“Wait…” She lowered her knees to the base of the tub and braced herself. “I was supposed to do all the things,” she reminded him.
He gazed up at her, knowing that even if she couldn’t say the words now, there was love in her dark eyes, a love for him that he would do his damnedest to earn every day from here on out.
“There’s only one thing I need,” he whispered.
In answer, she sank down, burying him inside her, her lips parting as they brushed against his.
***
Later, after they’d cleaned up and dried off, Willow padded into the kitchen combing her fingers through her damp hair, wearing nothing but a pair of white cotton underwear that looked like a tiny pair of shorts.
“Okay, that’s my favorite outfit you’ve ever worn,” he teased.
She looked him up and down, raising a brow at his similar attire, a pair of black boxer briefs.
“Likewise, my friend,” she replied.
He handed her one of the two glasses of water he’d poured and held his up for a toast.
“Should we drink to never wearing clothes in the house again?” she asked.
“Hmmm…” Ash mused. “Might get awkward if one of our brothers pops by unannounced, especially if they bring their children.”
Willow nodded sagely. “True. True. Okay. I’d like to amend my proposal to no clothes after dark, once we assure any surprise family visits are off the table.”
“Like…after a toddler or baby’s bedtime?”
“Exactly!” she agreed. “Like, right now, all babiesand toddlers are totally asleep, right? So we can continue this mostly naked thing we have going until we wake up tomorrow!”
They clinked their glasses together just as someone pounded on the front door.
Willow yelped, keeping hold of her glass but managing to toss its contents in Ash’s face. Then she dropped her glass on the counter and covered her breasts with her hands.
“Ash?” Eli called from outside the door. “It’s supposed to rain early in the morning, and your guitars are in the bed of my truck.”
Ash shook his head and huffed out a laugh.
“And Colt wants to make sure Willow got home okay since you two kind of disappeared without saying goodbye.”
“Shit!” Willow hissed glancing down at herhandmadebikini top. She made a beeline back for the bedroom but stopped short when she heard her name.
“Wills?” It was Colt’s voice this time. “I left you two voicemails. Is everything okay in there?”
“Oh my god!” she whisper-shouted. “He’shere?”
Ash was full on laughing now as he strode toward the door.
“You’re answering likethat?” she cried. “You know my brother doesn’t exactly like you yet, right?”
Oh, Ash knew. “Do you want to hide this from him?” he asked, his resolve faltering.
Willow bit her lip and shook her head.
He blew out a breath and clapped his hands together. “Then I guess there’s no time like the present.” So he strode toward the door while Willow scurried into the bedroom to grab something other than her own palms to wear as a top.
Ash threw the door open and crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Evening, gentleman. What can I do for you?”
“Jesus, Ash!” Eli exclaimed. “You could have just told me through the door that you’d grab the guitars later.”
