Raging Hard(37)
I undressed and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water cover me. It felt good. I hadn’t even realized how freezing I really was, but he must have noticed. Immediately I began to feel better as warmth came back into my cold and stiff limbs.
“You need to eat something,” Nate said.
“Okay,” I replied.
“Come downstairs when you’re done.”
“Wait,” I said quickly without thinking about it. “Stay in here with me."
He was silent for a second. “Okay, babe. Whatever you want.”
I stood there and let the water run down my body, not caring that Nate was barely a foot away from my soaking wet, naked body. I could barely form a coherent sentence, let alone articulate why it was bad to have him in the bathroom with me while I showered.
I just kept seeing him, that guy. And Nate’s face, serious and emotionless, like he was taking out the garbage. I knew he was a SEAL and was trained to fight men like them, but seeing it was a totally different thing.
“You okay in there?” Nate grunted at me.
“Oh, fine,” I said.
“You’ve been in there a while.”
“Really?” I blinked, coming back to myself.
“Ten minutes, at least.”
“Sorry. I lost track of time.” I reached forward and turned off the water, and then I opened the shower curtain.
Nate’s eyes widened as I stood in front of him, naked and dripping. It took me a second to realize what I was doing. Until that moment, everything had been on autopilot, like someone else was running my body and mind. But seeing Nate staring at my body like that made me come back to myself. I yanked the shower curtain back over me.
“Towel,” I said.
“You sure?” he said, grinning. “I’d rather keep looking.”
“Don’t be an asshole.”
He handed me a towel. “You’ve got an incredible fucking body, you know that?”
“Thanks,” was all I could think to say.
“Fuck girl, if this were any other time I’d be making you scream my name right now.”
I hid behind the curtain as I wrapped the towel around me. “Yeah, well, good thing it isn’t.”
“Good thing. You okay now? I’m going to make you something to eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You have to eat. Trust me, after shit like that, you need to eat something. Helps you process.”
“Really, I’m fine.”
“You’re not. Get dressed and come downstairs.” He disappeared out the bathroom door.
I watched him go for a second, amazed that he had only made one or two dirty comments. I had just stood there completely naked in front of him, and he had walked away. He clearly understood the mental state I was in, although for some stupid reason I was a little disappointed.
I went into my bedroom and got changed slowly, taking my time. When I was done, I checked my phone. Lydie had called and texted, but I ignored them. I wasn’t ready for that crap.
From downstairs I could smell something delicious. My stomach growled and I realized I was way hungrier than I had thought.
I went down the steps and found Nate wearing fresh and dry clothing and standing in the kitchen.
“What are you making?”
“Fried chicken.”
“Seriously?”
“Sure. I make some damn good fried chicken.”
I sat down at the island and watched him cook, frying the chicken like he actually knew what he was doing.
“I thought SEALs were all dumb muscle heads.”
“Frying chicken doesn’t take much brains.”
“Maybe, but I’m surprised you know how to cook at all.”
“Every man needs to know how to cook one or two dishes.”
“I’m hungrier than I thought.”
He nodded. “Good. That’s a good sign. Means you’re coming back to yourself.”
“What happened to me? It was like I couldn’t control myself.”
“Shock,” he said simply. “You weren’t ready for what happened, so your mind shut down to avoid things getting worse.”
“It was so strange.”
“Happens to some guys in battle every once in a while.”
“Has it ever happened to you?”
He shook his head. “No, it hasn’t. Guess I’m built for that sort of shit.”
He walked over and placed a plate of fried chicken down in front of me. “Go ahead, eat.”
I picked up a piece and took a tentative bite. It was hot, but it was absolutely delicious, the best thing I had ever tasted in my life. Or at least I was hungry enough to think so as I finished off that piece and started on another.
He watched me, smiling to himself.
“What?” I asked.