had been a good one. His body was firm, well-muscled, and kissed by the sun. He was not fat, nor was he large-boned. There was a solid stockiness to him that she found comforting. His arms and legs were hairless, as was his chest. He had longer legs than she would have expected, and a well-sculpted, hard torso. His buttocks were tight.
His male organs seemed smaller than she was used to, but she suspected he was of quite average size. Her “barbarians” and Wulf had been the exceptions to the rule, Casia had assured her when they had once spoken on it. Her curiosity had led her to question the lovely courtesan who had tutored her so well in the arts of Eros. Casia had been a font of useful and rather fascinating information for Cailin, who was so lacking in practical experience regarding men and lovemaking.
His voice brought her back to the present. “Do you find me as beautiful as I find you, Cailin?” he asked her.
“Yes,” she said quietly. He was an attractive man, and she saw no reason not to tell him so.
“Take up the strigil, now, and scrape me,” he ordered her. “I am filthy from my ride. The roads are particularly dusty at this time of year.”
Cailin picked up the silver bathing tool and began to remove the sweat and grime that his ride in the heat of the day had deposited on his skin. She had watched the bath attendants at Villa Maxima at their trade, for Casia had warned her that men frequently enjoyed being served this way by their lovers. Slowly, carefully, she worked, moving from his shoulders and chest, down his arms and back and legs.
“You have a skill for this work,” he said softly as she knelt before him, carefully running the bath instrument over his thighs.
“I am a novice at such a task,” she said, “but I am glad I please you, my lord.” She rinsed him with a basin of warm water taken from the bathing pool, and he took the strigil from her hands. “I will scrape you now,” he said softly, plying the tool. Cailin stood very still as he moved the strigil gently over her delicate skin. She found this love-play rather charming. His restraint in claiming his rights was very reassuring. She sighed as he rinsed her, and turning to face him, she said, “Now, my lord, I will wash you before we enter the bathing pool.”
He stood in one of the hollowed mosaic shells in the floor. Cailin placed an alabaster jar of soft soap on the floor nearby and took up a sea sponge. Scooping some soap from the jar, she spread it over his shoulders, and then worked up a lather using the sponge. Slowly, carefully, she washed him, working in an efficient manner, turning him about as she knelt, adding more soap, scrubbing with the sponge. She blushed self-consciously as she bathed his manhood, but to his credit he said nothing, remaining quiet as she worked. Cailin stood, swirling the soapy sponge over his belly and up his broad chest. Finished, she rinsed him again with warm water, relieved the ordeal was over. She had never bathed a man before. Wulf had always washed himself, usually in the fast-running stream near the hall, even in winter.
“Now you may enter the bathing pool,” she told him.
“Nay,” he answered her, and took the sponge from her hand. “You must be washed first, my beauty.” Bending, he rinsed the sponge in the bronze basin, and tipping the dirty water out, refilled it with fresh.
“I can bathe myself,” she said shyly.
“I’m certain you can,” he said, laughter evident in his tone, “but would you deny me the pleasure serving you will give me?” Not waiting for her answer, he dipped his three fingers into the alabaster pot and began to slowly spread soap over her shoulders and back. The slow, circular motion of the sea sponge on her skin was almost mesmerizing in its sensuous movement. She thought she felt his lips touch the back of her neck, and then the soapy sponge swirled over it, leaving her confused. Kneeling, he washed her buttocks, kissing them first, and then moved on to her legs. “Turn,” he said, and she obeyed, although her body was already beginning to feel heavy with desire. How lovely all of this was. Bathing with a man was most pleasurable.
He lifted her left foot and washed it, then the right.