His eyes meet mine, observing me. I feel all these emotions form a cloud of steam in front of me.

"Hey, you." My voice is relaxed and easy.

James blinks, and his face softens. "Hey, sweetheart."

My heart is about to pump out of my chest. In the stillness of our bathroom, with soft music playing in the background, we both feel that pull between us.

Leaning against the ledge of the bathtub, James hands me a glass, then walks over to the accent chair posted near a window and pulls it up to the tub. I get on my knees and rise just as he takes a seat. Suds trickle down my naked body, his heated gaze follows the lavender scented soap over the swell of my heavy breasts and down the slope of my belly.

I don't give him a chance to speak. I just pull his mouth to mine and plant a hard kiss to his lips. James clutches my waist with his free hand, then drops to his knees so we're eye level and kisses me back with just as much vigor. Once his hands are on me, they don't leave. Blindly, he places his glass down then takes mine to do the same. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and deepen the kiss. I'm soaking wet but it doesn't faze him. His arms are securely wrapped around the small of my back and my chest is pressed to his. He moans into my mouth and it makes me wet for him. Our tongues tie together in a slow, languid kiss, like we're both trying to prove something. James cups some water and drizzles it over the curve of my hip, then runs his hand down my thigh, ending with a firm grip. I love when he grabs me like a savage. It makes me feel small and weak for him at the same time, something that revs my engine.

I break the kiss and he groans. Chills dance down my arms at the sound of his desire. Our love is insurmountable.

"I don't want to fight with you," I say quickly. "I feel like there's this wall between us and I don't like it."

"Sweetheart, shhh," he says. James cups the side of my face and I lean into his palm. His blue eyes gaze into mine like he's baffled. "There's never going to be a wall between us, Aubrey."

My heart, god, what he does to me when he tries to show his commitment.

I nod. "Promise?"

"Yes." He hesitates for a split second, then says, "I respect your decision and won’t bring it up again."

A breath hitches in my throat. My ribs feel like they are being laced together and pushing the air from my lungs. How can I tell him I want him to without sounding needy?

Instead, I try a different route. "Can you just give me time to process it? It's not off the table." I throw in, my voice shaky. Shit, I'm so nervous. "I just wanted you to know that."