I turn off the water before kissing his forehead. “I’ll be right back.”
“Mhmm.”
I scurry into the kitchen, grabbing a cup and some fruit from the fridge. Then I make my way back into the bathroom, finding Leo exactly how I left him. I stare at him for a moment, just taking him in.
Leo is just as covered in marks as I am. There’s a possessive flare that rises up inside my chest. He’s mine. He’s mine and it’s clear not only by our words but also by the intricate marks on his skin. Bites and hickies and bruises. His mating mark is proudly on his neck, a display that everyone will be able to see.
“You look so beautiful,” I say, unable to keep the words inside.
Leo’s eyes snap open. “What? Right now? I look like a mess, Jin!”
I shake my head. “You don’t. You wear my marks so prettily.”
There’s that blush again. “Yours are sexy.”
“Thank you,” I say with a grin, falling to my knees beside the tub. I pull a grape off the vine, offering it to Leo. He takes it, chewing slowly. I could watch him like this forever but then he’d get all cold and pruny. Best to keep focused on the task in front of me.
“Would it be okay if I washed you?”
Leo gives me a small smile. “I’d like that.”
I feed him another grape before dipping the cup into the water, pouring it over his shoulders and neck. I do it again, this time pouring it carefully over his head, getting his hair wet. I miss that mop of hair sticking up all over so it’s my duty to get those luscious locks back to their former glory before our mating. Especially since I’m the reason they’re so greasy at the moment.
“That feels nice,” Leo says with a small sigh as I run my fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. When I wash it, a noise hits my ears. It takes me a long time to place what’s going on.
“What’s that noise?”
Leo’s eyes open, giving me a sheepish look. “That’s me. Sorry. Your hands feel really nice.”
“You?” That’s when I realize Leo ispurring.
My insides light up like a Christmas tree. I’m filled with pride and affection. The purr sounds so pretty and I can see myself growing addicted to this sound, doing everything in my power to hear it as much as possible.
I lather up the shampoo before rinsing it, careful to keep it away from Leo’s eyes. Once his hair is clean, I feed him a few more grapes. The purring is still there, loud in the otherwise quiet bathroom, the perfect soundtrack to my soft care.
Picking up a washcloth, I cover it with soap before gently cleaning Leo’s body. His body is so beautiful and it feels like such a privilege that he’s shared it with me in this way, that I get to be the one to care and clean him.
“Hey, Leo?”
The purring slows down as he looks at me. “Yes?”
“Can we move in together?”
“I would like that,” he says with a smile. “Do you want to move your things in here?”
“Yeah. The place I live in is supposed to be temporary anyway. A place for creatures like me who kinda sprout from nothing to get their feet under them.”
“Okay. You can move your things in here.” Leo seems to think for a moment before slowly, saying, “I have a different idea. We could look for something more permanent. Like a real house.”
I can’t help but grin. “Yeah, we could do that. Something outside of town where you can shift into your other form. Somewhere we can raise our kid.”
“We can even have an extra room just for my nest,” he says, gaining some excitement. “Can you imagine? An entire nesting room? That sounds incredible.”
“Anything you want,” I tell him seriously. “I would give you anything if it’s within my power.”
“All I want is you,” he says, bringing his hand out of the water, touching my cheek. “You’re everything I didn’t know I needed, Jin. You’re my sunshine.”
“Then you’re my sunflower because I need you facing me to face the rest of the world.”
