33. Brandon

33

brANDON

B randon leaned against the doorframe of his and Morelle's bathroom, watching as she sank deeper into the bubble bath with a contented sigh. The tension that had been evident in her shoulders all evening seemed to melt away in the warm water.

As her phone buzzed with an incoming message, he handed it to her, but she shook her head. "Tell me what it says. My hands are covered in soap bubbles."

"It's from Ell-rom. Rob's transitioning, and Ell-rom and Jasmine are heading to the clinic to sit with Margo and the others. They'll be home late."

"That's wonderful news." Morelle smiled, trailing her fingers through the foam. "I hope the transition goes smoothly for Rob."

"From what I hear, the faster it starts, the better the chances of a smooth transition." Brandon settled onto the edge of the tub. "And his started very quickly."

Morelle nodded, then let out another deep sigh. "I still can't believe how well everyone took my news. I was so terrified of their reactions, especially Annani's. But they were all so accepting."

"Of course, they were." Brandon extended his hand to gently sweep a cluster of bubbles from her forehead. "They love you. And your ability isn't nearly as frightening as you'd built it up to be in your mind."

"I'm not sure you are right about that." She caught his hand and pressed a kiss to his palm. "But thank you for helping me shrink the big monster into a little one."

"Your ability could never be monstrous," he said softly. "You're one of the most compassionate people I know. The only reason your ability even manifested was because you needed it to save a child."

"True." She smiled up at him, her blue eyes sparkling. "There's one more secret I need to tell you, and then there will be no more secrets between us."

"What's that?"

"It's about Ell-rom's power?—"

"Stop." Brandon held up a hand. "As much as I appreciate you wanting to share everything with me, Kian doesn't want the council to know about that yet. And I don't want to put myself in a position where I'm defying him. I can wait to learn that particular secret," he assured her. "When Kian decides it's time, I'll hear it along with everyone else."

To his relief, Morelle didn't seem hurt by his interruption. If anything, her smile grew warmer. "You're a good man, Brandon. Loyal. I value that a great deal."

"I aim to please." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Morelle's eyes took on a mischievous glint as she gestured at the spacious tub. "Well, if you really aim to please, you should get undressed and join me. There's plenty of room for two in this huge tub."

Brandon didn't need to be asked twice. He stood and began unbuttoning his shirt, watching as Morelle's eyes followed his movements with clear appreciation. The heat in her gaze sent warmth spreading through his body that had nothing to do with the steamy air.

"You know," he said as he shrugged off his shirt, "I never actually used this tub before you moved in. I always preferred quick showers."

"What a waste of a perfectly good bathtub." Morelle shifted to make room for him. "Though I suppose that means we get to break it in together."

His pants joined his shirt on the floor, and he couldn't help but notice how Morelle's gaze dropped to admire his naked form .

As he stepped into the tub behind her, the warm water enveloped him like a caress, and as Morelle settled back against his chest, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

"This is nice," she murmured, laying her head back on his shoulder.

"Very nice," he agreed, pressing a kiss to her temple. The sweet scent of her shampoo mingled with the steam rising from the water, creating an intimate cocoon around them.

He ran his hands up and down her arms, marveling at the silky texture of her skin. He was hard, and he knew she could feel his erection poking her bottom, but he didn't intend to start anything unless she initiated it. Morelle needed his support tonight, and that's what he was doing. If she needed anything else from him, all she had to do was ask or just throw a hint.

He was easy.

"I love you," Morelle said suddenly, turning her head to look up at him. "I like saying that."

Brandon tightened his arms around her. "And I love hearing that. I love you too, my princess." He kissed her shoulder. "You've completely changed my life."

She shifted in his arms to face him more fully. "Changed in what way? For the better, I hope?"

"Infinitely better." He traced a droplet of water down her cheek. "You've brought light and joy and wonder into my world. And yes, some complications, too—but that just makes things more interesting. I wouldn't change a single thing about you."

"Even my questionable abilities?"

"Especially those." He grinned. "They're part of what makes you uniquely you. Besides, I meant what I said earlier—your ability could be incredibly useful in the right circumstances."

"I'm starting to believe that," she admitted. "Especially after seeing how everyone reacted. Even Kian seemed more interested than concerned. I dreaded his reaction the most. He's so protective of his mother and his whole community."

"He was intrigued because he saw the potential." Brandon ran his fingers through her wet hair, loving how it was growing out. "And he trusts you to use your gift responsibly."

"I just hope I can learn to control it." She closed her eyes. "I don't want to accidentally drain someone's power when they need their energy, or to expend too much of my own and harm myself."

"Amanda will figure it out." He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. "After you explain to her what you are really dealing with, she will know how to approach it. She might not look it, but she's a very smart lady."

Morelle's eyes popped open. "Why do you say she doesn't look smart?"

"The first impression people have of her is that of a frivolous socialite, but that's just the facade she wears for whatever reason, and you wouldn't know what that means, so forget I said it. The important thing is that she can help you develop proper control."

Morelle nodded, and then a small smile curved her lips. "You know what else I need to learn better control of?"

"What's that?"

Instead of answering, she straddled his lap, sending water sloshing against the sides of the tub. Her hands came up to frame his face as she leaned in to kiss him.

Brandon groaned into the kiss, his hands sliding down to grip her hips. The warm water made her skin impossibly silky under his palms, and the way she moved against him was rapidly driving coherent thought from his mind.

When she finally pulled back, they were both breathing heavily. "That," she said with a grin. "Though I think I'm getting better with practice."

"Much better," he agreed, his voice rough. "Though I think you might need more practice just to be sure."

As he pulled her down for another kiss, her delighted laugh echoed off the bathroom tiles. The water splashed around them, but Brandon couldn't have cared less about the mess they were making.