Page 76 of Good at Being Bad (Rock Canyon, Idaho 8)

“Gargh Foo,” he said with a mouth full of toothpaste.

While he continued to brush, she took off her sweatpants and sweatshirt, which she noticed had become stained when she’d helped him get up off the couch. Tossing the clothes aside so she could wash it in his machine, she was down to just her T-shirt, bra, and panties. He was just putting his toothbrush back when she pulled off her T-shirt and set it aside.

“Okay, I’m going to try to get this off you without getting this stuff in your hair, okay?” He nodded, and she gathered the T-shirt as she raised it, pulling it as carefully as she could over his head. The smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke wafted around her as she tossed the shirt on top of her sweatshirt.

Ellie knew she should have been completely disgusted with him, but with him standing shirtless in from of her, his brown eyes staring down at her so seriously, she had a hard time slowing her heart rate.

Mike had a hold of the counter, and she dropped to her knees to take his shoes off. “Lift this leg.” He did as she said, and then lifted the other without being asked. When he was in his bare feet, she stood back up and reached for his pants.

“Ellie…” Mike said softly. It was the cherry on top of an already intimate situation, and she couldn’t look at him when he said her name like that.

Pulling his belt out of the buckle, she said, “What?”

“Why won’t you look at me?” he whispered.

Bracing herself, she met his gaze just as she unsnapped his jeans. “Happy?”

As she pulled down his zipper, he nodded.

Grabbing the waist of his jeans, she started to pull them down, but left his boxers in place. They were naked enough for her strength of will.

He stepped out of his jeans unsteadily, and she tsked. “I can’t believe you got sloppy drunk.”

“I was having a bad day,” he said, pointedly.

“That’s no excuse to lose control of yourself to the point that you can hardly stand.” She helped him toward the shower. Turning on the spray, she adjusted the temperature and sat him on the shower seat, then stepped in and closed the door behind her. The stall was plenty big for two people, but she was very aware that with Mike sitting she was standing with her breasts right at his eye level.

Thankfully, he wasn’t looking. He was leaning his head back against the stall wall with his eyes closed.

Ellie got some of his shampoo and gently washed his hair. She felt a bump on the back of his head and air hissed out between his teeth when she touched it.

“What did you hit your head on?” she asked.

“The floor of Buck’s.”

Rinsing out the shampoo carefully, she poured his body wash into her hands, ignoring the shower puff hanging from the hook. Rubbing her hand gently into his goatee, and his neck, she worked a lather over his skin and against her survival instincts, she found herself rubbing his shoulders.

Mike groaned. “Fuck, that feels good.”

Ellie noticed the red crusted blood on his bruised knuckles and lifted them, running her hands over them gently. “When you’re done, I should take care of these.”

“Hmm.” His head was tilted to the side, and she worried he would fall asleep if she kept him in too long.

Shutting off the water, she grabbed a towel for herself first and wrapped it around her body. When she had it secured, she got one for him and helped him up. “Come on, let’s get you into bed.”

“Whatever you say, boss,” he said, his tone warm as honey. Goosebumps popped up all over her skin, and she distracted herself by drying his hair.

“You’re going to have to get those boxers off.”

Mike hung on to the counter and Ellie turned her back as he stepped out of his boxers. She heard him stumble a bit and turned with the towel ready to wrap around him, but she couldn’t get him covered fast enough to completely miss what he had to offer.

Wrapping the towel around him nearly had her pressed against him, and she could feel the warmth of his breath rustling her hair, and spreading across her chilled skin.

Once he was fully covered, she opened the door and watched Smalls bounce to his feet, panting as he followed them back to his bed room.

Ellie helped him in, pulling the covers up and over him, towel and patted his chest. “Okay, I’m going to grab a couple Advil and a bottle of water. Where is your first aid kit?”

“Under the bathroom sink.” He watched her far too intently for a man too drunk to stand.

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