I narrowed my eyes at him as I shrugged out of my shirt.
“That’s my line.”
“It’s a good line.”
“Don’t try and suck up to me now…”
“Come over here, and I’ll show you just howgoodI can suck.”
My hands hovered over my belt buckle, and Gabe’s teasing eyes softened.
“Come on, baby. You can do this. No one’s here to see you but me.”
I nodded and swallowed before slowly undoing my belt. Taking a deep breath, I slid my pants down, flinching as the warm steam from the shower tickled my scarred skin.
But that’s all there was—warm steam and Gabe’s gentle smile.
No sting of judgment from dark eyes that could cut through walls.
No evil whispers from a voice that haunted my nightmares.
I stood there, naked and uncovered for the first time, and felt… safe.
“Good job, Shemhazai.” I could literally hear the smile in Gabe’s voice. “Now, come over here.” He held his hand out to me, and this time, I didn’t hesitate.
I took his hand and stepped into the tub, allowing him to maneuver me so we switched places, and I was the one standing beneath the hot spray of water.
He flipped my hand open and squirted a generous amount of soap into my palm, giving me a suggestive grin.
“Wash me,” he demanded, and I nodded, rubbing my hands together to get the soap to lather.
Stepping in closer to him, I began to clean him.
I took my time, enjoying the way my hands slid over the smooth planes of his hard body. Wrapping my hands around his waist and up his back, I gently cleaned his healing wounds, being careful not to press too hard on the new flesh that was trying to form.
He shuddered beneath my touch and kissed me while I washed him.
“Now we both have scars,” he whispered, and I met his golden gaze, feeling so seen and loved that my eyes burned. I was glad we were both wet enough that he wouldn’t be able to see that I was nearly crying again.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and tugged me closer, I jumped as his cock hardened, and he slowly began to rub it against mine.
“You said before I left that when I came back, you were going to fuck me,” he growled in my ear, and his breath, mixed with the hot water, mademy skin erupt into gooseflesh. “What do I need to do to make sure that still happens?” He nipped at my earlobe, and I shivered, pulling away.
“I don’t… I don’t think I can be rough with you right now,” I admitted, feeling awkward and strange about the idea of hurting him so soon after I thought I’d lost him forever.
He was still stiff and clearly in pain from what had been done to him. The last thing I wanted to do was tie him to the bed and fuck him raw.
He frowned and cocked his head to the side, brushing his thumb across my jaw.
“So don’t be. You don’t have to be rough to fuck me, Shemhazai. We can go slow if that’s what you’re in the mood for.”
I blinked as his words rushed over me.
I suddenly felt like an idiot.
Of course I could fuck him without hurting him; it was a testament to just how much Raz had fucked me up that it hadn’t even occurred to me that I could top him without tying him up or torturing him.
Suddenly, I understood myself on a level I never had before.
