Page 26 of How Not to Date an Angel

The door opened slowly, and Rami’s head peeked in, but the angel’s gaze was averted to the wall.

“Decent?” they asked.

“Not quite, Feathers. I’m literally in the bath. I’m naked,” Julian answered. “But there’s bubbles.”

“Bubbles? Enjoying yourself, then?” Ramiteased,and Julian had to force his last two brain cells to cooperate.

“You said I couldhelp myself to anything—“

“Yes, yes, I know,” Rami said, finally entering the bathroom. It was warm from the steam and the mirror was already fogged up.

It was oppressive, suddenly, and Julian drew in a slow breath.

“Wine?” Rami offered, and lowered a hand down to offer Julian his glass.

When Julian lifted his hand from the bath, the drip of the water off his fingers was loud. “Thanks,” he managed, barely. He took a sip to wet his suddenly parched throat.

“I brought a towel in case you were shy, but the bubbles seem to be doing their job,” Rami murmured. With a foot, they pulled a stool over from the corner and nudged it into place at the back of the tub, behind Julian.

Julian sipped his wine, desperate for his brain to kick in. Why was he having such a hard time? This was no big deal. Just an angel being very… angel-like, offering to help Julian out in such a way.

Selfless of them,Julian thought with a bit of a scowl.

He let his arm rest on the edge of the tub, balancing the stem of his glass in his fingers.

He’d tucked his horns away before Rami entered the room, so at least they wouldn’t be in the way. The broken one didn’t hurt when it was hidden, but part of Julian feared that if it didn’t get enough air time, it wouldn't heal.

Did he have any scientific knowledge to justify this paranoia? No.

But the thought of Rami’s fingers on them…

He shivered, and played it off by pushing the bubbles around.

“Sadly, I don’t have anything so fancy as a shower attachment, and while just now I’m realizing how handy that would be, we will have to settle for the old method.”

The angel could just magic one, but Julian wasn’t going to point that out. He’d much rather see what this old method entailed.

Behind him, Julian heard a plink and felt the water shift as it was disturbed before—

Julian gasped as the hot water was poured over his head, and sputtered as he moved his wine glass away. “What the—Feathers! A warning would be nice!” Julian spun a bit in the tub, the best he could, and glared.

Rami was biting down on a smile, a chuckle barely held behind those pinched lips, the wine glass balanced in the other hand, out of harm's way.

“Sorry,” they said, not looking one bit sorry. “I couldn’t resist.”

Julian arched a brow at that. “So you could say you were tempted,” he drawled.

The angel’s already flushed cheeks—from the wine or the situation, he would never know—flushed a little more.

“Well, now. I wouldn’t go that far, per se,” Rami retorted stiffly.

Julian scoffed and turned back around, leaning his head back. “Try not to drown me,” he said.

Rami huffed out a bitchy little noise, and Julian heard the cup dip back into the water. He was prepared this time, but then a soft clink sounded, and the edge of Rami’s palm was cupped against his forehead as they poured the water gently. It wet his hair without getting the water in his eyes.

In fact, the water felt kind of delightful against his scalp, almost slithering through the roots. He shivered again.

“Everything alright?” Rami asked softly. Too softly.

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