Petr's not there when I wake up after a long doze. Light pours in from the large windows facing the backyard. The snow is coming down hard. I snuggle under the covers for a moment, breathing in our combined scents. The fire has died down, but it's warm and comfortable in the massive bedroom. He has a wall of photographs, awards and other memorabilia from his time in the service. The ledge over the hearth is packed with pictures of his siblings and him, and photographs take up the space around genuine paintings from the Renaissance.
The wooden floor is covered with rugs of varying hues of blue. The accents and décor are in dark woods and blues. A seating area the size of my living room is near a massive walk-in closet, and there are two dressers and wardrobes along the walls. Cathedral ceilings feature wooden rafters and a smaller but similar wrought iron chandelier to the one in the foyer.
The room is subtly luxurious and completely masculine, like the plain looking sheets I suspect are expensive and the bed that's more comfortable than any I've ever slept in.
Pushing myself up, I groan softly at the stiffness and soreness of my body. I've never had a night like last night. A smile spreads across my face as I consider how intense Petr's felt for me for some time to consume me in his fire the way he did.
I cross to the restroom and scrounge around for a new toothbrush. Cleaning up, I stop in front of the shower with its stone walls, glass enclosure and the rain shower ceiling. It's not just a showerhead but a space about three feet by three feet filled with holes for water.
I've never seen anything like it, but I immediately suspect I'll never want to shower elsewhere. It's controlled digitally by a panel outside the enclosure. I poke at the buttons until the stream comes on and stand back, amazed. The temperature is set to a hundred and two. I hesitate to change Petr's setting, knowing how much I dislike it when Todd changes settings on my phone or anything else.
"Well, it's on, Claudia," I murmur and then grin. Opening the door, I walk in - and almost melt. The gentle streams of water are heavenly, the shower floors heated and Petr's woodsy scent everywhere.
Sighing, I close my eyes and lean my head back, letting the hot water wash over me.
"You, uh, want company?" Petr calls a short time later.
I smile, my whole world brightening once more at his deep voice. "Depends on who's asking."