Page 41 of Ruthless Rose

Chapter 25

After much arguing over who should shower and dress first, Micah made me go while he waited. That may have been the fastest shower I’ve ever taken. I’d been thoroughly unhinged at the thought that there was a boy waiting for me in my bedroom while I was naked in the shower.

I dry off, wrap my hair into a towel on top of my head, and pull underwear, cotton shorts, and a T-shirt on as quickly as I can manage. Crossing the hallway, I push the door to my room open. Even though I know he’s in there, it makes my heart flutter to see him in my space. “There’s a fresh towel on the sink, and you can use whatever you need.”

He nods and without a word, strides down the hall and into the bathroom.

I press my hands to my face, looking around, trying to see my things through his eyes. There isn’t anything embarrassing sitting out, and I don’t have anything weird on my walls. When I’d come in, he’d been looking at the books on the shelf above my desk.

The water starts again across the hall. Holy. Shit. There’s a naked boy in my shower. And despite being frozen just ten minutes ago, I’m now beginning to sweat.

Unable to fathom how we got here, I grab my hair dryer from my dresser, plug it in, and bend over, running the hot air through my hair. I squeeze my eyes shut and try not to panic. Does Micah realize he’s given me my first kisses ever? That he’s the only guy to have ever seen me without a shirt on? I was a little worried that maybe he’d find my breasts too small, but after the way he’d sucked on them and licked them, I think he liked them just fine.

I flip my semi-dry hair back over and stand upright, staring at myself in the mirror above my dresser. I don’t look any different, but man, do I feel different. I’m still standing in the same spot when Micah raps his knuckles against the door and pushes it open.

His huge body fills the doorway, another pair of joggers on his lower half. Eyeing his bare chest, I try not to gawk—not too much, anyway. “Did you have everything you needed? Do you want to borrow a T-shirt?”

He smirks a little, reaches out and grabs my wrist, pulling me to him. “No. I have one in my bag. I like to air-dry a little bit after a shower.” He runs his hands down my back, hugging me to him. I nuzzle against his chest, loving the way his warm skin feels under my cheek.

“I smell like you.”

I inhale and giggle a little, my shoulders hunching up because, sure enough, he smells like my body wash.

“It’s vanilla something or other. Like a fucking dessert.”

I wrinkle my nose, shaking my head a bit. “Sorry.”

“No.” He eases back, hooking a finger under my chin and lifting my face to his. “I like it. The fucking problem is now I’m going to smell you on me all night, and who knows how many times I’ll have to jack off when I get home because of it.”

I press my forehead to his chest before patting it and looking up with a smile. “I don’t know how to help you with that.”

He chuckles and wriggles his brows at me. “I could show you.”

My cheeks burn. I must look like I’m about to freak out because he quickly lifts his hands from me.

“I’m totally teasing you.”

I really wish my mouth would stop flapping open and closed like a fish. Gathering my wits about me, I laugh. “No, I know. That was funny.”

He gestures to the door. “Why don’t we work on that Spanish assignment?”

“Which one?” My brain is mush. Some help I’ll be tutoring him today.

“The one with irregular conjugations.”

This time it’s my turn to chuckle. “Right. I freaking love conjugating verbs.”

“You are such a fucking nerd, Daph.”

My face falls at the fresh reminder that he talks to Alora about me, and it makes my stomach turn. His offhand comment was way too reminiscent of what she’d said to me the other day for my liking. Mood soured, I pivot to head downstairs.

He catches me around the waist, tugging me back against him. He whispers close to my ear, “Hey.” He plants a kiss on my cheek. “I didn’t mean it like you’re thinking. I love a good nerd girl.”

I press my lips together and nod, incapable of speaking. I may be an excellent AP Lit student, but that doesn’t mean words always come easily to me—especially not now. Not with a hot guy’s breath tickling my ear.

He tightens his hold on me. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“Okay.”

---