Page 15 of Snake

Nimdrapes a towel over my shoulders. I wriggle the tip of the towel against my ear to get the water out as I study her. “Thanks.”

“Oh, I’m not done. I’m going to give you a proper head massage,” she says, fluttering her dark eyelashes at me.

I almost tell her to go down on me instead, but I stop myself. I likedthe way she worked my scalp back there with the shampoo. She’s got powerful hands for such a little thing.

Christ knows I’m tense enough to enjoy a good massage.

“Thank you.” The words are sincere, and she must hear it because suddenly there’s confusion in those green-gold depths.

I lift my head to kiss her, but she turns away. She keeps her face averted as she adjusts the towel and asks, “Comfy?”

“Sure.”

“Then close your eyes and relax.”

I watch her for a second as she opens the sealed jar of conditioner before setting it down on the vanity. I close my eyes and relax my upper body.

She shifts around me, her body warm as she partially dries my hair with another towel. Then she cracks open the jar and smears the cool conditioner over my hair. The scent of peppermint is strangely comforting.

“Smells good,” I murmur as she massages my head. “Where’d you get that?”

“Romi.”

“Hmm.” I lose myself in the touch of her fingers as Nim massages the product into my hair. It tingles when it touches my scalp, but in the good way peppermint usually does. The aroma of the conditioner is almost familiar, and I can’t quite figure out why. Overall, a bit too harsh for my liking, but still quite soothing.

“Use both hands,” I command her.

“I have a cramp. But this is still good, right?”

Christ, even with one hand, I’m enjoying this much more than I should. It’s not just her touch, it’s her fucking presence. Having her so close to me, her scent barely distinguishable under the sharp peppermint.

“Yeah, that’s good.” I relax again, exhaling a long breath as she works my scalp.

Suddenly, there’s a slight prickle on my scalp. My eyes open, and I glare up at Nim. She blinks down at me and smiles warmly. “I found out something quite interesting the other day.”

Her vague comment throws me. I ignore the tingling for a second as I study her. “Do tell.”

“Silas asked me who my sponsors were a while back. He said I had to have three, right?”

“And?” My eyes narrow. The warm prickle from before is still there, but it hasn’t grown any stronger. Probably just my imagination. I grab the jar of conditioner anyway and turn to read the label. High-end product. Pricey. Romi must really treasure her hair.I’m reading the ingredients when Nim’s voice pulls my attention away.

“So…Do you know Vicky Pellegrino?”

I choke on my own goddamn saliva and shove the jar back onto the vanity. “What did you say?” And then I cough like a fucking drama queen because my lungs are on fire from the spit I inhaled.

“Vicky?” Nim peers curiously at me, one hand on her hip, the other still dangling inside the basin. “You don’t know her?” She openly searches my face. “That’s weird. Romi says everyone knows Vicky.”

“I know her,” I grunt out. Then, because it’s only logical for me to ask, I add, “She sponsored you?”

“Yeah!” Nim grins at me and pushes me down into the basin again. “Isn’t that neat?”

I stare up at the ceiling, my muscles all knotted again. “How did you find out?”

“She called me. Right out of the blue.”

Jesus, this changes everything.Or does it?

I’m getting a headache. The stench of peppermint is becoming nauseating. I sit up, but Nim pushes me down again. “You done already?”

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