Page 9 of Extra Witchy

“Probably not. I’m game for a shower, though, if we both fit.”

“You’re assuming I want to shower with you.”

Trev smiled. “I guess I am. We can do it separately, but I figured you wanted to keep rolling. Otherwise, you’d have slapped my ass and sent me on my way at the party.”

“True enough.” She wasn’t one for delaying gratification, so she unbuttoned her skirt then her blouse. Soon she stood in her lingerie and gave him the look over one shoulder before sashaying into the bathroom.

He followed her a moment later as she tinkered with the faucet to find the perfect temperature. The bathroom was simple and white, clean, and the tub-shower combo ought to hold the two of them. If they were careful. Leanne wasn’t great at being careful.

Trev swept her hair to the side and kissed her shoulder, a tender gesture that surprised her. Her breathing kicked up a notch, and her confident smile faltered, but since he couldn’t see her face from this angle, it would be fine. She closed her eyes, focused on showing the fun woman with perfect armor around her heart. Then she turned and wrapped her arms around his neck as the water warmed.

He kissed her, one hand on her waist, the other gently skimming down her spine. This didn’t feel like a one-nighter—he took his time, with delicate pecks slowly deepening into the hungry swirl of his tongue, like he had nothing better to do than kiss her for the rest of his life. That thought shocked her enough that she stiffened in his hold, and he pulled back to regard her with an uncertain look.

“You okay?”

What’s wrong with me? Don’t make this weird.

She forced a smile, grateful he didn’t know her well enough to recognize how off she was tonight. “I’m great. Get naked.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice.”

***

Trev couldn’t shake the idea that there was something fragile about Leanne.

He knew next to nothing about this woman, apart from the fact that she was friends with Danica, the woman Titus was dating. Twice, he almost said they didn’t have to do this, but she seemed towantto, even if she had some personal stuff going on, possibly related to her mom’s unexpected visit. These days, he rarely even spoke to his parents despite them living right upstairs, and when they did have a conversation, it was just this pointed bullshit, telling him how awesome his older brother, Tanner, was doing. To cover a rush of thoughts he’d rather not deal with, he stepped into the tub and extended a hand to help her in.

She cocked her head and smiled. “You’re sweet. I could get used to this.”

Once they got situated, he made sure they weren’t leaking water out the sides of the curtain, then he lathered up his hands. “Wash your back?”

“Please.” She turned away, revealing the smooth slope of her back and the lush curves of her ass.

He’d never been with anyone so unabashedly sexual and glamorous. Somehow, her makeup didn’t run, even when she tipped her face up under the silvery stream of the shower.Maybe she has a permanent tint done on her lips and eyeliner tattooed on?Whatever the case, with the water darkening her hair to deep crimson and her features glazed with water, she looked like a siren, aching perfection that came with a curse and would end with him drowning in her depths. Mentally, Trev shrugged, gently circling his soapy hands on her slick skin.

I’m basically okay with that.

After he washed her everywhere, she returned the favor. A hotel meant unlimited hot water, and he spent ages caressing her long after the soap rinsed away. Eventually, he grabbed a couple of towels and wrapped her up in the first then carelessly pulled the other around his waist. This time Leanne got out first and helped him, and he restrained the urge to pinch himself.

This isn’t a dream, right? It’s gonna suck if I wake up in the basement alone.

“I shouldn’t have gotten my hair wet,” she said, frowning at her reflection in the steamed-up mirror. “It’ll be a nightmare to deal with tomorrow.”

Nah, my imagination isn’t good enough to add details like that.

“Same. My hair will be a bush in the morning, and I don’t even have a comb.”

She smiled, turning away from her own image to lick a stray drop of water from his shoulder. “You’ll be cute anyway.”

“Glad you think so.”

He had a quiet idea about sweeping her off her feet, but he didn’t trust himself on slippery tiles, so he waited until she left the bathroom, and then he swooped, carrying her to bed like a bride. But he didn’t stop there, and they bounced onto the bed together, ending up in an untidy sprawl atop the white comforter.

Leanne pulled back enough to scramble beneath the covers because the air con was set to chill. He burrowed in after her and chucked his towel; she did the same. The lights were on low, and he rolled onto his side to gaze into her eyes, content to let her lead. Everything about tonight had been her idea, after all, and he hadn’t been disappointed once. In fact, this was the best night he’d had since—

No, don’t do it. Don’t. You’re happy right now, for fuck’s sake.

But his brain refused to listen and completed the thought anyway.Since Sarah dumped me for good.Sometimes Trev imagined there was an enemy living in his head, one who gloried in reminding him of painful memories every time he inched closer to not hating himself, every time the misery abated.

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