arms came into view. A much longer one ran along his spine from his neck down between the two dimples on his lower back. A pair of matching silvery stripes were visible on his calves.
“What happened?” I took a step closer, momentarily forgetting about the tension of attraction sizzling in the air. “Your scars?” I explained when he glanced at me over his shoulder. “Scars like that, I imagine, would come with a story.”
I really wanted to hear it if there was one. In fact, I wished to know everything about him—more than could be learned in just one night, I realized.
“There is no story.” He stood in the tub. “I just...was born like this.”
A kind of skin depigmentation, possibly?
The pale lines on his body appeared to be too straight and perfect for birth marks, as if made by man, not nature. I didn’t press for more, though, as he didn’t add anything on the subject.
Instead, he offered me his hand, inviting me to join him, “Come?”
All thoughts immediately scrambled in my head, my focus shifting entirely to what was about to come. Despite the nervous apprehension, I wanted to be close to him again.
With a brief nod, I handed him my glass, and he set it down on the bench next to his while I took off my top over my head. I was glad I wore a pretty bra and panty set that day—white lace with cute pink polka dots.
The lingerie didn’t stay on for long, though. I took the bra off, feeling Zeph’s gaze on my skin. My nipples hardened with the awareness of him staring at me, although I stubbornly kept my eyes focused on the grey rug.
Next, I shimmied out of my shorts and panties and rolled my fishnet stockings down, finally stepping out of my crystal-studded flats.
Drawing some air in, I raised my gaze to his, realizing that my apprehension had nothing to do with doubt—I had none. I wanted to be with him. If his kisses were anything to go by, the night with him promised to be one I would never forget.
What worried me was my own inexperience. I was afraid I’d do or say something that would make it painfully apparent.
“Come,” he repeated, holding out his hand.
His warm, easy smile was encouraging, holding my gaze. Using his hand for support, I stepped into the bath. The soapy water rising above my ankles, the bubbles caressed my skin.
Zeph released a long breath. Hands on the edge of the tub, he lowered his body into the water. I carefully crouched down, too, aiming for the opposite end of the tub, but he caught me around my waist and placed me between his spread legs, my back to his chest.
“This is good,” he said in an unusually somber tone.
The water kept rising, enclosing us in a warm cloud of bubbles.
“During the day,” Zeph said above my ear, gesturing at the huge bay window that was now straight ahead of us. “When the sky is blue, with not too many clouds out there, I can almost pretend I’m looking out to sea.”
“Do you like big water?” I asked, leaning my head on his shoulder. He was right, sitting like this and talking definitely felt good.
“It calls to me,” he replied enigmatically, wrapping his arms around me. The warmth of the bath water around us and the strength of his body behind me felt comforting, finally calming my nerves completely. “One day, I want to live on a coast somewhere.”
“Why wait? What’s holding you in the city?”
“Lero has the cabaret here.” He nuzzled the spot above my ear. “And I need to work.”
“You could work elsewhere, couldn’t you? I can’t believe some huge record label hasn’t discovered you yet. Have you ever been offered a recording contract? With the voice like yours—”
“Oh, I have.” He waved me off. “A number of times. I’ve turned them all down, though.”
“Why?”
“Contracts come with too much publicity, which brings a lot of unwanted attention. And Lero says—,” he cut himself short. “Well, it doesn’t really matter what he says. Once you’re in the public eye, it’s impossible to blend in.”
“Why would you want to blend in?” I wondered how much control Lero had over Zeph’s career. They were a family. Was he also his manager? Why would Lero hold Zeph back? “Doesn’t everyone want to stand out from the crowd? Nature made sure you could by giving you your gift.”
“So, you like my singing?” he asked softly in my ear,