Arson follows us, and with each step we take closer to the cottage, my heart pounds harder and harder.
When we get inside, Thomas groans at the scent of thechicken pot pie. “Fuck, that smells incredible. Did you eat already?”
“I did. It’s pretty good.”
“Can I eat and take a shower? Then, what do you think about watching a movie?” Thomas asks, gesturing to the couch.
“Sounds great,” I say, my voice cracking on the second word.
Thomas smiles, and I know he can see right through me. Iwantsomething to happen tonight. I don’t know how to act around him, how to show him I’m ready, yet still terrified all at once.
“Great,” he replies, heading to the table to dish up.
This gives me a little time to prepare. Or panic. Or both? Oh god. I point to the bathroom, already feeling the heat in my cheeks. “I’m going to shower if that’s okay? I’ll be out by the time you’re done eating.”
“No rush,” he says, waving me off as he sits down at the kitchen table.
I stride into the bathroom, closing the door behind me and locking it. Once I’m behind the closed door, I really feel the panic creeping in. I lean forward on the counter, taking deep, long breaths.
I can do this. I want to do this. I’ve wanted this connection with someone for years now, so why am I freaking out? Oh, right. Because it’sThomas Freaking Cunningham, the man who I never thought would ever go for me, and now I’m fake engaged to him in the middle of nowhere in a cute cottage and about to let him touch me in ways I’ve never been touched before. Right. That.
I take one calming breath, and turn on the shower. This will help me chill out, and then I’ll be fresh and clean. Yes, okay, this I can do.
I let the water heat up, and shed my clothing, climbing into the hot spray and letting it calm me.
Once I’ve shaved and washed up, I get out, towel-drying my hair and braiding it before putting lotion all over my skin and wrapping myself in the robe I left in here. I open the bathroom door, and Thomas is sitting at the kitchen table still, plate empty, with Arson at his side.
“It’s all yours,” I say, gesturing to the bathroom, and heading to the stairs. Once the door clicks shut behind him, I let myself breathe.
29
HANNAH
Fifteen minutes later, I’m sitting on the couch, waiting for Thomas, dressed in a comfy t-shirt and my favorite cotton sleep shorts. He’s still in the shower, so Arson and I are hanging out. I have my book in my lap, but I haven’t read a page, too excited, too nervous about what’s to come.
Thomas comes out of the bathroom a few minutes later wrapped only in a towel. His skin glistens with water still clinging to his body, his hair flopping over his face and in his eyes. He raises his arm to push the hair from his face, and in doing so, shows off his strong biceps.
Oh sweet lord, he’s trying to kill me.That’s what this is. He knows I can’t resist him if he teases me like this.Fuck, he’s hot. The thickness of his chest, the softness of his belly, it’s all doing me in. With every step he takes, his thick thighs shift the towel, and I swear I can see the outline of his semi-hard cock.
“Forgot my clothes,” he says with a laugh.
Words don’t come to me, only a soft squeak. Thomas catches the noise, giving me a subtle wink as he passes by, heading up the stairs with the towel clinging to his ass.
I’m not going to survive this, am I?
I shrink into the couch, taking a long inhale of air. Arson glances between the two of us, flopping onto the dog bed in the corner.
A moment later, Thomas comes back downstairs with his hair towel-dried, and a pair of loose shorts and a shirt on. He has the towel slung over his arm, and he heads into the bathroom to hang it up before coming back into the main area and sitting on the couch beside me.
I shift myself to give him more room, but he doesn’t let me. Instead, he wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me into his body. A small squeak leaves my mouth, but I relax into him. I move my book from my lap and set it on the arm of the couch.
“That’s better,” Thomas mumbles. “Movie?”
I nod into his chest.
“What are you feeling?” he questions.
“I’m up for anything,” I say with a shrug.
