I drag the suitcases into the room, stacking them in front of the glass. One falls with a thud.
“What are you doing?” Ryder asks, his face appearing in the doorway.
“What do you think I’m doing? I’m Redecorating.”
“Trying to break your back?”
“I’m building a partition so you can’t peek. You know, since you refuse to leave.”
“Little Trouble, if I wanted to peek at you, a stack of suitcases wouldn’t stop me.”
I meet his eyes, which burn with an intensity that steals my breath. His eyes turn into dark pools that I could drown in. I swallow hard and press my thighs together. My heart pounds like it’s trying to escape my chest.
My lips part as he takes a step toward me. Is this it? Is he finally going to...
I hold my breath, tilting my head up. Come on, Ryder. Just a few more steps...
“I’ll wait on the balcony until you’re done,” he says and exits the room.
Shit. I was sure he was going to kiss me. I hoped he was going to kiss me. Idreamedhe was going to kiss me. But no, apparently the balcony is more appealing than my lips. Thanks a lot, balcony.
I swallow the lump of disappointment in my throat and enter the bathroom, turning on the water to fill the tub. Maybe I can drown my frustrations instead.
I examine the creams and soaps laid out beside it. I pick up the bottle with blue granules. Ooh, fancy.
Bath salts would be nice right now. I need to relax. I sniff it—smells like lavender and broken dreams—and pour the contents into the water, which starts to foam.
I step in, letting my body sink into the hot water, and lean my head back. Bliss. For a moment, I forget about Ryder and the mess I’m in. It’s just me and the bubbles.
I try to relax and close my eyes, but my body is tense from Ryder’s proximity. He’s right outside, and I’m horny as hell, but I don’t dare touch myself knowing he can hear everything. Knowing he could come in at any moment.
Perhaps I should masturbate here and moan on purpose, while he listens from outside, knowing he refused the opportunity? That’ll teach him to reject me.
Or scar both of us for life.
One of those.
But I do nothing, the coward that I am. I get out of the tub and dry off.
I glance at the mirror and scream. Ryder comes running, gun drawn.
“No, no. no.” I clutch the towel tight around myself, trying to maintain some modesty. “This isn’t happening to me. It can’t be. I’m in a nightmare, right? Quick, pinch me.”
“What’s wrong?”
I point to my arms and legs.
He chuckles. The bastard actually chuckles. “What the hell did you do? You’re blue.”
“Nothing. I just got in to bathe.” I glance at the bathwater draining. It’s a bluish color. The same color as my skin is now. “Fuck, it’s the bath salts.”
“What?”
“The salts, they were blue. I thought it was just the water, but it dyed my skin. What do I do, Ryder? I’m blue all over. I can’t go anywhere like this. I look like a Smurf! A very embarrassed Smurf!”
“A cute Smurf,” he tilts his head, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
“This isn’t funny, Ryder. This is a disaster.”
