Page 12 of Surge of Storms

“Go,” I tell her, smiling.

We exchange a quick hug, and then she’s on the elevator, and we’re off to my room. I feel like I’m glowing. Like everything in my little world is coming together.

I couldn’t be happier.

At the doorway to my room, Granger hesitates, looking unsure of himself. I hate that he feels that way. He’s my man now. I need to help him to become more confident. Help him figure out his place in my life.

“Come on,” I say. “We need to take a shower.”

He frowns. “Shouldn’t I go to my room?”

I grin. “Okay, but only for as long as it takes you to grab your clothes then head straight back here. I think a shower together would be better than one apart.”

“Okay.” He seems in disbelief as he heads for his room.

Going into my room, I strip off my dirty, wet clothes and lay out some clean ones on a chair. Then, I go to the bathroom and look at my tender back. Whistling low, I take in the dozens of long, jagged scars. I know from experience that they'll fade with enough time, but I see why Granger is so concerned. They look worse than they feel.

My door buzzes, and I walk over and open it. Granger takes one look at my naked body, blushes, and stares down at his feet.

Smiling, I remind him, “You're allowed to see me naked now.”

“Y-yeah, right,” he mutters.

Grabbing his wrist, I haul him into my room. “Come on. I'm freezing. Let's get in the shower.”

The door closes, and I start working his belt. He drops his clean clothes on the ground and takes my hands.

“Sam…”

I glance up at him, surprised by the seriousness of his voice. “What's wrong?”

He seems uncertain. “Before, when we were together, there were a lot of dragon hormones. We weren't thinking. Things are clearer now. Brighter too.”

I try not to look at him like he's crazy. “So?”

“So… damn it, Sam. It's clear to everyone that you and I don't look like a match. If I was a bird, I'd be strutting around with my big belly and dull feathers, and you'd be ignoring me.”

I frown, trying to wrap my head around what he’s saying, but I can’t quite figure it out. “What are you talking about?”

He sighs and rubs the space between his eyes. “Sam, I'm not… attractive.”

I burst out laughing, but stop when I see how somber he is. “Granger, you're a fox.”

“I'm not. I’m the guy who girls occasionally take an interest in before they find someone better.”

“Like hell!”

He sighs again, like he’s stating the most obvious thing in the world. “You're mated to three guys who look like they stepped out of a GQ magazine. They have muscles for miles. And now you want to see me… naked, under the harsh lightning of your bathroom. It's just… not going to be pretty.”

“I’ve seen you in a swimsuit plenty of times.”

His mouth forms into a thin line. “This is different.”

I act without thinking, pressing myself against him, letting my hands wander under his shirt. “If we're going to break you down to just your body, let's do it. I like your body, Granger. I like that you're bigger than me. I like that you're built like a football player. If things weren't complicated by our friendship, Aydan, just based on you physically… I'd have done some dirty things to you a long time ago.”

When he doesn't respond, I kiss his neck. Seeing the marks I've left, I slowly begin to leave more, sucking my way up his neck. His hands move to my waist, pulling me closer as he leans into my touch.

“Okay,” he finally says.

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