"But you did. With me."
"Because you asked. Because I trust you. Because I wanted to see what it felt like to just—" He stopped. Started again. "To let someone else decide."
"And?"
His laugh came out shaky. "Terrifying. And—"
"I wasn't prepared for how much I wanted it."
He touched her jaw, thumb brushing the side of her throat. "You do realize," he murmured, "I'm never forgetting that."
"Good."
"You're extraordinary, April Feuller." His hand settled at her waist.
"You're not so bad yourself. When you're not trying to acquire me like a subsidiary."
"I'll work on that."
Her eyes were getting heavy, the adrenaline of the day finally catching up. He leaned in and kissed her again, thumb brushing her cheekbone as he deepened it.
"We should probably get back out there. They're going to wonder—"
"Let them wonder." His hand traced lazy circles on her hip. "Though I'm fairly certain they already know."
"How?"
"Because we've been in here for—"
He glanced at the clock. "Thirty-five minutes. And the walls aren't that thick."
Her face went hot. "Oh god."
"You weren't exactly quiet." His mouth curved.
"Neither were you. The gag didn't work as well as you think."
He laughed, "Sexiest gag order I've ever been hit with."
April pushed herself up on one elbow. "Did you just make a joke about being gagged?"
"I contain multitudes." He sat up, running a hand through his thoroughly wrecked hair. "Come on. Shower. Before one of them sends a search party."
"A search party would require them to stop eating Mateo's food."
"Also fair."
Killian stood, completely unselfconscious in his nakedness, and offered her his hand.
She took it. Let him pull her up. He led her toward the bathroom. The space was massive. White marble and chrome and a shower that could fit six people comfortably. Like someone had looked at a normal bathroom and thought, 'But what if we wanted to host a small conference in here?’ He turned on the water, tested the temperature, then stepped aside.
"After you."
April stepped under the spray. The hot water hit her shoulders and she groaned, tilted her head back, letting it soak her hair.
Killian stepped in behind her, reached for a bottle of something expensive-looking.
"Turn around."
