Page 23 of Celebrating the Season

“Mm-hmm.” Ellery’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Well, we can’t have that. Follow me.”

As he led the way toward the bathroom, I took my sweet time admiring the way his jeans hugged his ass. My fingers itched to grab it, to feel the firm muscle beneath. I bit my lip, trying to rein in my impatience. We’d only known each other for three days, but already, I craved Ellery’s touch like a drug.

It wasn’t just physical. There was something about Ellery that drew me in, made me want to spill all my secrets. Made me want to be a better person. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

“You coming?” Ellery called over his shoulder, startling me from my thoughts.

I grinned, quickening my pace. “Not yet, but I’m hoping to be soon.”

His laugh warmed my heart. I loved hearing that big, booming laugh.

Ellery turned on the shower so it could warm up—it took a minute or so for the water to get warm, I had noticed. And then I watched, mesmerized, as he began to undress. His movements were unhurried, deliberate, each piece of clothing revealing more of his muscled physique. My eyes were drawn to the roman numeral tattoo encircling his right biceps, stark black against his tanned skin.

“You gonna stare at me all day?” Ellery’s deep voice rumbled with amusement.

“Maybe,” I quipped, fumbling with my buttons. “Just admiring the view. You know, for artistic purposes.”

Ellery chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. “Artistic purposes, huh? And what kind of art would that be?”

“Oh, you know,” I rambled, managing to strip off my shirt. “The kind with lots of…muscles. And tattoos. You know, the smexy stuff.”

“Smexy? What the everloving fuck is that?”

“Smutty and sexy at the same time. Smexy.”

“Right. I’ll take your word for it.”

I hadn’t been entirely joking. My fingers itched to draw him, to capture that magnificent body and personality in my art.

But right now, I had other priorities.

Steam billowed around us as we entered the small bathroom, the warmth enveloping me like a comforting hug. As we stepped into the shower, the warm water cascaded over us, and I let out a contented sigh. Ellery reached for the shampoo, his fingers brushing against mine.

“Allow me,” he murmured, squeezing a dollop into his palm before working it into my curls.

I leaned into his touch, my eyes fluttering closed. “Mmm, that feels amazing. You missed your calling as a hairdresser.”

Ellery’s laugh reverberated through the small space. “I’ll stick to wood carving, thanks. Though I do enjoy getting my hands dirty.”

“Oh yeah?” I opened one eye, grinning mischievously. “What other talents are you hiding, Mr. Wolfe?”

His hands slid down to my shoulders, kneading the tension away. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

I turned to face him, my heart racing as I took in his gorgeous blue eyes, the water droplets clinging to his beard. “I would, actually. I want to know everything about you.”

“I’m an open book, darling. Ask me anything.”

I would. But again, not right now.

I pressed myself against Ellery, feeling bold and intoxicated by his presence. The steam swirled around us, and I could feel every inch of his muscled body against mine. My voice dropped to a husky whisper as I trailed my fingers down his chest.

“You know, I was thinking we could do more than shower,” I murmured, my lips brushing against his ear.

I felt his sharp intake of breath, his hands tightening on my hips for a moment before he pushed me back. His blue eyes were dark with desire, but there was also concern etched in the lines of his face. “As much as I want to—and believe me, I do—you need time to recover. We’ve been pretty…active these past few days.”

I couldn’t help the pout that formed on my lips. “But I feel fine!”

Ellery’s expression softened, and he cupped my face in his large hands. “I know you do, sweetheart. But I want to take care of you, not hurt you.”

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