Page 56 of I Can't Help It

I think Ava says something about turning off the water, but I don’t bother. I step into the shower—thankfully, the water is warm as it hits my back—and I spot our eight-legged intruder right away. Then, I detach the handheld showerhead and aim it at the spider. Ava lets out a panicked shriek when it topples from the wall and starts floating toward me, but I step aside just in time.

A second later, the spider is gone.

I pop the handheld back in its place, but before I can turn the water off and step out of the shower, Ava is throwing her arms around me with a relieved exhale. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she exclaims as I hug her back. “I know it’s silly but—”

“It’s not silly.” My voice is firm as I pull away just enough to see her face. “How you feel isn’t silly. Not to me.”

And then we just stand there, holding each other in the shower, fully-clothed with water coming down on us as time seems to stand still.

I should let her go.

I should turn the water off.

I should do ANYTHING to end this unexpected moment between us. But I find myself utterly fascinated by the water droplets clinging to Ava’s eyelashes as she blinks at me, and suddenly I can only think about doing one thing.

Kissing her.

I want to kiss Ava again.

When her gaze slides to my mouth, I know I won’t be able to resist the temptation.

I need to kiss her again.

“Ava,” I murmur, brushing my thumb over her wet lips. “Can I…?”

I lean in closer as I wait for her to give me an answer, but she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she grips the back of my neck and crashes her mouth against mine with a needy sense of urgency. It’s a complete shock to my nervous system, and my sharp inhale echoes loudly within the shower walls as proof that I’m ruined for life.

I’m ruined for life, and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be ruined by.

This is my new guilty pleasure.

I don’t care if it’s wrong.

Nothing has ever felt more right.

I kiss her long and hard, letting my fingers get tangled in her damp hair as we give into the passion burning between us. Ava drags her hands down the front of my body, and every touch is heightened since my tank top is plastered to the lines and ridges underneath.

Chills race through me.

I’m tense all over.

And frick, does it feel unbelievably good.

We continue to exchange heated kisses, and each one is brimming with an intense fervor that can’t be matched. Then, Ava tugs on the hem of my shirt as she moves to rest her back against the shower door. I willingly follow, desperate to keep our mouths connected, and she moans when my teeth graze her bottom lip. The low, heady sound causes me to deepen our kissing even more, and my mind becomes foggy when she arches herself closer to me.

Ava, Ava, Ava.

I’ll never be able to get enough of her. I’ll never get tired of kissing her. I’ll never want another woman the way I want her. Being like this with Ava is incredible, and my entire body aches at the thought of us stopping.

But we can’t stay in here forever. We have to stop.

So, I drag my mouth away from hers even though it kills me to. Then, I plant my hands against the shower door, on either side of her, and I let out a shaky breath.

She’s still holding on to my shirt, but I keep my hands where they are, because there’s a really good chance that I’ll grab her hips and dive right back in.

It takes all of me not to grab her hips and dive right back in.

“Luke, that was—” She proceeds to curse, sounding equally breathless. “You’re not making it easy for me to back off.”

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