Feeling a burst of confidence at his words, Annika pulled her camisole over her head and slipped out of her shorts. She could see his breathing pick up as he looked at her in her black bra and lace underwear. Then, reaching behind her, Annika unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor, relishing the cool air against her breasts, making her nipples erect. His reaction was immediate; his pupils dilated; his breathing got harsher. Next she slid out of her underwear, already feeling how wet and ready she was, and without meeting his eye, she climbed into the bathtub.

Hudson swallowed visibly; it helped her to see him discombobulated for a change. A rush of exhilaration overtook her as the hot, foamy water slipped over her bare skin, making her sigh. She looked up at him. “Now what?” she asked softly.

He turned off the faucet and sat on the wide edge of the tub. It was maddening in the best way, being completely naked while he was fully clothed. “Now I’ll wash you,” he said, his voice husky.

She held his gaze for a long moment and then nodded, her body melting into the water.

As Hudson retrieved a washcloth and soaked it, Annika lay back and closed her eyes. A moment later, she felt the texture of the warm fabric traveling down her arms, first one, then the other. He wiped her face gently, starting at her forehead, then traveling slowly over the bridge of her nose, caressing her mouth and chin. The washcloth traveled lower still, down the arch of her throat to her shoulders. Her pulse hammered wildly.

The washcloth slipped down to her chest, and then, slowly, almost reverently, over her right nipple. Annika couldn’t help it—a soft moan left her mouth before she’d even known it was coming.

She heard Hudson suck in a breath and opened her eyes.

“You’re fucking beautiful,” he growled abruptly, as if holding back some great emotion.

Annika’s eyes slipped shut again as the washcloth traveled lower, into the water, along her diaphragm and across her stomach. She parted her legs in the water, aching to feel the fabric between them.

Hudson swiped the inside of her right thigh, then her left, each motion of his wrist making her pant, making her writhe with absolute desire. Even now, even as she struggled to keep her composure, he was in control, his movements never hesitant, his face a mask of calm as his eyes blazed a trail of fire over her skin.

“Hudson—” she found herself saying, his name a sizzle on her lips.

“What?” he breathed huskily, dipping his head down to hers, nipping at her lips. “Tell me what you want.”

Annika put a hand on his strong wrist in the water. “I want you to touch me,” she whispered against his lips.