Reading Online Novel

A Mate's Wish(20)



In the closet she grabbed two t-shirts and some sweatpants from the shelf. As she turned to leave, she spotted the half-open safe. She would’ve just kept going but a flash of red caught her eye. Moving the door aside, she saw it was a scarf. Her scarf. She’d lost it the winter before Renner left.

Pulling the knit material from its place caused a waterfall of memories to flutter to the floor. Pictures. Of her and Ryan and mama. And Renner.

Crouching on the floor, she shuffled through them. They were from mama’s album. The big one she kept under her bed. Had Renner taken these things when he left? A picture of Bethany smiling like a goof was the most worn. It was faded along the edges and looked like it had been touched a lot.

She frowned. What did this mean? Renner had pictures of her. And had kept her scarf. Kept these things in his safe. Like they were prized possessions.

He hadn’t forgotten her.

Layna’s words replayed in her mind. It’s been a lot of years since Renner was in foster care. What you think you know, and what actually is might not be the same.

Accepting that he’d loved her when all she’d felt was hate… well, it wasn’t an easy thing to come to grips with. And now what? What did they have now? Did he still have feelings for her or was he only making amends for the awful things he’d done as a child?

“Beth!” His voice calling from the shower made her jump.

She piled everything back in the safe and ran back to the bathroom. Renner sat on the ledge that formed a seat at one end of the shower, head in hands.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, throwing the door open and stepping in. She crouched in front of him, oblivious to the water crashing down around her, soaking her clothes.

He lifted his eyes to stare at her. “Nothing. I just needed to get you in here.”

Bethany frowned, standing to leave, but Renner grabbed her hips, bringing her between the crook of his legs. His arms banded around her and his face pressed into her belly. She tensed, knowing he was feeling the part of her body she was most ashamed of. His grip tightened, and she couldn’t help herself. She let her hand cradle his wet head.

Renner pulled back enough to lift her shirt to her breasts. He placed tender kisses on her tummy and it felt so good she struggled between wanting to push him away and draw him closer. Wanting him to stop and wanting more.

Before she could decide, he popped the button on her pants and had them down to her ankles. Bethany gasped at the sudden burst of air on her lower half. She wanted to run away. Slap him. Hide. But the look of ownership and wonder on his face stopped her. Anchored her feet to the tile floor and lit a fire between her legs that the water from the shower could never put out.

Gently, he ran his fingers through her short curls seeming surprised. He lifted his head and his gaze was so hot it could incinerate. Up in smoke, from just one look. “I like this.” He gave it a light tug that sent a zing to her core. “I like this very much.”

His erection jerked as if to confirm his words.

“What are we doing?” she breathed.

“Showering.” He stood, carefully. He was probably in pain but she couldn’t tell from the determination on his face. “Arms up.”

She obeyed, and with one swift move, her shirt joined her pants on the floor, leaving her in only her bra. But his eyes zeroed in on the front clasp, and with a flick of his finger, he’d opened it, exposing her to him fully.

“Fuck,” Renner croaked.

The urge to cover herself was almost unbearable but the curiosity to see what he’d do won out.

His fingers trailed from her throat, down between her cleavage, and over the roundness of her stomach, barely touching. Chills broke out on her skin and her breath came in bursts.

She should put a stop to this. Wait until things had settled and he wasn’t recovering from a near death experience. But would he even want her then? Or was this just recompense? Life threatening catastrophes had a way of making people jump into things they weren’t ready for.

But what about the things she’d found in his closet? Maybe he meant what he’d said about her before he’d fallen asleep.

You’re mine.

“You watched me. Now I’m going to watch you.” His voice got very quiet. “Watch while you rub soap all over this luscious body. Pay special attention to these.” He palmed a breast, squeezing before he sat back on the bench.

She shook her head. How could she bathe in front of him? She was too conscious of her flaws.

Renner handed her the soap. “Fair is fair, Bethy,” he husked.

This was going to happen. The look on his face didn’t leave room for argument. And she had watched him. She could do this. She just had to believe that when it was all over and he felt better, he wouldn’t destroy her like he had when they were younger. History repeating itself on a grander scale is what she couldn’t handle.