Page 115 of The Young & the Sinner

I had only been in one other serious relationship before her, and the person I was with wasn’t into aftercare—or intimacy. Everything between us had been about rough, passionate fucking.

I shook my head. I didn’t need to be thinking about my other relationship while I had her in my arms. For many reasons…

I looked down and caught Olivia blushing. I loved that even after everything we’d done, she was still shy.

She nodded.

I pulled her to the middle of the bed until her head rested on the pillow. She focused her attention on the ceiling, on the glow-in-the-dark stars, while I got up to get a wet cloth to clean her up.

She let out a gasp when I spread her legs, and I stopped immediately to look at her. “Is this okay, sweetheart?”

She nodded, though I could tell she was trying to get away from her thoughts. I knew the sentiment.

“Talk to me?” she asked.

I paused, thinking. Then I told her about my week. About a new case that just came up, and even about my lunch with Brody Frost, though I probably shouldn’t have mentioned his name. I knew about her adolescent crush on the hockey star. I wondered how she felt about him now.

While I talked, I moved the towel up the inside of thighs to clean her up. I started from one thigh, moved to the other, and then finally, to her center, doing everything in my power to not get an erection.

She didn’t need that from me.

There was nothing sexual about the act, but I could see how wet she was getting from it. It was driving me crazy. I didn’t comment, but I continued on with the one-sided conversation.

After I was done, her face was beet red, and she wouldn’t quite meet my eyes. I leaned forward and kissed her lips, loving how pliant she’d become under me. “All done, sweetheart. Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll make you something to eat?”

She nodded.

I climbed off the bed with the soiled towel and left her room without another word, giving her some privacy. I resisted the urge to bring the towel up to my nose and sniff, like the deprived bastard I was, and walked downstairs.

Just as I was pulling out the ingredients for a ham and cheese sandwich, I heard the garage door opening.

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