Melting The Ice (15 page)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Ava lay face down on the massage table, having already availed herself of several other spa services, hoping the brawny masseuse could work some of the tension from her tightly strung body.  She had hoped a day of pampering would improve her mood but it hadn’t; not one little bit.  If anything, she felt worse, having had all day to think about the ass she had made of herself with Cian the previous night.  It would have been better if she could have blamed any of it on him but he was 100% blameless.  To make matters even worse, he wasn’t talking to her.  For that matter, he wasn’t looking at her, paying attention to her or acknowledging her presence in any way.  She had returned to their cottage the night before wanting to somehow make amends but keep her pride intact at the same.  He hadn’t been there when she arrived and hadn’t shown up until a couple hours later.  She had been waiting for him, knowing she wasn’t going to be able to sleep until she talked to him, but he had shut her down with one stony look when he walked past her to the second bedroom and shut the door.  The click of the lock being turned had sounded loudly in the silent room.  She had stood gazing after him, stricken with the magnitude of her blunder.  She’d gone into the other bedroom and spent a miserable night alternating between angry tears and pondering how she could have better dealt with her jealousy and insecurities where Cian was concerned.  Anything would have been an improvement. 

Shedding tears over a man was something she had mistakenly thought was years behind her, but one ill-advised conversation with Cian and it all came back to her.  He was right; he hadn’t done anything to deserve the horrible things she had said to him.  The women gossiping in the bathroom had made her feel exposed for the fraud she was and she had taken her upset out on him.  She had lay awake thinking about the mean, nasty things she had said to him.  She had practically accused him of screwing her for her money.  He had been truly offended by the suggestion and she couldn’t blame him.  He knew she knew better.  She had no idea what he did for a living or where he got his money but he didn’t seem to lack funds.  He hadn’t cost her anything with the exception of this trip since his arrival.  His parents were pretty well-to-do from what she could recall.  Clayton was a college coach at one of the big New England schools and Denise did something with the stock market so for all she knew, they supported him.  She had never asked him what he did for money; it wasn’t any of her business.  Jameson had said Cian’s job allowed him to be off during the summers and that was the extent of her knowledge. When they had went to the casino last night, she had seen him use his bank card to withdraw several thousand dollars without batting an eye when he lost every penny between the Black Jack table and the Roulette well. 
 

The masseuse finished a few moments later, exiting the room so she could dress.  She showered off the massage oil and dressed in hip hugging pink yoga pants and a matching halter top before heading back to the cottage.  Everything had been waxed, trimmed, exfoliated and polished but none of it made her feel any better.  What did it matter if her skin was soft as silk if no one was touching it, she thought morosely.  Cian hadn’t talked to her last night, he hadn’t talked to her this morning when he came back from his run and he hadn’t talked to her when he’d left the cottage shortly thereafter to golf.  The cottage was still empty when she arrived.  She’d considered several courses of action during her long day of pampering and had decided to pull out all the stops and throw herself on his mercy.  She ordered dinner for two from room service, champagne and candles, feeling faintly foolish at the romantic gestures but determined to fix things with Cian.  She turned the stereo system to a satellite channel playing soft rock.  While she waited for room service she freshened up and dressed in a ruby-red, French-cut lace teddy with push up support and a matching silk robe, dabbing her pulse points with her favorite perfume, Givenchy Indecence.  She darkened her eyes with eyeliner and mascara, making them appear bigger and bluer and slicked her lips a glossy red.  As a finishing touch, she twisted her hair up on the back of her head in a simple twist that would fall around her shoulders with one deft flick of her wrist.  Hopefully, he wouldn’t know what hit him and she could start trying to make amends for her stupidity.  Room service arrived a few moments later, setting up at a small table for two while Ava scattered the abundance of white pillar candles around the room and lit them.  She tipped the waiter well and checking the time, saw that it was nearing the time Cian would return from his day of golf.  She lit more candles in the bathroom, running the deep tub full of steaming water, adding a dab of Sandalwood bath oil before turning on the bubbling Jacuzzi jets.  She had no sooner double checked everything and turned out the lights when she heard his key card swipe through the door lock.  He stopped abruptly when he saw her leaning against the sofa, watching him with a smile, her blue eyes sparkling.  The brief look of indecision on his face was rapidly being replaced with hard anger when Ava spoke.

“I’m sorry, Cian.” She said softly, her eyes locking with his, refusing to allow him to look away from her.  He was undecided again and didn’t speak, but the fact he didn’t immediately stalk off to the bedroom gave her hope.  She continued talking before he changed his mind about hearing her out. “You have every right to be angry with me.  You didn’t do anything wrong and I took out my own insecurities on you.  I didn’t mean anything I said to you last night.” Her voice was soft and a little pleading while he watched her with suspicion. “The comments about the money and age difference were way out of line and I’m hoping you will forgive me for acting like a hysterical female.” Her gaze held his while her hands easily untied the sash of the robe, spreading it open to frame her curves decked out in the barely there teddy.  His eyes immediately moved down over her body, his tongue coming out to wet his lips, arousal replacing the suspicion in his eyes.  When his eyes met hers again, the heat arcing between them was palpable.  Her smile was full of invitation when she strolled slowly towards him. “I’m hoping you will let me show you how sorry I am…”

“What have you got in mind?” his voice was a low, husky rumble from his chest, the sound sending a thrill through her body.  She slid her hands up his chest to lock behind his neck and pulled him down for her kiss, her lips nibbling at his for a moment before pulling back, barely leaving space between their mouths.  They were both already breathing heavily and had barely even gotten started.

“Let me make it up to you, Baby.” She whispered before sliding her tongue between his lips and devouring his mouth, her soft curves rubbing sinuously against his hard, muscled form.  He groaned and grasping her hips, pulled her tightly to his body, his erection pushing at the notch of her thighs.  She pushed his hands down and gently disengaged herself from him, taking his hand in hers and leading him towards the bathroom.  When he saw the bubbling Jacuzzi, he grinned broadly and raised a questioning brow.  She undressed him slowly, dropping lingering kisses on his warm skin as she bared him to her gaze.  He was already hard and ready but Ava had plans to make her apology last all night.  When she had him settled in the tub with a glass of champagne, he tried to pull her into the tub with him but she laughed and moved out of his reach.

“What are you up to?” he asked, his voice deep and soft, sending a thrill through her body.  Once again she found herself amazed by the effect this man had on her.  His eyes gleamed darkly, letting her know if she wasn’t careful, he would have her in the tub with him and all of her plans for the evening would come to naught. 

“It’s a surprise…” she licked her glossy lips and smiled as she ran her fingers through the water and over his chest and shoulders. “The kind of surprise you like.” The heat in his eyes flared higher but he made no move to grab her.  He raised the champagne flute to his lips, sipping the golden liquid while she moved around the room, gathering things she needed.  She laid a sponge on the side of the tub and sniffed at a bottle of Sandalwood bath gel that would smell divine on his skin.  She let her robe drop and knelt on one of the plush towels she had placed beside the tub. 

“I think I might be okay with this surprise.” He watched her enigmatically as she started lathering his chest and shoulders, the simple act of bathing becoming erotic torture, the sponge moving over skin that was already sensitized, sending tiny shocks through his system.  “Are you going to be gentle with me?” he teased.  She giggled and dropped a kiss on his lips while her sponge-filled hand moved beneath the water to wash him
everywhere.

“For now…” she breathed against his mouth, pulling back when his hand reached for her. She gave him an admonishing smile as she began rinsing him, using her hands way more than necessary to slough off the water and soap.  His breathing became heavier but he continued to lie back against the tub, drinking his champagne until she stood up, holding the other plush towel in her hands. “When you’re done with your champagne, I’ll dry you off.” She said her voice low and throaty.  He tossed his nearly full second glass of champagne back like cheap swill and came to his feet.  She burst out laughing when he stepped out of the tub, water running off the muscled perfection of his body.  He grinned at her and held his arms out to his sides, offering her unfettered access to his body.  She moved behind him, thoroughly drying his sinewy back and tight, rounded buttocks.  “I believe you may have the best ass I’ve ever seen.” He choked out a laugh when she lightly patted him before moving to his front to dry off his broad shoulders, heavily defined pectoral muscles and corrugated abs.  She went to her knees in front of him, slowly drying each leg and foot before gently drying between his legs.   His eyes glittered at her like some feral animal on the verge of losing control but continued to stand completely still while she tormented him.  Finally, she came to her feet and wrapped the towel around his hips, tucking the end to hold it up and started pulling him towards where dinner waited for them under silver covers.  He came to a dead halt, refusing to move another inch.  She turned to look at him inquiringly. 

“I’m not hungry…” He stated, yanking her hard against him, his mouth swooping down to kiss her long and hard.  She managed to struggle free of his arms, her own blood rushing hotly through her veins after that kiss.  He grinned at her, crossing his arms over his chest to watch her with smug satisfaction. 

“You’re not hungry at all?” She asked her thoughts momentarily scattered after he had kissed away any semblance of thought.   His laugh rumbled out of his chest, low and sexy, sending a shiver of pleasure down her spine.

“Oh, I’m hungry; just not for food.” She mentally snapped out of it and shrugged with false nonchalance. 

“Then let’s go
this
way.” She responded, pulling him behind her into the bedroom where more candles softly illuminated the silk-sheeted bed, the covers turned back invitingly.  She stepped away from him and pulled the covers to the foot of the bed before turning back to him.  She looked up into his eyes as she let the towel covering his hips hit the floor and reached out to gently stroke her hand over his jutting length.  He groaned and thrust himself more fully into her hand.  She hooked her other hand behind his neck, pulling him down for a fiery kiss, deftly maneuvering them towards the bed.  When she felt the bed against the back of her thighs, she shifted until the bed was at his back and gently urged him onto the bed.  She slowly smoothed her hand over him one last time before stepping back out of his reach.  His chest bellowed with his breathing and his eyes were wild.  Her own breath was coming faster and she knew if she didn’t speed things along, he would say to hell with the playing and have her pinned to the bed so fast it would make her head spin…not that that sounded like such a bad idea.  In fact, it was starting to sound like a pretty good idea but she was determined to carry out her plan.  She stepped to the head of the bed and fluffed the mound of pillows, smiling invitingly at him as she motioned for him to lie down on his back.  He lay back, his eyes watching her closely when she grabbed what looked like the tie he had worn the night before and another one and climbed onto the bed beside him.  His hand shot out to grip hers, not hurting her but not allowing her to move either.

“What are you doing, Ava?”  She licked her lips and smiled at him, knowingly.
             

“Has no one ever tied you up, Cian?” she purred, her free hand stroking up his chest to tease at his nipples.  He looked decidedly uncomfortable, but curious at the same time.  He shook his head in denial. “Poor baby…I’m not gonna hurt you, ya know.” She said softly.  He continued to grip the hand holding the ties for a few undecided moments. “Hey, if you’re not comfortable with this…” He released her hand and relaxed back against the pillows.

“Do your worst.” He smiled, excitement making his chocolate brown eyes almost black.  She grinned and after tying one end of the silk tie around his wrist, tied the other end around the post on the headboard, tugging at it to make sure it was secure.  She repeated the process on the other side before sliding off the bed to admire her handiwork.  He lay on the bed, his arms tied over his head, watching her with ill-concealed wanting, his penis hard and standing at attention.  Damn he was a beautiful man.  The body, alone, was more than enough with his golden-tanned skin covering what appeared to be acres of sinewy muscle but the perfection of his chiseled features with the shadow of his beard, the deep, chocolate brown eyes surrounded by long, sooty lashes and his full-lipped mouth that promised untold delights were way more than any one man should ever have been given.  She slowly slid the straps of the teddy off her shoulders, one at a time, teasing him with glimpses of her skin as she painstakingly removed the garment and exposed her naked body to his gaze.  She climbed onto the bed and leaned over him to kiss his mouth, her tongue sliding into his mouth to tangle with his.  The kiss went on for long moments until she once again reminded herself she wanted to make this last and reluctantly separated their mouths.  She dropped a kiss at the corner of his mouth, working her way towards his ear. “I’m sorry about last night, Cian.” She whispered into his ear, running her tongue around the shell.