I nodded, filling the jugwith the warmer water at the tap end of the bath. “I know. I want to. I… don’tlaugh at me, all right?”
Quinn looked at me, waitingfor me to continue.
“I’ve always wanted to dothis,” I said. “I… always fantasized about having it done for me, my firsttime. Thought it’d be romantic. Anyway, it didn’t happen for me, but that’s noreason it can’t happen foryou, is it?”
“Why would Ilaughat that?” Quinn asked,staring at me wide-eyed. “That’s heartbreaking.”
I blinked. “It is?”
“Next time, I’m running youa bath,” Quinn said. “No arguments,” he added as I opened my mouth.
Since Ihadbeenabout to argue, I closed it again.
Next time. There was a thought.
“I don’t think it rises tothe level of heartbreaking,” I said instead, grabbing the shampoo from theshower.
“I’m easily heartbroken.”
That, I had no troublebelieving. Quinn was a sensitive soul. I’d seen that with my owneyes.
He sighed as I poured thewater over his head, letting me maneuver him to keep it out of his eyes. “Holyshitthat feels good,” he murmured,voice strained with simple pleasure.
The shampoo lathered upstraight away, building a lime-and-fir scented foam as I worked it into hisscalp, drinking in the way his breathing sped up, the pink flush spreading uphis cheeks.
“How badly would it ruin theromantic moment for you if I jerked off while you did this?” he asked, shiftingagainst the bottom of the tub.
A glance over his shouldershowed me that he wasn’t kidding, either.
“Could do it for you after, ifyou want.”
Quinn snorted. “How are you soperfect?” he asked. “Idon’t deserve this.”
“You do,” I said seriously. “Don’tlet anyone tell you otherwise. You deserve the world.”
“I don’t want the world,”Quinn said, tilting his head back to look up at me. “I just want you.”
There was suddenly a lump inmy throat, and the way my whole head was pounding it felt like it might’ve been myheart.
This had gotten so out of handand I’dwandered so far into unprofessional territory that I wasn’t sure I’d ever findmy way back, but I didn’t care. I didn’tcare.
I slept peacefully next toQuinn. The world felt quieter when I was with him.
How could I give that up nowthat I’dfound it?
“You’ve got me,” I murmured,swallowing past the lump and focusing on his hair.
I meant it. I meant it much,muchmore sincerely than I’d ever intended to. More than I’d ever meant itwith anyone else.
Stupid as I was, I’d gone andfallen for him.
Quinn sighed a soft, happysigh that suggested he didn’t realize I’d just ripped my own heart out of mychest and offered it to him, which was possibly for the best.
I loved him.
The thought hit me like aspeeding train.
Ilovedhim. I didn’t just fancyhim, or like the idea of having enthusiastic sex with him.
