Page 72 of The Relationship Clause

But it’s not the sight I meant to see.

Because at the exact moment I turn around, the Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator manhandles the still-struggling Owen so hard that Owen’s towel falls to the floor. And I see all of Owen’s backside. I mean ALL of it.

Flames of embarrassment engulf my entire body. My eyes bug out of my head. Should I shut them? Yes. But I’m ashamed to say I don’t. And then I’m unceremoniously shoved out of what is indeed the Juniper room.

By the time I escape Ingrid, the skin on my back matches the pink tinge still adorning my cheeks. Will my skin ever recover from her eucalyptus-infused wrath? Will my brain ever be able to unsee Owen’s towel slipping off his trim waist? Only time will tell.

The better question is, do I want to unsee it?

I hide a smile behind my hand as I slip into the women’s steam room. One thing’s for sure, I’m seeing a whole lot more of Owen on this little trip then I ever thought I would.

CHAPTER 22

OWEN

I shudder as I emerge from the men’s steam room. My masseuse insisted I stay in for at least thirty minutes, but I couldn’t make it that long. Five minutes was four and a half minutes too long. More than a couple of elderly gentlemen missed the memo that towels should be worn at all times for sanitary purposes, and they really should have been wearing towels.

I put my robe back on and I’m looking around to orient myself as to which way the dressing rooms are when I catch sight of Junie.

“There you are,” I say. “I was wondering if you survived your encounter with Ingrid the Intimidating.”

She chuckles weakly. “Barely. The steam helped melt the trauma away. What about you? Have you recovered from your run-in with The Terminator?”

“I don’t know if I ever will.”

She smiles up at me, and I almost can’t believe this is real life. Ever since yesterday when we kissed in the snow, it’s like Junie has let so many of her walls down for me. I don’t know if I can confidently say she’s let them all down, but something has definitely shifted.

This morning, we ate breakfast together in her bed, and then I held her in my arms. Afterwards, I found myself wondering if I’d ever been happier. It’s a paradoxical question, because I think I’m finding that every new moment I spend with her is somehow better than the last. Well, excluding the part where we were literally being beaten apart with sticks and then I lost my towel, but at least Junie didn’t see that last bit.

At least, I don’t think she did…

I want to wrap her up in my arms and create another new favorite moment in the middle of the hallway, but I resist. The last thing I want is for Junie to think I’m taking advantage of the fact that we’re still in a somewhat compromised state of dress.

“You know what I could go for tonight?” Junie says, stepping closer so we’re toe to toe.

“What’s that?”

“Sushi.” She reaches out, running her hand along the plush lapel of my robe. The move is way hotter than it should be.

“Cashing in on that promise already, are you?” I smooth a damp piece of hair away from her face, and her eyes darken.

“Uh-huh. Don’t want you to think I’ve forgotten.” With slow movements, she cinches the belt on my robe more tightly closed. We’re playing a strange, flirtatious game, and I never want it to end.

“Unfortunately, I think we’re going to have to take a raincheck on the sushi.”

She frowns, jutting out her bottom lip. I want to kiss it. “Why? Trying to get out of it already?”

“No, it’s not that.” I move closer to Junie to let someone pass us in the hall. “We have a prior engagement.”

She looks at me questioningly.

“Dinner with my dad.”

Her pouty lips become even more kissable. “Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that.”

“Trust me, I wish I could. As it stands, my dad has texted me no less than three times to remind me, so I don’t think there’s any way we could get out of it.”

And trust me, I would love to get out of this dinner tonight. What I’d rather do is convince Junie to go to dinner with me somewhere other than sushi—don’t worry, it’ll happen eventually—then take her back to the lodge where we can watch a movie and maybe kiss once or twice or a hundred times.

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