He winced and reached out to turn off the taps. “I never looked at it like that. It’s never comfortable, Catarina, and I’m not particularly proud of it, but I wormed my way into a human trafficking ring by sleeping with a fucking bitch who acquired young girls. I shut that shit down. Am I sorry I slept with the skank? Do I wish I didn’t have to do it? Hell yeah. But I closed it down and a hell of a lot of young girls were rescued and more saved from being forced into that kind of life.”

He worked at keeping the edge out of his voice, but he didn’t like having to justify himself and his choices. He stalked across the room and yanked the covers back, exposing her naked body. For the first time he was able to really look at her body. The evidence of his possession was on her thighs, along with trickles of blood.

She had a gorgeous body. Her curves were definitely lush and soft. Her skin was satin, her hair silk. Even the tiny curls at the junction of her legs looked soft and silky. She blushed and reached for the sheet. He bunched the material in his fist and kept her from pulling it over her.

“I’m putting you in the bathtub, woman. You have to get used to being naked around me.” He caught her up, cradling her close to him. Their combined scent made him hard all over again. He liked the way they smelled together, hot and primal and straight out of a rain forest.

She was forced to reach back and hook his neck with one arm. The action lifted her breast toward his mouth. He dipped his head and licked at the nipple. She did a full body shiver and her breath rushed out of her lungs.

He set her down, feet first, in the tub and she sank low, holding the thick mass of hair out of the water. He had forgotten that her hair would be everywhere. He stepped behind her, gathered the heavy fall in his hand and deftly tied a loose knot on top of her head.

“I think we need to get something straight,” she said, not looking at him again.

“Eli,” he prompted.

Her blue gaze darted to his. She made a face. “Eli, then. It’s important for you to know that even though I totally screwed up, it doesn’t change anything. It was sex. That’s all. Sex. There is no reason for me to get comfortable being naked around you. I don’t plan on being naked often. In fact, I prefer that you’re not in the room while I’m taking a bath.”