Invisible String - A Sebastian Sallow Story

Chapter XVIII (NSFW)

She was laying in the conjured bath when he arrived back from his walk with Anne. Hair pulled atop her head, being held by her wand, while soap unfortunately covered her body from the shoulders down. Smiling at her cheekily he stepped towards her, slowly shedding his outer layers to join.

"I was just thinking how wonderful it would be to take a bath to warm up." He told her as she rolled her eyes.

"Well that's unfortunate considering the water is now quite cold so perhaps you should rethink your plan." She responded as she lifted her eyes to take in his broad and unclothed shoulders as he ripped the sweater off his head. He eyed the steam still coming off the top of the water mischievously.

"Luckily that is an easy fix" he quipped, gripping his wand ready to prove his point.

"I don't recall giving you permission to join me Mr. Sallow. It is still highly improper for you to be in here, let alone next to me while nude." He could tell from her tone she wasn't serious, only playing with him, but he continued to humor her narrative.

"Well, could perhaps it being my birthday a worthy enough exception for you to break your rules of propriety? There is nothing else I truly want more, than to enjoy what time I have with you." He lowered his head, glancing at her through his lashes while his lips twisted into a small pout.

"Is that all you've got?" She laughed at his attempts to get a concession.

"I am wounded M'lady. You dare reject such a fine gentleman's proposition after you have teased him as such. On a day of such wonderful celebration no less" he stripped himself of his pants, still leaving on his breeches while he stepped closer, leaning over the barrel of the wooden tub, putting his weight onto his forearms.

"You are lucky I adore you." She let out with fake annoyance, moving over to make room for him.

Even without an audience he felt the need to lift his fist in victory, smile upon his face, before bowing to a nonexistent crowd as if he had won a crossed wands duel. With his prideful display she splashed him slightly with water before laughing.

"And that ladies and gentlemen is how it is done" he spoke as he lowered himself into the spot she had created for him.

"How what exactly is done?" She questioned.

"That is how one fine, incredibly capable, not to mention talented, young gentleman would be so lucky to find himself nude next to such a beautiful woman as yourself"

At first she thought perhaps he was joking, considering he was speaking so highly of himself, but the more he continued she realized he was being at the very least, mildly serious. Rolling her eyes she turned away from him temporarily reaching for the soap.

She gestured for him to occupy the space in front of her as she had done so previously when they bathed together and he happily did so, water sloshing over the edges slightly and onto the floor. Carefully she brought her palms to cup water, draping it over his back and shoulders to wet the skin that stuck out above the waterline. He sighed as the water she had lied about being cold covered his aching muscles. Time in feldcroft with Anne was always nice, but took much out of him physically with all of Solomon's chores.

He couldn't help the groan that escaped his throat as she brought her hands up to massage the tension away from his shoulders with a firm pressure. He could feel the way her thumbs were moving in circles in the space under his shoulder blades that he could never properly reach himself enough to get the pain to go away.

Neither of them spoke as she worked on relieving the months of pain he had build up in his body from both physical labor, but also too many nights leaning over a book desperately searching for answers. As she did so she couldn't help but admire all the freckles that spilled down from his cheeks onto the top half of his body. She adored the way they almost sparkled with the iridescent soap lathered across his skin.