed just hard enough to tantalize, to elicit response. "Aah...!" Her voice shook, half laughter, half passion. "L-Leon... we... we can’t—Mia is—
Leon sat back, golden eyes sparkling with sin and authority. "Alright, then, I’ll let you go. for now," he murmured. "But next time, Cassidy. next time, I won’t hesitate until I make you yield, until I hear you say my name. loud and clear.
Her body pushed closer involuntarily, reliving the imprint of his hands etched into her skin, but she could not help the heat, the excitement, the illicit thrill of it all. She quivered as he let her go, though every nerve still pulsed with desire.
Leon emerged from the bath in slow, deliberate elegance, water spilling down his chiseled body. Muscles tensed beneath the candlelight, each motion fluid, smooth, a subtle show of contained need. Cassidy stood by, half-dreaming, half-starving, each drop of water glinting like liquid starlight against the skin’s perfection.
She watched him as he reached for a towel, wrapping it softly over her shoulders. Her heart skipped at the gentleness of the motion, a warm contrast to the flame still burning in his eyes.
"You always do this... this for me?" she breathed, voice low, a hint of wonder entwined with need.
"Always will," he told her, leaving a gentle kiss on her temple. His hands rested just a fraction longer than they needed to, seeping warmth and comfort into her flesh. He grabbed a second towel to use for himself, draping it around his hips, and they moved from the bath together, their hearts full, their spirits soaring, the stress of the world eased by the safety of their bond.
Cassidy’s hair stuck to her wet shoulders, dark strands glimmering beneath the gentle candlelight. Her body, slick with the water, had never felt so revered by the way his hands had mapped out each curve, each ridge, each soft rise of flesh. She found herself grinning, mischievous and daring, but profoundly moved, feeling loved to the very core of her being.
Leon’s eyes stayed on her, his golden eyes burning with desire, adoration, and a ferocity that had her shivering all over again. "Come closer, little fire," he whispered, his tone low, teasing, and thick with promise. Cassidy moved in, pushing against him, her heart thudding with the perfect blend of passion and care.
The bath was done, but its warmth remained, not only on their skin but in their hearts. Each look, each caress, each soft-spoken word had intensified the connection, the closeness, the feeling that this moment—this fleeting, heady bath—was a sacred place for the two of them alone.
Cassidy leaned her head softly against his chest as he put an arm around her waist. "Leon..." she breathed, playful and confident and soft, "you make every day... legendary. And every moment with you... unforgettable."
Leon left a slow kiss on her hair, fingers working her back with gentle reverence. "And I will spend every day making sure you feel that, Cassidy," he whispered. "Every single day."