Page 82 of The Very Naughty List

He turns me around to rinse the shampoo out of my hair, his gaze a little out of focus and his expression thoughtful as heconsiders his answer. It’s a long moment before he speaks, and then he sighs.

“My parents were so in love with each other. I always loved the strength of connection that they had. I never wanted to be in a relationship that was anything less than that, especially after we lost them. I wanted to find a love like they had… and I realized that Sutton and I weren’t really like that. It wasn’t how I felt about her.”

I nod, resting my hands on his chest as I mull his answer over in my mind. I feel like I can relate to that, at least a bit.

“I don’t think that I ever had that kind of love with Dylan either,” I admit.

“Of course you didn’t.” He scowls, smoothing my wet hair back from my face. “You’re too good for that fucker. You always have been.”

“I wish I’d realized that sooner.” I blow out a breath, tracing the lines of his tattoos idly with my fingers. “If Dylan is trying to punish me for our break-up by getting his parents to raise the rent on my family’s diner, I’ll never forgive him. My family’s whole livelihood could be in jeopardy. It’s fucking awful.”

I’ve been stopping by the diner every day since I found out what was going on, doing my best to lend a hand and help out. But there’s nothing I can do to fix the rent situation, and I hate that feeling of powerlessness.

Reid leans down to press a kiss to the top of my head. “I’m sorry, trouble. That fucking sucks.”

“Thanks.”

I let out a breath, gazing at his chest as he straightens. My fingers follow the lines of the intricate design that covers his entire left pec and the meaty part of his shoulder. I’ve seen it dozens of times by now, but I’ve never really studied it this closely before.

“Are these daisies?” I ask, cocking my head to one side as I notice what looks like a twisting chain of flowers woven into a broader pattern of sharp lines and bold curves. The daisies are subtly hidden among the stronger elements, which include barbed wire coiling around a compass with the arrow pointing north.

“Yeah.”

“I never noticed them before.” I glance up at him, blinking water droplets out of my eyelashes. “I love daisies. They’re my favorite flower.”

“I know.”

Just like a few moments ago, his words are simple, but the effect they have on me is dizzying and complicated.

I swallow hard, licking my lips as he holds my gaze in the steamy little cocoon of the shower. He doesn’t say anything else about the tattoo, and I don’t ask if he knew that daisies were my favorite when he got it—or if that’s why he incorporated them.

I think I’m a little scared to ask, honestly. I’m scared to know the truth, whatever it might be, and even asking a probing question like that feels like it breaks the ‘casual, no-strings’ rule we implemented. It opens a door that I’m terrified to open, because on the other side of that door, everything could fall apart.

What’s happening between me and the Cooper brothers right now is simple and easy. As wild and debauched as it is, it still feelssafe.

I’m not sure my heart could take anything more.

But even though I don’t say anything, I can’t stop my fingers from sliding over his wet skin, tracing the daisies woven into his tattoo. He drops his gaze to watch my fingers, then rests his hand over mine, flattening my palm against his chest. I can feel the heavy thud of his heartbeat as he leans down and?—

The shower curtain is ripped back as Sebastian pokes his head into the shower.

I let out a startled squeak at his sudden appearance, and Reid mutters a curse under his breath, dropping his hand away from mine.

“Dammit, Sebastian. We’ve been over this. You can’t just barge into the fucking bathroom when someone is showering.”

“Oh yeah?” Sebastian smirks. “Then how did you get in here?”

Reid snaps his mouth shut, glowering at his brother, and the youngest Cooper triplet laughs.

“You two sure look nice and cozy,” he observes, arching a brow.

“Yeah, so shut the curtain, you’re letting out our steam.” Reid tries to pull the curtain closed on him, but Sebastian just pushes it open again.

“Hey, shortcake.” He gives me a playful wink. “How about another dare?”

Reid looks like he’s about to strangle Sebastian, which I’m sure is at least half the reason his brother is still in here. I’m not the only one who enjoys pushing Reid’s buttons. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Yeah, what kind of dare?” I ask, intrigued.

---