65. Jasmine

65

JASMINE

T he conversation around the table ebbed and flowed, touching on Earth customs, Anumati technology, history, and their different colonies, which Jasmine found the most fascinating. She'd heard some of it before during the trip to Tibet, but it was always fun to hear those wondrous tales again.

By now most of the takeout boxes were empty, and the guys were scraping the leftovers onto their plates, and the gals were watching them fondly. Ell-rom had eaten his custom-made meal and even tasted a couple of the vegetable dishes. He'd loved the eggplant but hadn't been too impressed by the green beans with cashews and tofu.

Jasmine couldn't blame him. It was the one dish she didn't like either.

What surprised her was how well Ell-rom was doing in a social setting. She'd been anxious about this gathering being overwhelming for him, but he seemed fine, and her friends liked him.

The gods had been a little suspicious at the beginning of the meal, but they had gotten over it pretty quickly, each of them contributing information that Ell-rom was drinking in.

Aru knew a lot about Anumatian politics and history, Dagor knew a lot about the tech, but Negal had the best stories. He was the oldest of the three, and he had served on several vessels in the fleet long before Aru and Dagor were born. She could listen all night to his stories about the planets he had visited and the adventures he had experienced, but Ell-rom was getting tired. The excitement of the day was clearly catching up to him.

When he tried to stifle a yawn, Margo noticed. "Well, this has been lovely," she said, standing and beginning to gather plates. "But I think Ell-rom needs to get in bed." She smiled at him. "You've been a trooper, but you need to conserve your energy to heal faster."

Jasmine let out a breath. For a moment there, she'd been afraid that Margo was about to tell Ell-rom that he needed to conserve his energy for other things. He would have been so embarrassed.

Although, given how tired he looked, Jasmine was pretty sure that he would be asleep before his head hit the pillow. Then again, it wasn't late, so he might take a nap and wake up invigorated.

Yeah, that sounded like a plan.

Their first time together should be when Ell-rom was in top shape.

Right. So maybe tonight wasn't a good idea at all, or the next week, or maybe even longer.

Damn, she wanted him now.

That was selfish of her. She needed to let him decide when he was ready and not pressure him into anything.

When Jasmine rose to her feet to help Margo, her friend shooed her away. "We've got it. Take your man to bed. Or better yet, draw him a nice bath." She winked.

Jasmine chuckled. "We shall see." She walked over to where Ell-rom had left his walker and brought it closer to him so he could use it to get up.

"Thank you." He gripped the handles and pulled himself to a standing position. "Thank you all for a lovely dinner. I enjoyed the company and the food."

The others responded in kind, and then they were off, walking toward the bedroom.

"So," Jasmine said. "What did you think?"

"I like your friends a lot. They were so genuine in their welcome." He sighed. "It's nice to have friends. I've never had any."

Jasmine felt a lump form in her throat at his words. "Well, you do now." She opened the door to their bedroom.

"Thanks to you." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I owe you everything."

"How about a bath?" she suggested, an idea forming as she spoke. "It's a special treat that you haven't experienced yet. It will help you relax after such a busy day."

"That sounds interesting." Ell-rom followed her to the bathroom. "I just hope I won't fall asleep in there." He eyed the large tub. "That is big enough for two, but not lying down."

"You are not supposed to lie down in the tub. You are supposed to recline. Do you see these holes?" She pointed. "Those release jets of water that massage your muscles."

"I need that." He chuckled. "I'm aching all over."

"This will definitely help." She plugged the drain and started the water. "It's a big tub, so it will take a while to fill up. You should sit down and start undressing." She pointed to the bench where she'd left a stack of towels.

Poor guy. He hadn't complained even once, so she hadn't known. Not that there was much she could have done for him. When her muscles hurt after a workout, she usually popped a pill. Bathing was a rare luxury that she'd enjoyed once in a while when staying in a high-end hotel. The bathtub in her apartment was child-sized, so it hadn't offered much relaxation.

Oh, right. She didn't have that place anymore. Jasmine was glad that she didn't need to pay rent anymore, and she was staying in a luxurious penthouse, so she wasn't homeless, but she felt displaced.

Ell-rom must feel so much worse.

She cast him a sidelong glance to see how he was doing, but all he had accomplished so far was to toe off his shoes. "Do you need help undressing?"

He shook his head. "You said it will take a long time to fill up the tub, so I'm not in a rush."

She smiled at him. "Take your time."

He was no doubt embarrassed to undress in front of her, but that was silly. She had seen him in his swimming trunks twice already. And yesterday, they had even made out in the pool.

A smile tugged at her lips at the memory.

Ell-rom was still skin and bones, but it hadn't detracted from the pleasure she'd felt straddling his hips and rubbing herself over his hard length.

As she added foaming bubbles to the water, a small worry niggled at the back of her mind. What if Ell-rom really fell asleep in the warm water? As skinny as he still was, she knew she wouldn't be able to lift him out of the tub herself, and having to call one of the gods to help her would mortify Ell-rom. He was so proud.

She had to ensure that he stayed awake.