I walked back to the bed and grabbed Brett’s hand. “Come with me.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Where?”
“We’re taking a bath,” I said, tugging on his hand.
He frowned. “Why?”
“Will you just come with me, please?”
He let me pull him from the bed and took a step towards me. “If you want me to fuck you in the tub, just say so.”
I rolled my eyes and smiled, patting him lightly on the stomach. His rock hard abs twitched lightly under my touch and I inadvertently tried not to drool. “This isn’t to have sex.”
His gaze narrowed in questioning. “What are we going to be doing then?”
“Talking or relaxing. Whatever. Doesn’t matter,” I said and walked to the bathroom before stepping into the tub. The hot water sent a shiver up my spine as I sank into the large claw bathtub.
I watched as Brett tentatively walked into the room before joining me. He sat behind me and wrapped his big body around mine, pulling me tight against him. Always touching me. Always gripping me tight. Any harder and I wouldn’t be able to breathe. That was one of the many things I loved about him. His need to touch me. His need to speak to me through his body.
“You expect me to just talk when you’re sitting naked against me?” he asked, grabbing a cloth off the side of the tub.
“Yes,” I said, leaning forward. “We don’t always need to have sex.”
He grunted. “You complaining?”
“No, but I would like to have an actual conversation with you.”
His brows furrowed. “We talk.”
“Yeah, after having sex.” I didn’t know why I was arguing with him but I didn’t want to be one of those girls in a relationship based solely on sex. Yes, I loved every second of it but I needed more.
“Why are we here?”
I didn’t know if he meant in the tub or in general so I just answered with honesty. “Because we need each other.”
“You think so?” He dipped the cloth in the water and ran it over my shoulder and down my arm sending goose bumps over my skin.
“I know so.” I looked at the gold band on my ring finger. The diamonds glistening in the light. Brett just got back a week ago and already so much had happened. “This is our time. Our moment to be one. It may sound corny or stupid.” I waited for him to say something and when he didn’t, I continued. “Since you got home from New York, things have felt different. I don’t know. I just—”
“I think we should go to Mexico sooner than later.”
My heart gave a start. “I agree.” I wrapped my arm around his bent knee and kissed it before resting my head on my hand.
“I had a nightmare about my mom,” Brett said a moment later. His body tensed behind me and I waited patiently for him to continue. “It was more like a memory playing over and over in my fucking head. Evvie, when I saw her…” He took a deep breath. “I was serious when I said that I wanted to kill her.”
I bit back a gasp at his admission.
“I know that makes me sound like a monster but it’s the fucking truth. I will never forgive her for the shit she did to me. The shit she got her boyfriends to do.” He sighed. “I…I was almost raped by one of them.”
My head whipped around, shock tearing through my body. I didn’t know why I was surprised. The way his mom looked at him like she wanted to eat him alive made me sick to my stomach.
His eyes were dark, stormy, pure raw hatred filling them as memories must have invaded his mind. “He whipped me with an extension cord. If you look at my back and ass really closely, you can see the marks. That’s why I tan and…that’s why I fucked you like I did tonight.”
I frowned confused as to what he meant.
He ran a hand through his hair, drops of water sliding down his beautiful face. “I wanted to erase the horrible memories of my nightmare and when I woke, being inside you was the only way I knew how. It calmed me.”
A hard lump filled my throat. I didn’t know what to say.
A soft smile splayed at his lips. “You are the only reason I’m able to get through this.”
I shook my head. “I had no idea it was that bad,” I whispered.
“I don’t remember most of it. I blocked it out I think but the things I do remember, threaten to destroy me every fucking day. Every time I close my eyes, I’m terrified that I’ll have a nightmare. It’s only since being with you, that I’ve been able to get a good night’s sleep…until tonight that is.” He leaned his head back against the tub and let out a frustrated sigh.
“I’m so—”