Page 63 of Bound and Blitzed

“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you washed up,” he says, gently lifting me from bed. He carries me into the bathroom and sits me on the vanity. He moves to the shower and flips on the water, waiting until it’s hot and steaming before carrying me into the shower. “I’m gonna change the sheets after this.”

I laugh.

With Avery’s strong arms around me, I relax under the stream of hot water. We shower together, taking our time, and talking about the events of the last twenty-four hours.

“I meant what I said last night, Lena. It wasn’t just because of the moment,” Avery says, brushing my wet hair out of my eyes and staring at me. “I love you.”

I nod, noting the sincerity in his eyes. “I love you, too.” I lean into him to kiss his lips. “I have for a while.”

“Yeah?” He smirks.

I nod.

“Me too,” he admits. “I just didn’t know that’s what this feeling is. I’ve never felt it before.”

His words warm me from the inside out. “Me neither,” I share. “This is going to be our year, Avery,” I tell him, brushing my fingers over his warm skin.

“It feels that way, doesn’t it?” he murmurs. “Like anything is possible now.”

“Si, yes.” I nod. “Like everything is possible as long as we’re together.”

We smile at each other, getting lost in each other’s eyes. In the moment.

Again, I feel my body stir with want. God, will this feeling ever go away?

I hope not.

I lean into Avery and kiss him again, slipping my tongue into his mouth and wrapping my arms around him.

We kiss for a long moment, our tongues mating, our hands caressing, until Avery pulls back with a frown appearing between his brows.

He shifts closer to the bathroom door, cocking his head.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Did you hear that?” he wonders, turning off the showerhead.

As soon as the water is off, I hear the ring of the doorbell.

My eyes fly to his. “Who could that be?”

“On Christmas morning?” He shakes his head. “I have no idea.”

Avery steps from the shower and wraps a towel around his waist. “Wait here. I’ll get rid of them.” He gives me a grin. “If it’s my family, I’m going to?—”

“Shh!” I laugh. “Just go and come back.”

As Avery pads out of the steamy bathroom, I step out of the shower and shrug into a robe.

I’m tying the sash around my waist when I hear my mother’s unmistakable voice.

“Where is Valentina? Where is our daughter?”

Oh, shit.

I hurry from the bathroom quickly, wincing as my family’s eyes swing in my direction.

Pure horror shades Papá’s eyes as his face reddens. He tosses a hand in the air and turns away, as if he can’t bear to look at me.

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