Chapter 22

Candlelight flickered around the room.  The scent of roses and lilies mingled with the candles and wafted through the room.  He stood back and studied his handiwork.  It looked pretty damn good if he did say so himself.  He owed her this much, at least, for all he had put her through in the last few weeks.  He had been an ass not only to the band but to her as well and she hadn’t deserved any of it.  Even though he apologized and things seemed to be back on an even keel between them, it couldn’t hurt his cause to spoil her just a little bit.

He crossed to the bathroom and double-checked his work in there.  Music played quietly, the tub was full and a few candles floated in the frothy, steamy water.  More flowers and candles surrounded the tub and a bottle of her favorite wine sat chilling in a bucket on the stand next to the tub.  He rubbed his hands together as he crossed back to the door and out.  Now he just needed to find his wife. 

Stepping into the hallway he caught the missile that was his daughter as she came barreling at him. 

“Daddy!” 

She was always so happy to see him.  It never failed to bring a smile to his face and an extra beat to his heart.

“Baby girl!’ he answered with nearly the same enthusiasm as he scooped her up.  He accepted the smattering of kisses she peppered over his face.  “Where are your clothes” he asked as she laid her head against his shoulder.

She had run from the bathroom and away from her mother and bath time.  “Bafroom” she pointed down the hall toward an open door. 

He nodded and walked down the hall, back the way she had come, “I should have known.”  He found Stephanie in the bathroom shutting the water off after filling the tub.  “I found this naked girl running around out there.”  He set Lily on her feet.  “She says she left her clothes in here.” 

Stephanie helped Lily into the tub, “she took off before I could grab her.”  She looked up at Richie, “she’s too damn fast.”

Richie chuckled.  “that’ll change once she gets older.”  

He took a good look at his wife.  She had put in several hours that day on her latest habitat project, chased after a toddler for the better part of the afternoon, started getting ready for their trip to Kentucky and New Jersey and she had been dealing with his reluctant ass.  It was no wonder she looked a little worn out.  

“Why don’t you let me handle bath and bed time tonight, Sweetheart?”  It was just the opportunity he needed to get her to find his little surprise.

Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she looked at Lily, “what do you think Baby Doll?  Do you think Daddy can handle bath and bedtime stories?”

Lily splashed her delight, getting Stephanie’s shirt wet in the process.  “Yay Daddy, he can do it!”

Stephanie laughed and stood, tugging at her wet t-shirt.  “I guess you have your answer, Rich.  Just try not to flood the house.”  She knew full well how much water their daughter could displace from the tub when she got her mermaid on.

Richie took her hand as she made to move by him, “why don’t you go change and relax, Sweetheart?  I’ll come find you when we’re done here.”

Reaching up, she pressed her lips to his, “a glass of wine actually sounds pretty good right now.”  She kissed him again, “thanks.”

Their laughter followed her down the hall and was completely forgotten when she stepped into the bedroom.  “Oh, Richie” she whispered to herself.  She was utterly charmed and enchanted by the setting he had created with the flowers, candles and soft music.  She stopped at her dresser and buried her face in the bouquet of lavender roses he had left there.  Straightening, she smiled softly and pulled her shirt off, so that’s where he had disappeared to after dinner.  He had left to “run an errand” after they had eaten.  He wouldn’t say where and she hadn’t seen or heard him come back.  She glanced around again, now she knew why.  

Sneaky man. 

Stripping off the rest of the clothes she dumped the pile into the hamper and headed to the bathroom.  She stopped in her tracks at the full tub and the wine chilling next to it.  Backtracking to the counter, she picked up an elastic band and bundled her hair up on top of her head before moving back and stepping into the tub.  Pouring a glass of wine, she sank to her chin in the fragrant water and let the heat and steam ease her tired body and mind. 

She sipped and soaked and had nearly dozed off when Richie stepped into the room.   Her eyes traveled the length of him where he stood, leaning against the vanity.  He had changed into his robe, the hem resting just below his knees.  His bare feet were crossed at the ankle and the light smattering of hair on his chest peeked at her from the vee above his crossed arms.  “Did Lily go down okay?”  She licked her lips and set her glass aside.

The heat and steam had put color back in her cheeks and a sheen of sweat shone on her forehead.  A limp curl escaped her messy topknot and trailed along her cheek.  His eyes dipped lower, her bare shoulders were all that he could see for all the bubbles in the tub.  His hands loosened the belt at his waist.  “She was out before Cinderella got her shoe back.”  He slipped his robe off and hung it on the hook on the back of the door.  “Mind if I join you?”

She watched him move around the bathroom and heat that had nothing to do with the bathwater rose in her.  It had been too long since they had been together, too long since she’d had her hands on him and vice versa.  “Sure, come on in.”  She slid forward and he stepped in behind her.

He settled behind her and pulled her back so she was resting against his chest. 

She laid her head on his shoulder and pressed her lips to the side of his neck.  “Thank you for all this” she gestured around them with her hand.  “You know it was unnecessary though, right?”

“Not from my perspective.”  He handed her the wineglass she had abandoned when he had come into the room.  “I fucked up and this is my penance.”

She sipped and nearly snorted, “some penance.  A bubble bath is hardly punishment.”

He chuckled along with her, “maybe not, but I still needed to do something to make things up to you.”  He turned his head and found her lips with his.  “I’m glad you like it.”

Reaching over him, she set her now empty glass on the edge of the tub, “you’re a sneaky man, husband.”

He trailed his fingers up her slick, bubble-covered arm as she settled back against him, “gotta be a little sneaky to get a surprise over on you, darlin’.  You can read me too well and would have known what I was up to.”

His fingers got more brazen as they languished in the tub.  They found their way under the bubbles and he traced light circles around her hardening nipples. 

“Rich” she murmured as she shifted restlessly his fingers never ceasing their circling, his burgeoning erection teasing her from behind.  “Maybe we should get out of the tub?”

He shifted her around in front of him and had her straddle his thighs, “but I like it here” he told her as he palmed a breast, lifting it from the water.  Lowering his head he lightly blew the bubbles away and took the hard tip into his mouth, sucking gently.

Gripping his shoulders, her head dropped back and she groaned, “there’s more room…” her voice trailed off and another groan escaped her as he repeated the delicious torture on her other breast.

Water sloshed over the edge of the tub as they shifted and moved.  She canted her hips and the tip of his cock slid across her center, pausing at her entrance.  Widening her knees she slid lower and he pressed up, filling her in one smooth motion.

Neither moved for a long moment, the feeling of relief, of overwhelming rightness held them on a precarious edge before she lifted and settled back down on his lap.  “Fuck, Rich” she muttered as she moved.

He gripped her hips and pressed his up into her, “fuck, yeah darlin’.” He could feel her muscles surrounding him start to tighten. She was ready to go. He wanted, needed to see her fall. Dipping his head he took her nipple into his mouth again and sucked. He felt her tighten and he pumped his hips harder, letting her take them both over into sweet oblivion.