Chapter Fourteen

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For a moment, you stand frozen, the air between you thick with tension. His invitation lingers in the humid bathhouse, swirling in the steam and scented air. You've heard of the combined bathhouses used by the wealthy and even some gladiators—places where men and women bathed together, where privacy was a luxury not afforded to all. But you've never been in one yourself. As a servant, you've always kept to your place, bathing alone in the servants' quarters, never crossing the boundary into a space so intimate, so shared.

Your hands, still damp from washing his hair, fall to your sides as your mind races. This is not just a casual invitation—it's a moment filled with unspoken meaning. The boundary between servant and master has already begun to blur, but this... this would be crossing into a new kind of closeness, one you're not sure you're ready for.

"I—" you begin, your voice barely audible, the shock of the moment making it difficult to speak. You hesitate, unsure of how to respond, unsure of what's expected of you. Your heart races as you try to make sense of his words, your mind grappling with the sudden shift in the air.

Cassius watches you closely, his expression calm but attentive, as if he knows the weight of his request. He doesn't press you, doesn't demand anything, but the invitation stands, and his gaze holds yours, waiting for your response.

You swallow hard, the steam of the bathhouse thick around you, making everything feel hazy, surreal. The idea of joining him, of stepping into the water beside him, feels both terrifying and strangely intimate. You've been a servant all your life—obedience and duty have been your constant companions, but this is something entirely different. This is a choice, one that feels like it could change everything.

You can feel the heat rising to your cheeks, your pulse quickening. The idea of being so vulnerable, of sharing this private moment with him, is overwhelming. And yet, there's a part of you that's drawn to the offer, to the closeness he's offering in this quiet, unspoken way.

"I... I've never..." you stammer, the words feeling clumsy as they fall from your lips. You meet his gaze, trying to find your footing in this unfamiliar territory. "I've never been in a combined bathhouse before," you admit softly, your voice barely above a whisper. "As a servant, I've never..."

Your words trail off, but Cassius doesn't look away. His gaze softens slightly, as though he understands the conflict you're feeling. "You're not a servant in this moment," he says quietly, his voice carrying a weight that feels far deeper than just the words themselves. "Here, you're just yourself. Nothing more, nothing less."

The simplicity of his statement takes you by surprise, and for a moment, the tension inside you loosens just a little. You've always been defined by your role, by the expectations placed on you, but here, in this bathhouse, Cassius is offering you something different—a space where those roles don't matter. A space where you can simply be.

Your mind races, still unsure, still caught between the boundaries of duty and the growing connection you feel with him. But the look in his eyes, the quiet sincerity of his invitation, pulls at something inside you—something you've never allowed yourself to acknowledge before.

You hesitate for a long moment, the air between you heavy with possibility. Then, slowly, you take a breath, your heart still pounding in your chest as you make your decision.

You stand there for a moment, the steam swirling around you, feeling the weight of his invitation settle deep in your chest. Without saying anything, you slowly begin to slip off your clothing, the fabric falling softly to the stone floor. Cassius, ever the gentleman, immediately averts his gaze, his head turning slightly to the side, respecting the privacy of the moment. His eyes remain fixed on the surface of the water, his body still as he waits for you to join him.

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