Beauty--Remastered Ch. 06

"But–"

"Just sleeping. I promise. You need rest, and so do I. I'm afraid ravishing your body is going to have to wait a while." Before she could escape, he leaned forward and tugged her closer by the leg. Her head went under the water again, and she coughed when she came up. "Are you alright?"

"Do you have to do that?" She struggled for a moment or two when he pulled her next to him, but gave up when it became obvious that he wasn't going to let her go.

His hands came up and untied the band in her hair, at the bottom of her braid. Gently, he separated the strands, fanning her wet hair out around her shoulders. Then, his fingers dug into her hair, and she almost moaned aloud as he massaged her head and neck.

"How does that feel?" He murmured, his voice close to her ear.

"Good..." she whispered back, leaning into him with a soft sigh. What was he doing to her? She felt like she was going to turn into a big goopy puddle, if he kept it up.

His lips drifted across her ear and cheek. Donovan couldn't say exactly why or when his attitude toward his wife changed, why or when he started wanting her more...sometime on his trip, he'd suddenly wanted to hear her, smell her, breathe her air. It was more than just desire. It was a need, physical and emotional.

Her soft sighs and barely contained moans, mixed with their closeness, the heat of the water, and feel of her soft skin made him rock hard. He shifted uncomfortably, his arousal almost painful. He wished he could see her beautiful body, all covered in water and suds. She probably looked absolutely delicious.

"Donovan?" She whispered, startling him.

"Yes?"

"Thank you. I know I've been really ungrateful, and, probably, the worse possible wife. You're only doing what's right for me and my mom. I never said thank you for that. For all the trouble I've given you, it's a miracle you've stayed this long. But, you don't have to stay anymore. My mom's going to die either way, now, and –"

"How do you know that?" Donovan knew it was going to happen; he'd arranged for a daily update with her mother's doctors. He'd only found out the day after he'd left, so he hadn't gotten a chance to tell her.

Scarlet thought quickly. "If she was going to live, money or not, she wouldn't have made me do this."

"Right," he relaxed again. "Annabelle –"

"I mean it." She interrupted quickly. "Please, divorce me, now. We'll go our separate ways and you'll never have to hear from me again. I swear."

"Now, what would be the point of that?" He began scrubbing her with a soft cloth, carefully staying in less erotic areas. In his opinion, though, every area on her body was erotic. "I'm beginning to like you. Or haven't you noticed?"

Scarlet shifted uncomfortably for a few moments, trying to subtly let him know that she didn't want more contact than they'd already had. But he ignored her, as usual, and kept at it. Eventually, she relaxed and let him. His caution disappeared as soon as he felt her relax, and he scrubbed across her shoulders, down her chest, circled a beaded nipple. She sucked in a breath at the feel of the towel teasing her sensitive peaks.

"Wh-what are you doing?" She whispered, unable to stop him. It felt too good.

"Helping you," he murmured back, gliding across her neglected nipple. "To continue our conversation, though, I have a proposal. Stay with me two more weeks. I've grown to like you, so maybe you can too. If, in two weeks time, you still can't stand me, I'll divorce you, cleanly. You will receive a large sum, for your troubles, and I will continue to pay your mother's hospital bills until she..." He trailed off. "How does that sound to you?"

Scarlet considered it, ignoring the cloth, which had dipped below the water and was caressing her stomach. It wasn't a bad deal. In fact, it was better than anything she could have imagined him doing for her; cutting her off penniless and with a mountain of debt seemed more his style.

But, that was a lie, wasn't it? She'd judged him wrong, all this time. The again, maybe not. He had started out as a domineering asshole, and steadily progressed to unforgiveable bastard. Not two days ago, she had hated him. And he'd felt the same, or so she'd thought. He definitely hated her the day before he left.

So, in the six or seven days he'd been gone...what had changed?

She stopped thinking involuntarily, when the washcloth in his hands dipped down between her thighs. Automatically, she spread her legs, but clamped them shut again as soon as she realized it. In doing so, she trapped his hand between her legs. It pressed against her overheated sex, and she bit her lip.

"Remove...your...h-hand." She ordered slowly.

"I can't do that, Annabelle. You see, I seem to be stuck."

"Oh!" She opened her legs again, but instead of pulling away, he slid lower, rubbed her slit top to bottom achingly slowly. Scarlet couldn't say a word; all that came out was a surprised, strangled moan.

"You can do better than that, wife," he growled, leaning in to nip her ear. "Try again?" He stroked her again, the fabric of the washcloth rubbing across her clit deliberately. This time, her moan was deep and full. "Better."

She tried, halfheartedly, to get away, but he slid over her, resting his free hand on the side of the tub beside her head. The other stayed below, teasing her with the cloth. She'd never look at washcloths the same.

"You like that, baby?" It was the first time he'd used a pet name, in a way that wasn't derogatory or sarcastic, and somehow it only added to her lust. The way he said it, in a low growl, probably helped that as well. "Do you?" She nodded, squeezing her eyes closed. "No, open your eyes for me. Open those beautiful brown eyes. I want you to watch me make you cum."

Her eyes snapped open immediately, obedient with the promise of a release. How did he know she had her eyes closed? It didn't matter.

He released the cloth and went at her with his bare hand. She squirmed as he caressed the hard little nub at the top of her aching pussy. Her eyes were locked on his. He seemed to be staring right into her, but she knew he wasn't. For a moment, she wished he was.

"Stop thinking," he ordered, effectively cutting off active thought when a long tapered finger slid across her opening and just barely entered her. She clamped down on that tiny bit of him, and he chuckled. "So responsive. So needy..." his finger slid in another teeny bit and wiggled. She squealed and pushed down on his hand, trying to draw him inside her deeper. "So tight. Fuck, I want to be inside you so bad."

The needy tone in his voice made her melt, and she cautiously drew her arms up and around his shoulders. She pulled his head down hesitantly, and lifted her lips to his for a kiss. He accepted and laid his lips across hers, softly at first, and, when she opened her lips, took what was offered in that sexy, dominating way she secretly loved.

His finger pumped in and out of her, just entering her by an inch or so. Annabelle felt like fire around his digit, and the way she squeezed him...he could only imagine how amazing it would be to plunge his cock into her wet, viselike grip. His solid dick was aching for her already.

"D...Donovan!" She broke away from the kiss with a gasp. She tensed, and he pulled his hand away quickly. "What?" She almost slapped him as he cut off the flow of pleasure that had nearly pushed her over the edge. "Please. Please. *Please!*"

"It's so pretty when you beg," he whispered hotly, sliding down her body. She moaned another please when he gently nipped her right nipple. "Let's see how long I can hold my breath."

"W-what?" She sat up and looked down just as he went under and pressed his lips against her pussy.

Her scream nearly shook the walls as she came almost as soon as he swiped at her clit with his tongue, before sucking it into his mouth.

He calmed her down gently, pressing soft kisses and licks against her swollen lips. She moaned and shuddered every time he did it, too sensitive for even the lightest touch. When he rose out of the water, a minute later, she was half relieved, and half disappointed. He wasn't even out of breath.

"I didn't even try," he pretend-whined, smirking. She just lay in the water, staring at him silently. "How was that? I really shouldn't bother asking. It was pretty obvious." To her surprise, he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss against her lips. "Thank you, Annabelle."

"I...I didn't do anything."

"You let me do it." He sat back next to her, pushing his wet hair off of his handsome face. She stared at him some more. What the hell was wrong with him? And what was wrong with *her*? "I told you, stop thinking so much."

"You just..."

"I made you cum, with my mouth. Much better than your hand, though, I'll admit, that was sexy as hell."

She blushed red hot at his teasing, and sat up quickly. He reached for her, but she quickly moved to the other side of the tub. "You –"

"You never answered me about my offer, Annabelle." Donovan interrupted her. "Two weeks. That's all I ask. Give me a chance to change your mind."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Please."

She started to think about it, but he'd said she thought too much. Her options were obvious: agree to his terms, and spend two possibly pleasant weeks with him; or continue as they had been for an indefinite amount of time. Running away was obviously not going to work out. She had a feeling, no matter how far she went, or how long she ran, he'd come for her.

In reality, she had only one *real* option.

"Fine. I'll stay for two weeks. But, I don't think you'll get me to like you in that time." She stood and climbed out of the now lukewarm water. As she wrapped a towel around herself, she felt his 'gaze' on her. Sometimes, she swore, it felt like he really could see her.

"I don't know, Annabelle," He smirked at her from the tub. "There may be something there that wasn't there before. And, believe me, I'm a persistent bastard. You'll learn to love me."