"Need help undressing, Pixie?"
I spun around. "Huh?"
Ronan grinned innocently.
"You need to strip down to benefit from the heat. Underwear is fine. Naked is better." When I said nothing, probably because I had no clue how to respond to his blatant flirtation, he pointed to an adjoining door. "There's a changing room and shower in there, along with towels." Before I could react, he'd pulled his tee off.
I swallowed hard, not knowing where to look. So much sculpted muscle. Dear Lord. The sheer perfection of his body made me feel inferior. How could I possibly compete with the gorgeous girls he'd fucked?
"Be right back," I squeaked, my cheeks on fire. I needed to escape. Go back to my bedroom, lock the door, and pretend he hadn't been about to drop his pants in front of me.
Once in the changing room, I sucked in a few calming breaths. This was a terrible idea. I was losing my shit, and it had nothing to do with the man shot in the face. Did that make me a sociopath, or someone immune to violence? I should text the therapist Declan sent me the number for. The woman might help me make sense of my fucked-up feelings.
I eyed the stack of thick, fluffy towels. There was time to leave. But did I want to?
The thought of soaking up some fragrant heat felt like heaven. And if I was totally honest with myself, I didn't wholly dislike the idea of seeing Ronan in a small towel. At least I hoped he wore a towel. If I walked in to find him sitting on a bench in the buff, I'd definitely lose my shit.
Before I could over-think it, I stripped off down to my cotton panties and sports bra. No way was I getting naked. Then I grabbed a towel, wrapped it around my body, and walked with great trepidation back into the sauna.
22
Ronan
Pixie had the look of a gazelle surrounded by hungry lions when she appeared in the doorway with a white towel wrapped around her curvy little body. I sighed in disappointment when I spotted her bra straps, as it meant she wasn’t naked underneath. But underwear was good. I could work with that.
The minute my thoughts drifted to Pixie’s underwear, my dick perked up. And given there was nothing protecting my modesty but a small towel across my lap, I couldn't hide my reaction. Luckily, she was too busy avoiding looking at me to notice my massive boner.
"Take a seat, Pixie." She hesitated before sitting on the bench across from me, tense as fuck. "Good girl."
I picked up my phone and connected it to the Bluetooth speakers. Seconds later, a soothing, chill-out playlist filled the room. I watched through hooded eyes as Pixie leaned back, the tension slowly falling away from her stiff shoulders.
Heat soaked into my bones, but I remained on edge. It was hard to relax when the woman I lusted after sat less than five feetaway, practically naked. I wasn't used to holding back. If I saw something I wanted, I went for it. No holds barred. Or was that no holes barred? I never could remember the exact phrasing.
The scent of eucalyptus filled my nostrils, reminding me of Ma in her final weeks. But I shoved that thought down. She'd left us all to go to a better place.
Pixie shifted and her towel slipped, revealing more skin. My gaze slid down from her face, lingering on the deep swell of her tits. Fuck me, she had great tits. Much more than a handful.
My dick hardened.Again. Pixie's eyes dropped, widening in shock before her gaze skittered away. Even with the low lighting, I could see her face was redder than a tomato. I fought back a grin.
"Feeling better, pixie?"
"No."
"Really? Still tense and aching?"
"Yeah. Nearly dying in a car accident will have that effect."
Her words sank in, and I mentally kicked myself. God, I was such a fucking idiot. My Pixie had endured a traumatic crash, and instead of taking care of her, my dick was in the driving seat.
I thought for a moment and then grinned.
"A hefty dose of endorphins will help ease your discomfort."
She looked up, suspicious as all hell. The towel slipped a few more millimeters, causing me to choke.
"Endorphins?"
"Pleasure hormones."
