Page 110 of An Inconvenient Vow

“I have already had two baths. This is my third and entirely clean. It is to help my muscles relax.”

“Your third?” Sabina gasped, gazing at the vast tub. My gods, no wonder Wilton did not seem to like them. Even filling it once must have taken an age!

Feeling his hands in her hair, she realized he was unfastening her braids. She closed her eyes and allowed it. The fight had gone out of her completely and she just wanted to close her eyes and drift away from the horror of her day.

When she felt the soaped washcloth along her shoulders, she opened her eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Washing you,” he answered. “Take a deep breath.”

“What?” Sabina drew in her breath and then found herself dunked under the water. When she emerged coughing and spluttering moments later, he started soaping her wet hair. “Most people would simply wet my hair with a jug!” she informed him indignantly. “Not by half drowning me.”

He frowned. “I have never washed anyone before.”

“Oh,” Sabina said lamely. “Well…” She trailed off as Jeffree’s fingertips rubbed against her scalp. It was startlingly pleasant, and her eyes drifted shut again as she surrendered herself wholly to his ministrations.

“Are you going to tell me why you were crying?” he asked in a low voice some moments later, as he wrung the last drop of moisture out of the length of her wet hair and dropped it over the edge of the tub.

Sabina sniffed. “It is… stupid,” she admitted.

He cocked an eye at her. “Stand up.”

Now it was Sabina’s turn to frown. “I don’t want to,” she admitted. Being in water up to her neck was comforting. Exposing her far from perfect body was not.

“Up,” he said firmly. “I need to soap your limbs. You will feel better when it is done.”

Sabina sighed, for this was true enough. Screwing her eyes shut, she straightened up from the water and stood entirely still as Jeffree ran the soapy cloth all over her body. He did not flinch from the more private areas of her breasts and between her legs, but neither did he tarry there. The cloth carried on its unhurried circular route, whether it was over her thighs and buttocks or her lower back and ribs.

Sabina felt herself relax at his light, comforting touch and swayed on her feet.

“Sit back down,” he said gruffly, and Sabina sank down into the water, her eyes springing open at last to look at him. He had sunk back down into the water beside her and was gazing intently at her. “Tell me now,” he said insistently.

The words flew out of her mouth before Sabina could even check them. “I love you,” she said and then clapped her hands over her own mouth in dismay. Why had she blurted that? What was she saying? That was not even what he had meant, she realized, her eyes widening with horror, for his stunned gaze informed her he had merely been asking why she was crying.

You stupid fool, she raged inwardly at herself. Oh, my gods, could you be any more of an embarrassment this day?

Jeffree’s eyes bored into her. “Say that again.” His voice sounded odd, husky, and sort of gravelly.

Sabina shook her head, her cheeks growing hot with embarrassment. He moved in closer, his body crowding hers against the side of the tub. Sabina whimpered as his hand pulled hers away from her mouth. “Say it again,” he ordered, his gaze fixed on her mouth.

“I m-mistook your meaning,” she stammered. Then when he did not draw back so much as an inch, she said taking a deep, fortifying breath. “I love you,” she said closing her eyes tight. Oh gods, she thought as her stomach plummeted. It was true. She did love him. She loved the most arrogant, insufferable man in all Karadok! How could this have happened?

She felt Jeffree’s breath against her face, then his lips were gently brushing kisses against her brow.

“Now say it with your eyes open,” he said drawing back.

Sabina opened her eyes to find his face right in front of hers. “I love you,” she said wonderingly, before adding a panicked, “Oh gods, whatever is to become of me?”

“I will tell you, shall I?” he asked, catching her hand, and threading his fingers through hers. “I am going to take care of you, wife,” he said, lowering his mouth and kissing her lingeringly. “And spoil you so thoroughly that you will never ever regret giving me your heart.”

While Sabina reeled at these astonishing words, Jeffree stood up, pulled her to her feet, and then stepped out of the tub. He fetched a drying cloth and started patting it over her upper body. “I can dry myself, Jeffree,” she protested weakly. “You are dripping water all over the floor.”

He paid her words no heed, and once he had dried her off down as far as her thighs, he scooped her out of the wooden tub and carried her over to the bed. Then, when he had lain her down, he proceeded to dry her knees, calves, and feet before turning his attention back to his own body. She could not help but notice he dealt with in the most perfunctory manner after his almost worshipful attitude towards Sabina’s own.

“Will you let me braid your hair?” he asked, discarding the drying cloth.

“I half thought you were joking that time,” she admitted with a smile.

He reached out and touched her hair. “’Tis still slightly damp,” he commented. “Does that matter?”