Slow Burn(75)

    “For both of us,” I said.

    He kissed my forehead. “I’m a little harder to hide than you, doll.”

    Beth’s words came back to me. He’ll abandon you too. But she was just bitter and angry, wasn’t she? “I want us to be together.”

    “I want that too,” he said. “If it’s possible, then we will be.” He shrugged. “If you still want me.”

    “Why wouldn’t I want you?” I said.

    “I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe at some point, you’ll get sick of me.”

    “I doubt it.” I kissed the tip of his nose.

    “Maybe you’ll get sick of my issues. You’ll see me for what I am. Half a man. Damaged. Broken.” His shoulders slumped.

    Where was this coming from? I didn’t understand why he was saying this again. “I would never think that. Besides, we’re going to work on it, right? You said that you didn’t want them to steal things from you.”

    “Let’s talk about something else,” he said. “Like where you want to go next.”

    “Where I want to go next is out of these wet clothes and into the shower,” I said.

    “Sounds good.”

    I winked at him. “You want to come with me?”

    He blushed. It had been a while since I’d seen him do that. “I don’t know, doll.”

    I took his hand. “Come on. It’ll be fun.” I gave him my best naughty grin.

    He eyed me appraisingly. My shirt was clinging to my chest and the outline of my bra was pretty visible through the wet fabric. “Well...”

    I tugged on him. “Come on.”

    He let me lead him into the bathroom. It was decorated in lighthouses and sea shells. Griffin looked around. “This is like a grandmother bathroom.”

    I laughed. “It’s always looked like this. I think my dad bought the place furnished.” I yanked my shirt over my head.

    His eyes widened, taking me in. “For some reason, I’m not nearly as interested in the bathroom décor all of the sudden.”

    I giggled.

    He reached for me.

    I danced out of his reach. “No, not until you’re out of those wet clothes.” I took off my bra.

    He pulled his shirt off.

    I smiled at the sight of his chest. I unbuttoned my pants and wriggled out of them. Then I raised my eyes to Griffin.

    His hands settled on his fly. He looked nervous. “It’s only that I’ve never been totally naked with you.”

    “Do you want me to turn around?”

    He licked his lips. “Maybe?” He laughed a little.

    I turned my back, opened the shower curtain, and turned on the water. I put out a hand to test it. Cold.

    The water began to get gradually warmer. I adjusted accordingly, until the temperature was just right.

    And then I felt Griffin press against me from behind, his skin still damp from the rain. His lips tickled my ear. “You’re cold, doll.”

    I twisted in his arms. “I need you to warm me up.”

    And then we were face to face, both nude. My breath caught in my throat. It felt magnificent.

    He kissed me, cupping the curve of my ass, pulling me against him.

    I felt him pressed against me, stiff and warm. I looked down, and I saw it for the first time, between our bodies, standing up straight, like an exclamation point.

    I wanted to touch it. But I stopped myself. I drew in a long, slow breath, and I looked into his eyes.

    He gazed back at me.

    “You, um, want to get in the shower?” I said. Steam was starting to pour out behind the curtain.

    “Okay.”

    I stepped into the tub. I deliberately didn’t watch him get in after me. Instead, I stuck my head under the warm jets of water, letting them run over me.

    “Shower hog,” said Griffin, pulling me out of the way and getting in front of me.

    “No fair,” I said. “You’re way huger than me. And you block everything.”

    “You were blocking everything too, doll,” he threw over his shoulder.