Page 52 of Whispers of Obsession

Before I can step out and reach for my towel, Slater is there, pulling the curtain open, and holding a towel for me to step into.

He’s still dripping water, but there’s a towel around his waist, and I try to hide my disappointment.

“Come on, let's get you into bed.” He leads me into my room, wraps a second towel around my hair, and uses the first one to pat my body dry. I’m shaking as he helps me into bed, but when I try to hide under the covers, he hisses at me. “You need lotion.”

My eyes are wide as he pumps the white cream into his hands, and then warms it by rubbing them together. I’m lying in my bed, naked, fully exposed to him, as he puts one hand on my chest, and the other on my abdomen.

I gasp as he rubs the lotion into my skin…over my breasts…across my hard nipples.

He doesn’t make a sound, just watches my body as he touches me.

“Roll over,” he says, and I flip onto my stomach. When he starts massaging my ass cheeks, I bury my face into my pillow.

“Jesus,” I murmur, but the sound is muffled by the pillow.

“Drink,” he instructs, when he’s done, and I blink up at him to see he’s holding two painkillers in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

When he turns away, I think he’s leaving. Instead, he grabs me a loose T-shirt and baggy sweatpants and brings them over, helping me into them.

“Thank you,” I say, looking up at him. He’s being so gentle.

He’s so different from my masked man…

“Get under the covers, Cora,” he says, nodding to my bed.

“Okay,” I agree, snuggling into my bed. Despite the warmth of the blankets, I shiver.

Slater sighs, before climbing in beside me. His body heat, and the press of his skin against mine, sets me at ease.

I drift off to sleep easily…

23

CORA

“We’re going where?” I yelp, eyes wide as my mother rubs her temples.

“To Sean’s house for Slater’s birthday dinner. It’s a surprise for him, so don’t say anything,” Mom tells me, looking more tired than usual.

I never did tell her about the attack. Instead, I hid the bruising for a week like a coward, and pretended the entire thing never happened. At least now I can cover the fading bruises with makeup.

I shake my head as my mom’s words sink in. What the hell does she mean we’re going to my Sean’s house? We’ve had almost zero communication with him since the divorce and suddenly we’re dinner guests?

I don’t like this at all.

“Tonight?” I ask carefully, sure that I’m misunderstanding her.

“Yes, tonight.”

“But tonight is senior night.” I pout. Dinner to celebrate Slater doesn’t sound too bad. However, dinner with my stepdad sounds like a nightmare. Why the fuck would he want to have dinner with my mom? They’re divorced!

“You can go to your senior night after dinner.”

“Fine.”

I head back upstairs. Today was my last day of school. Tomorrow we just have to go in to practice for graduation, and then on Friday, it’s the real deal. Graduation. Crazy to think that if I hadn’t fought so hard in the bathroom that day, I might not have made it to see all my hard work pay off.

“Be ready by five!” Mom calls up the stairs as I flee.

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