I followed him to his side of the house, nerves and curiosity tangling in my chest.
His bedroom was spacious and rustic. It had dark wood, distressed décor, a fireplace across from a massive king bed draped in plush blankets, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that opened onto the deck.
Then there was the bathroom.
There were marble floors and a circular ottoman in front of several long rectangular mirrors. On the counter sat a fresh pair of Jay’s sweats for me. There was a walk-in shower with multiple heads. And the bathtub was deepand luxurious, with a small step leading up into it. Antique brass fixtures gleamed against the soft lighting, and through the massive window above the tub, I could see the snowy mountains beyond the lake.
It felt unreal.
“I’ll wait outside,” Jay said quietly. “Take your time.”
I nodded, and once the door closed, I turned to the tub. There were hordes of bubbles nearly spilling over the edges.
I slipped out of my clothes and paused, staring at my dirt-covered shirt. There was some dried blood too, and the fabric was torn.
Whatever just happened to me had been real.
I had the proof right in front of me, but it still felt like a horrific nightmare.
Folding the ruined clothes, I set them on the counter, then stepped carefully into the steaming water. The heat caused me to shiver as I sank into the water and the hordes of bubbles.
I let out a long, grateful sigh.
When I leaned back to rest my head, I accidentally knocked it against the edge of the tub, and pain flared.
“Ow!” I yelped, more startled than hurt. Why was I like this?
The door flew open.
Jay rushed in, panic all over his face. “Are you okay?”
Then he froze, clearly realizing he’d charged into the bathroom without thinking. His cheeks turned bright red, and he immediately spun around.
“I—I’m sorry. I just—are you okay?”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed.
“I’m fine, Jay. There are so many bubbles in here you can’t see anything anyway.”
He cleared his throat awkwardly. “I just wanted to make sure.”
“It’s okay,” I said, smiling. “You know you only need a few drops, right? You didn’t have to use the entire bottle of bubble bath.”
He groaned softly and scratched the back of his neck. “I might’ve overdone it.”
I laughed again—actually laughed. I hadn’t expected to laugh at something so soon.
“It’s perfect. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll, uh… go.”
“Wait—” The word slipped out before I could stop it. “Will you sit with me for a minute?”
He stilled in the doorway, his back still turned. Then he leaned up against the frame.
“Whatever you need from me,Amor.”
I swallowed. “Maybe we could talk.”
