Shit. I just lied.
And if the wink of condescension she gives me is any indicator, she knows it.
“Fine. I’ll tell you what I was ruminating on when we’re done in here. It isn’t a shower topic.”
“Oh, a little suspense.” She shimmies her shoulders, then tosses her head back under the spray. “I can get down with that. And now I’ve got an incentive to hurry, other than sheer exhaustion.”
Fun fact: Lila’s highly motivated by the prospect of learning my little secrets.
She’s ready to get out about two minutes later. I’m not sure she rinsed all the conditioner out of her hair, but she’s a woman on a mission.
I stop her when she attempts to open the shower door. “Hang on. Let me go first.”
She juts her lip into a kissable pout. “So much for your gentlemanly manners.”
I give her a peck, then slip by her. “Stay in there where you’re warm. Just wait before you judge.”
“Psh. That goes against nature.” She sulks back under the spray. “Wait before I judge. How dare you suggest such a thing is possible?”
After the world’s quickest towel dry, I dash down the hall.
When I return, she eyes me skeptically before turning off the water. “I guess youreallydon’t want to have our little talk.You’re grasping at fibers instead of straws. The towel I used this morning is right there.”
My only response is to hold out the towel I retrieved from the dryer. When she tentatively steps onto the shower mat, I wrap her up in cozy, warm cotton.
Her face brightens instantly. “Thank you so much. This is much better.” She closes her eyes to nuzzle into the towel. “How did you know? Fancy FBI agent investigative skills or something?”
“I saw the towel warmer at your apartment this morning when you were trying on seventy-two outfits. The dots connected themselves at that point.”
Through a grin, she quips, “I still say you should have let me wear myI heart the FBIshirt.”
Shit. Her joke reminds me that I should probably check my phone before we get in bed.
I reverse away from her, edging toward the door. “Silly ass.”
“By the way, at my trial, I’ll be in myI heart the juryshirt no matter what you say.”
I could tell her the odds of a trial are less than zero, but I get distracted by the way she’s running the towel over her skin.
She sees me gawking, then stiffens and covers herself. “Get out, you peeping Tom. I can’t dry my butt with you watching.”
Before I leave the bathroom, I swipe her pajamas off the counter.
“Hey, I need those,” she whines.
I wink at her from over my shoulder. “The fuck you do.”
FORTY-SIX
Check your priorities
LILA
I always thoughta relationship was mostly yelling “what” from the other end of the house and getting mad when your partner doesn’t understand you. Oh, and disagreeing over the thermostat setting and who snores the loudest.
With Reed, it’s birding dates, sleeping in the nude, having a personal chauffeur, orgasms for days, bubble baths, and warm towels. In light of this new information, I’m thankfulPast Lilagave him another chance. She’s smarter than I gave her credit for.
After my hair is combed and loosely braided, I brush my teeth and head into the bedroom. Considering how much he’s seen me naked in the last hour alone, it seems silly to go with the towel wrapped around me.
