JOLIE
“Gauge!” Iyelled his name waiting for him to reply, but when he didn’tIcalled his name over and over until he finally yelled back. “Gauge, Gauge, Gauge, Gauge, Gauge, Gauge…”
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ, give it arest, Jolie!” he yelled as he stormed up the stairs.
It was two hours since what had happened at the pool, and Iwas standing in the bathroom wearing atowel, my hair loose down my back and more than ready to be washed. It was damp and knotty and Iwanted nothing more than warm water and some shampoo.
Gauge’sheavy footsteps stomped down the hallway, coming to an abrupt stop in the open doorway of the large bathroom. “What?” he snapped.
Iturned to him with aroll of my eyes. “Ican’tget the shower to come on, asshole.”
“So what do you want me to do about it?” He folded his arms over his chest and glared at me. His hair was tied back from his face and he’dtaken off his cut and was bare chested. Gauge stood there with just apair of loose-fitting denim jeans hanging on his wide hips and Inoted that both of his nipples were pierced with thick silver rings. But more so, his body was covered in amaze of tattoos, cuts, bruises, and scars both new and old.
“Pretty, right?” he said darkly, and Ilooked away quickly.
“I’ve seen better,” Ireplied dryly.
He looked me up and down. “Same,” he retorted. “Now what the fuck did you want?”
“Do Ihave to spell it out for you?” Iscowled, pointing toward the shower. “Help me turn it on, fucker!”
He shook his head and came inside the bathroom. “You need to learn some fuckin’ manners,” he grumbled as he stepped inside the large cubicle.
When he turned his back to me Isaw the large scabs that had formed over his many cuts, and the large purple and black bruises that painted him. Ifelt apang of guilt because Iknew that at least some of them were because he had helped me. Because he had saved me. Over and over and over.
Gauge was basically two people on his own, and he filled the shower space, practically blocking me into acorner. Ihad amoment of panic at being trapped, but then the scent of Gauge washed over me and Ibegan to calm down. He smelled of sweat and beer, of cigarettes and oil, and as much as Ihated all of those scents, on him there was something nice about it. Something comforting, almost.
He looked down at me, aflash of concern on his face. “You okay?”
Iscowled harder. “You need to wash more,” Idrolled. “You stink.”
He stopped fiddling with the controls, his concern turning to annoyance. “Fuck you, no Idon’t.”
“You do,” Ilaughed, finding it hilarious how offended he’djust gotten by my insult. I’dcalled him every name under the sun and worse, I’dthrown things at him, insulted his club and his friends, and he hadn’tblinked. But the thought that he might smell bad had truly offended him. “Ithought bikers didn’tcare about washing.” Icould barely contain my grin.
He looked down at himself, his eyebrows pulling in, and then he looked back at me. “Of course we care about washing. We’re not fuckin’ animals, babe.”
“Could have fooled me,” Iretorted, folding my arms across my chest.
His gaze dipped to my chest before moving back up to my face. “Is that so?” he asked.
“‘Fraid so,” Ismarted, and went to step out of the cubicle.
Gauge grabbed me by the arm and pushed me against the wall. Ibarely had achance to yell at him before he flipped the controls and freezing cold water exploded from the shower head, covering us both. Isquealed and started to move away, but he grabbed me and pulled me back under. Iclutched my towel with one hand to stop it from falling down while simultaneously trying to free my other arm from his vise-like grip.
“You stink too, bitch,” he said, his voice thick with amusement despite the fact that he had to be freezing too.
“Fuck you! Get off of me!” Iyelled, and tried to get past him.
“What’swrong? Thought you wanted ashower, Jolie,” he chuckled, his rugged face breaking into awide smile.
His nipples had hardened like bullets, just like mine had, and we both noticed it at the same time. My teeth had started to chatter as the water rained down on us, my long hair sticking to my back.
“Oh my God, it’sfreezing!” Ilaughed, despite how cold Iwas. “Let me out right now.”
Gauge let out alaugh that came from somewhere deep inside of him. It echoed through his belly and rumbled through his chest until he threw his head back and it exploded out of his mouth.
“You’re an animal!” Iscreeched, my fingers almost numb from the cold while he seemed impervious to it. “How are you not freezing to death?”
