Chapter 367: Quick Study ( R18 )

A slow, wicked grin spread across Jax’s face, a look of pure, masculine delight. He leaned back against the smooth, heated marble of the bath, his arms spread out along the edge, making no move to hide his powerful, naked form.

The ethereal blue light from the crystals played across the hard planes of his muscles, casting him in the role of a dark god at rest.

"Oh, I will," he promised, his voice a low, seductive rumble that vibrated through the water and into her very bones. "I’ll show you everything. The stars in the sky, the view from the highest mountain peak, the colors of a sunrise... I’ll show you a world you’ve only dreamed of. But first..."

He reached out, his hand cupping the back of her neck, pulling her closer until their lips were just inches apart. His gaze was intense, burning with a heat that had nothing to do with the bathwater. "It’s your turn. Wash me."

The command was soft, but it was a command nonetheless.

Ashanti’s breath hitched. The shy, timid girl she had been for so long flickered to the surface for a moment, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson.

But the new Ashanti, the queen he had just crowned, was stronger. She saw the request not as an order, but as an invitation. An invitation to explore, to touch, to worship him as he had worshipped her.

She nodded, a shy, but determined smile gracing her lips. "Okay," she whispered.

She turned in his arms, reaching for the same cake of moonpearl and sandalwood soap. The scent, now mingled with their own unique musk, was intoxicating.

She worked it between her palms, just as he had, her movements a little less sure, a little more hesitant, but no less reverent. A rich, creamy lather built up in her hands.

She turned back to him, her eyes wide with a mixture of trepidation and awe. He was so... big. So magnificently male.

His shoulders were broad, his chest a solid wall of muscle that tapered down to a lean, hard stomach.

The water lapped at his abdomen, but she could see the dark, tantalizing trail of hair that disappeared beneath the surface.

She had felt this body with her hands, had felt it moving inside her, but seeing it, being able to visually appreciate its raw power and beauty, was a whole new experience.

She started with his chest, as he had with hers. Her soapy palms glided over his skin, and she marveled at the feel of him.

He was like warm, living stone, hard and unyielding, yet his skin was surprisingly soft.

She traced the lines of his pectoral muscles, her fingers exploring the contours with a newfound curiosity. She could feel the steady, powerful beat of his heart beneath her touch, a primal rhythm that seemed to call to her own.

She looked up at his face, and her breath caught. His eyes were closed, his head tilted back slightly, a look of profound contentment on his face.

He was completely at ease in her care, trusting her with his body as she had trusted him with hers. The thought filled her with a surge of confidence.

Her hands became bolder. She moved to his shoulders, her thumbs digging into the thick muscle, feeling the tension there.

She wanted to soothe him, to ease the burdens he always seemed to carry. She washed his arms, her fingers tracing the network of scars that crisscrossed his skin.

Each one told a story of a battle fought, a danger survived.

She didn’t see them as imperfections; she saw them as a testament to his strength, to the warrior he was. She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to a particularly jagged scar on his bicep.

Jax’s eyes fluttered open, and he looked down at her, his gaze dark and smoldering. He didn’t speak, but the look in his eyes was enough. It was a look of raw, unadulterated desire.

Emboldened, Ashanti moved behind him, her hands gliding over his back. It was a landscape of powerful muscle and sinew, a testament to his strength.

She washed his broad back, her hands moving down to the narrow, tapering line of his waist. She could feel the latent power coiled there, the potential for explosive movement.

She returned to face him, her eyes drawn to his stomach. She washed the hard, ridged muscles of his abdomen, her fingers dipping into each groove.

She was mesmerized by the way they tensed and flexed under her touch. Her gaze drifted lower, to the part of him that was still hidden beneath the water. She felt a flutter of nervous anticipation.

She took a deep breath, her hands sliding down his hips, over his powerful thighs. She washed his long, muscular legs, her touch lingering, exploring every inch of him. She was learning his body, memorizing it with her hands and her eyes.

Finally, there was only one place left. She looked up at him, seeking permission. He gave it with a slow, deliberate nod, his eyes never leaving hers.

Her hands, still covered in foamy lather, slid beneath the water. She found him, and her breath hitched. Even in the warm water, he was formidable.

She wrapped her fingers around his thick, semi-hard shaft, and he let out a low, guttural groan. The sound sent a jolt of pure, feminine power straight through her.

She began to stroke him, her movements slow and sensual. She was washing him, but it was so much more than that. It was a caress, an exploration.

She felt him harden in her grasp, growing thicker, longer, until he was a rigid, formidable staff of flesh. She cupped his heavy balls with her other hand, gently rolling them, her touch light and teasing.

"Gods, Ashanti," he groaned, his head falling back against the marble again. "You’re going to be the death of me."

A small, triumphant smile played on her lips. She leaned in, her lips brushing against his ear. "Not before I’m done with you," she whispered, her voice a husky, confident purr.

She rinsed him with the warm, fragrant water, her hands continuing to explore every inch of his magnificent body. When she was finished, he was clean, but he was also fully, achingly aroused.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, his gaze burning with an intensity that made her heart race. "You’re a quick study," he murmured, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face. "And now, my queen... it’s time for your next lesson."