Page 110 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

“You need a shower,” I said with a small smile.

“Katie, I was just going to flake out and wash the sheets in the morning. I don’t even know how I drove home, let alone how I would lift a hand to wash myself.”

“So don’t.” I took his hand, the limp hold telling me everything I needed to know as I tugged him down the hall. His boots clumped noisily on the floor right up until I went to work removing each one.

“Katie, you don’t have to do this.”

He protested right as he wavered on his feet, obviously exhausted.

“No, I don’t.” I stared up at him, noting the way the light created a halo around his head, tarnished by soot. “But I want to, so shush.”

His body swung closer as I stripped him down, working to remove all evidence of his day and just leaving him.

“Shoulda slept at the station,” he mumbled. I could see that, but I let him talk. “Hoped you were at home, though.”

My hands froze midway through undoing his shirt.

“You drove like this for me?”

“Anything.” His voice broke on that word. “Can’t keep pretending. Whatever you want, I’ll get it for you, because…” He swallowed hard, then coughed, and I was forced to wait for him to recover. “Because I need you here, waiting for me to come home.”

Bloody hell, I could just see it. Him breezing through the door, dumping his uniform in the washing machine as Garrett and I cooked. Rhys would be playing with Bronson, getting him barking, right as Rhett walked over. Forehead kisses and then we’d talk about our day, sharing all the little moments between us. Damn me if I didn’t want that more than anything else. Grand gestures, romantic dates, they weren’t what made me tick. It was all uncomfortable underwear and feeling like a fish out of water, but all of us creating a safe space? Yeah, I wanted that a whole lot.

“Shower first.” I turned the water on and tested the temperature before stripping off and stepping in myself. “We can talk about the future another day.”

“Tonight?” His hands gripped the entrance to the shower cubicle. “You’ll stay tonight. I’m not much use to you.” He looked down, his whole body limp and beaten down by fatigue. “But you in my bed, in my arms?—”

“Pretty sure we can make that work, but I draw the line at dirty bed partners. C’mon.”

He stepped in then and I went to work.

It was strange how intimate it was, to smooth soap all over him and scrub until all the soot went spiralling down the drain. I’d felt his cock pulse inside me, and yet there was something far more personal about this. Perhaps because he let me see it, the complete and utter exhaustion. No masks, no pretences, just him and just me. I worked quickly, trying not to luxuriate in the feel of his big, strong body under my hands, then washed his hair clean before the two of us stepped out again. Then he was there with a towel.

I could feel it, the ghost of desire that haunted the bathroom but would not actually materialise right now. He dried me off and I did the same, then we staggered down the hall. I was lifted off my feet before he dropped us both down onto the bed, snuggling into the pillow. Covers were pulled over us, creating a cocoon that cut out the entire world.

“Katie—”

“Shh…” I stroked his hair back from his face and his eyes fell closed, his breath evening out almost immediately.

For just a moment, I lay there, surrounded by the feel, the scent, the presence of Rhett, and somehow that was enough to send me off to sleep as well.

“Katie, coffee!” Garrett followed me to the front door the next morning, handing me a travel mug. “Milk, a metric fuck ton of sugar, and that caramel syrup you like.”

“God, you’re perfect.” The words just spilled out, and the two of us stood there for a second. It was too soon for these kinds of declarations, right? I smiled nervously. “Bring this kind of energy at my parents’ place. They can be tough to win over.”

“You told me what kind of wine your mum likes to drink and your dad’s favourite football team. We’ll nail it.”

“Who’s nailing what?” Rhys bounded over with Bronson at his heels. “And why in the hallway? We have a lovely bed just in here?—”

“Morning.” Rhett emerged bleary eyed. He pushed past the others and then pressed a kiss to my temple. “I slept so good last night. Thanks for staying with me.”

“And I need to go.” That was said as much to get my arse into gear as to say goodbye to them, because it was all too tempting. Blow off work and just hang around here having multiple orgasms. The gleam in Rhys’ eyes made clear he knew what I was thinking about. But when he sucked in a breath to persuade me, I opened the front door. “I’m running late, which reminds me. Don’t be late to Mum and Dad’s. On time is late, early in on time?—”

“And getting there hours before is just early.” Rhys nodded. “Don’t worry, we’ve got this.”

“See you tonight.”

A hot coffee in my hand, my cheeks bright red from multiple kisses from hot guys. There were definitely worse ways to start my day. Now all I needed to do was make sure it ended on a high note as well. I tapped out a quick message to Mandie and then started my car.

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