Page 39 of The Wages of Sin

Chapter Fourteen

KIERA

Dorian’s shower felt like heaven.

After countless months of making do with cracked fiberglass, crappy water pressure, and an anemic water heater that was older than my grandparents, I didn’t want to leave this white marble, ultra-modern delight.

I was already clean, having wasted no time scrubbing every inch of me when I first stepped in. So, now I was just enjoying the feel of deliciously warm water falling over me, washing all the tension in my shoulders down the drain.

Even the steam felt amazing, not just on my skin but in my lungs. Breathing in the moisture-rich air and the scent of eucalyptus soap refreshed me down to the bone. Eyes closed and water rushing over my hair, I could have happily stayed in its peaceful, comforting cloud forever.

But after just a few minutes of pure bliss, I heard the bathroom door open…then close again.

The steam around me swirled, disturbed by the rush of outside air. Even though it could have only been one person, my head still snapped up.

“Dorian?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he made his presence known by opening the fogged glass door of the shower and joining me inside.

Damn.

Even though I had seen him stripped bare multiple times now, something told me his naked body was something I could witness a million times, and it would never get old. He would always take my breath away…just like he had that first time.

Despite all his scars, his body was as close to perfection as I’d ever seen. The refined muscles of his chest, shoulders, and arms were a testament to his strength. His sharp eyes and large hands signaled his power and control. Even the multiple scars crisscrossing his body told the story of a man who could never truly be defeated.

He would always rise again.

For the first time, though, his hotness made me self-conscious.

Still recovering from Carlo’s attack, my body was covered in red marks and fading bruises. Wet and naked, I couldn’t have looked farther from the resilient warrior he did.

I simply looked weak.

And the way Dorian’s gaze softened as his gaze swept me up and down made it clear he saw the same thing. Amazingly though, he didn’t seem horrified or repulsed as he took in all the discolored marks spread across my face, arms, and ribs.

“Do they still hurt?” he asked, his voice softer than usual.

I shook my head. “Not anymore. They only make me ugly.”

“Impossible,” he said, locking eyes with me before gently running the back of his fingers down my arms, caressing my skin as softly and intimately as the water. “There’s nothing in heaven or earth capable of that. Your body might be fragile, but your beauty runs all the way down to your soul.”

Oh…wow.

I couldn’t wait anymore. Raising myself up on tiptoes, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my mouth to his. The tip of his tongue swept across my lower lip, and even in the cascade of steaming water, the sensation was enough to make me shiver.

His touch was light, barely there, as he swept one hand up the length of my back to the nape of my neck. “I’ll be gentle,” he promised.

“Don’t be,” I practically growled, suddenly ravenous for him.

Now that his body was against mine, gentleness was the last thing I wanted.

I’d spent the last week being careful, being guarded and afraid. Now that Dorian was with me, I wanted to feel the blood rushing through my veins.

I wanted my heart to beat so hard I could feel it pounding against my breastbone. I wanted him to light my whole body on fire in the way only he could.

I intensified the kiss, my tongue aggressively tangling with his to prove I wasn’t lying….and it seemed like he believed me.

His hands slid down the length of my body until his massive palms cupped the back of my thighs. Then, in one smooth motion, he lifted me up.

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