Page 152 of Burn Like An Angel

Raine runs his hand beneath the stream of water. “That Ethan dude is a total softie. I heard him chatting to some guy called Ryder on the phone the other day. They were flirting like crazy.”

“Do you think it was his boyfriend?”

“Early days, I think.” Raine shrugs. “Sounded like a long distance love affair.”

“That’s kinda cute. I pegged him for the bachelor, secret agent type.”

Uncapping the bubble bath, I hand it over to Raine and gape when he dumps the whole bottle in. He raises an eyebrow at my chuckle, but I don’t dare tell him. Not when he’s making an effort to help.

Once the bath is three quarters full and overflowing with bubbles, I reach over to turn off the taps. The last thing we need is to flood the bathroom. He kicks off his jeans and tee then reaches for my shirt.

“Oh,” Raine chortles. “Mind if I come in?”

“Looks like you’ve already made that decision.”

“Sorry.” He smiles cheekily. “I just assumed.”

“It’s fine. Some company would be good.”

I let him help me out of the baggy t-shirt I’ve worn for the past few days. I’d feel embarrassed, but I know he isn’t judging me. If I could choose otherwise, I wouldn’t be this way.

“Hop in, Rip.”

“Can you help me?”

“Of course, I can.”

Letting him steady my trembling legs, I climb into the steaming bathtub. The sweet smell of marshmallows curls around me in the rising steam, inviting me deeper into the warmth.

I sink down in the middle, leaving space for Raine behind me. He runs his hands along the edge, estimating how high he needs to lift his legs before clambering in. I shift to let him settle at my back.

“This feels like a lot of bubbles.”

I hold back a laugh. “You were pretty generous.”

“Well, shit.”

Slender arms slide around me, pulling me flush against him. Raine places gentle kisses along my shoulders, pushing mattedcurls aside to reach my neck. I lean into him, taking the comfort he’s offering.

“You haven’t spoken much since Lennox took you to the graveyard.”

“There’s nothing to say,” I reply quietly.

“You don’t need to pretend, Rip. I’m sure the situation with Jonathan is painful. If you want to talk about it, I’m here to listen.”

“He’s made his choice. That’s it.”

Raine doesn’t respond right away, pouring water over my arms and chest. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I’m not going to pry. If you’ve come to terms with it, then I trust you’ll reach out if you need to. Just know I’ll be here if anything changes and you need to vent.”

I relax at his easy acceptance. He knows when to push but also when to back off. That’s a skill most people aren’t capable of.

“Shift forward and lean your head back.” He gently nudges my hips. “I won’t shampoo your face this time.”

“Promise?”

---