But we’d gotten a lot accomplished, and I was feeling pretty good about it as I turned to Presley and said, “Made a good bit of progress today.”
“You certainly did.”
“Looks a bit like a crime scene.”
“That’s a bit dramatic.”
“My kitchen is gone,” I scoffed.
“For now.” She gave me a playful nudge. “But it’s going to look so good when you put it all back together.”
“We’ll see about that.”
We stood there a moment longer, just relishing in the silence, and then reality came creeping in. I glanced over at the clock, and when I saw the time, I turned to her and said, “I better hit the shower. I’ve gotta be at the Vault in an hour.”
Disappointment marked her face, but she didn’t argue or fuss. She simply nodded and said, “Okay. I’ll finish sweeping.”
“I’ll get it when I get back.”
“Or I can get it now. It’ll take two minutes.”
“Hard-headed woman.”
“I am what I am.”
I leaned down and gave her a kiss before heading to the bathroom. I turned on the shower, and in a matter of seconds, steam filled the entire room. I stepped under the hot water and let it rinse the day away, and after a few seconds, the soreness in my shoulders started to fade.
I tilted my head back, and just as I closed my eyes, the shower door opened. I opened one eye and smiled as I watched Presley step inside. She reached for the sponge and doused it with soap before saying, “Turn around. You missed a spot.”
“Did I?”
“Um-hmm.”
Her touch wasn’t teasing or suggestive. It was steady and purposeful, making it clear she wasn’t there to get her rocks off. She was there to take care of me, and that wasn’t something I was used to. But I didn’t fight it. I just stood there with my eyes closed, letting her work her hands in slow circles across my back.
The heat of the water mixed with the warmth of her touch had the entire world fading away. There were no thoughts of the club. No threats. No unfinished business waiting to take its bite out of me. It was just her and me, and I couldn’t imagine a better feeling.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I know.” She inched up on her tiptoes and kissed me on the shoulder. “I want to.”
Her fingers traced along my shoulders, and when she reached a tight spot, she’d work it over, making sure to work out the tension. I rested my hand against the tile, steadying myself as I told her, “You make it hard to leave.”
“Then, I must be doing something right.”
“You most definitely are.”
The water continued to cascade down my back and hers, and I turned slightly, catching her gaze. As much as I didn’t want to get out of that shower, I had no choice. “I’ve gotta hit it.”
My words lingered between us, but I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I was too captivated by the look in her eyes. Damn. The woman got more beautiful every time I looked at her. I slid my hand to her waist and pulled her close as I said, “You’re dangerous, you know that?”
“Not intentionally.”
“Dangerous just the same, but I’m good with it.”
With that, I dropped my mouth to hers, kissing her slow and easy. It was my way of showing her just how hard it was to leave her. Her fingers curled into my shoulders, grounding me as I fought the urge to take her right then and there.
When I finally pulled back, her eyes were slightly closed, her lips were parted, and her cheeks were flushed. Yeah. This was what it was all about. I brushed my thumb along her jaw as I told her, “I really gotta go.”
