“I know.” He looked up at me, water streaming down his face. “I want to be the first for a lot of things. Is that okay?”
I couldn’t speak, only nod.Yes.It was okay.
But mostly, the shower was just nice. Intimate. Comfortable in a way that surprised me, like we’d been doing this for years instead of hours.
“I’m tired,” I complained at one point. “Too tired to wash my hair properly.”
“I’ll do it.”
And he did. He washed my hair for me, his fingers massaging my scalp, working the shampoo through the strands tenderly. It was possibly the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for me. More romantic than flowers or jewelry or fancy dinners. Just a man washing my hair because I was tired and he wanted to take care of me.
I traced the tattoos on his chest while he worked, asking about each one.
“This one?”
“Family crest.”
“And this?”
“A mark of achievement. From my training.”
“Will you tell me about this wolf?”
“Personal.” His voice softened. “I’ll explain soon. I promise.”
I shrugged, and five minutes later, we collapsed into my bed, still slightly damp. Caelan pulled me against his chest, wrapping around me like a koala. His arms were strong around me, his heartbeat steady beneath my ear.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “For tonight.”
“Thankyoufor being you.”
He pressed a kiss to my hair. “I mean it. This night... you have no idea how long I’ve wanted this. How long I’ve dreamed of holding you like this.”
“How long?” I asked sleepily.
“Longer than you’d believe.”
I meant to say more. But instead, I fell asleep. And the last ridiculous thought in my head was that I’d forgotten to dry my hair and it was going to be a disaster in the morning.
But that was a problem for tomorrow Riley.
16
— • —
Riley
I woke up and immediately knew today was going to be a disaster.
I was wrapped in warmth. Caelan’s body curved around me from behind, his arm across my waist, his breath slow and even against my neck. He was completely naked, and so was I. Pressed against my lower back was the unmistakable evidence that some parts of him were very much awake, even if the rest of him wasn’t.
That was the only good part. Because everything else? It was hell.
My throat felt like someone had taken sandpaper to it. My nose was so clogged I could only breathe through my mouth. My head was pounding, my body ached, and there was a heaviness in my chest that suggested my lungs were staging a rebellion.
I really, really should have dried my hair last night.
I tried to burrow deeper into Caelan’s arms, chasing his warmth. Maybe if I just fell back asleep, I’d wake up fine. Maybe this was all a bad dream. Maybe the universe would take pity on me and reset to twelve hours ago when everything was perfect.
