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The flush of heat along his cheekbones made her smile, despite her hurt "I never suspected you’d be so prireen eyes et dressed and we’ll see coh soap in the bath to keep you decent"

Rip looked down, bubbles licking at his mid-riff Still, he didn’t draw his hands away "Still ain’t right"

"I wasn’t aware you’d read Lady Hammersley’s Rules of Etiquette" Despite herself, she couldn’t help teasing him "Besides, you’ve had your mouth on my throat, John That’s rather ree?"

He looked away Not to be drawn by her teasing A part of her deflated "Why are you ‘ere?" he asked

Esme paused by the stand that held the bath oils and soaps Picking up a vial of rosewood oil, she sniffed it, then stoppered it again Blade was always one for signs of decadence The wash-chamber could have been found in one of the Echelon’s hoht want to talk," she said quietly "You looked upset when you cah the door"

Water splashed as he reached for the faucet and turned it off Es the next oil Too lemony

"Ain’t upset Just… frustrated" He leaned back in the tub, legs drawn up to fit his length Bubbles clung to the thick dark hairs on his hs "Were workin’ on this a few days Didn’t tell Blade ‘til tonight"

"You knew the Slashers were in the ‘Chapel?" She looked up frorier

"Wanted to ‘andle it ?"

"Aye" A gruff warning for her to drop the subject

Esme idly sniffed another vial Sandalwood She’d always liked the s a bar of soap and a wash cloth, she took the oil and crossed to the bath

Rip didn’t quite stiffen but she could sense the tension in his body Another jolt to the heart His disapproval of this was clear

"Relax," sheit sharply in her chest Hurt brewed up, but she pushed it aside Tonight wasn’t about her

Sitting on the lip of the bath, she dunked the washcloth into the water Rip almost leapt out of the bath "What are you doin’?"

Es your back," she replied, wishing he didn’t sound as if she’d suggested he roll in a dead cat "You can’t reach"

Steeling herself, she put a hand to his shoulder and pushed hi his arht his arlimpsed his back The bulk of his neck was as thick as one of his thighs Es a trail of lather behind

"Thought I could ‘andle it," he said suddenly "Just wanted… I dunno To prove I were under control, that I could do this Been so fuckin’ useless the last few h his body

Es the cloth up over his shoulder and down his chest She had to rest her hand on his other shoulder to reach, her fingertips touching cool ed and puckered where the steel hly sensitive there

"Blade said you killed so the heavy slab of his pectorals

"Not enough"

"You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself Every one of them that you killup like et rid of ‘eh to see no other way to live Coin’s a good lure"

"You brought Meggie’s hed "It were Blade I couldn’t go near ‘er Not with all the blood"

"Aye, well, Meggie thinks you’re a hero You were the one who promised her you’d try and find her mother"

"Ain’t no ‘ero"

"You are to irl and herStill, she thought he looked pleased with her words Or accepting, at least

Slowly he relaxed back against the bath, tipping his head back against the lip The muscles in his throat worked as he sed, his dark lashes fluttering closed against his cheeks

Esme continued her slow, hypnoticthe cloth below the water, she dragged it up, dripping water across his soapy chest Rip shifted, his eyes fluttering open as she delved beneath the water again, but he soon settled once he realized the movement was innocuous

"This is nice," he admitted

"I used to do this for Tom," she mused "Or sometimes I would climb in with him"

Stillness "You miss your ‘usband"

"Of course I do" She clenched the cloth in her hands, wringing it out "It was a long ties of the Warren, with its war with Touilty thought, but true

Rip seeain" He looked up at her as she dropped the cloth on the stand and picked up the vial of sandalwood oil

"Perhaps nobody has asked me," she replied, with careful neutrality

"That butcher on Abbott’s Lane took a liking to you" His words see’ to me in the last few years And not one of then of protection tattooed on my wrist" She let the oil drip into her cupped palether "Lean forward"

Rip eyed her hands "What are you doin’ now?"

"Have you ever seencloser, she settled directly behind him