Page 39 of Pretty Poison

I shake my head. “Y-you’re crazy. I’m not doing anything.”

Saying nothing, he picks me up as though I weigh nothing and places me in the shower, the water flowing onto my right side, drenching the towel further. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“What’re you—”

“I’m joining you.”

“I can see that,” I retort. “But why?”

“Call it… saving water.”

I watch every single move he makes, unable to avert my eyes as he releases his already hard dick from his underwear.

“Are you going to shower in that?” he asks, stepping in beside me.

“I–I’ve never—” I lick my lips as I try to steal all the oxygen around us. “I don’t—”

“It’s okay, little one; it’s just a shower. ”

I nod, whispering, “O-okay.”

With shaky hands, I release the towel, hand it to him, and he throws it back onto the bathroom counter.

“If you’re more comfortable, you can face the other way. I’m not going to force you to watch me.”

As much as I want to watch his every move as he showers, my body turns away from him, concealing everything except my backside.

My head dips, allowing the water to slide down my hair, my hands brushing down it. A clicking sound makes me jump, and my head whips around.

“It’s shampoo, relax.” I watch as he closes the bottle with his forearm and places it back on the rack before rubbing it between his hands. “Turn around.”

Slowly doing as he asks, my body stiffens as he begins lathering it into my hair. His hands move in circular motions, a feeling of unexpected excitement coursing through me.

“I’m sorry, Liana,” he says. “There’s a lot going on right now, and it’s impossible to focus on one thing at a time.”

“It’s okay,” I answer, matching his tone. “You owe me nothing. It–it pissed me off that you’ve iced me out from day one. I didn’t mean—”

“No, don’t take it back,” he interrupts. “You’re able to speak your mind with me. I might not like what you have to say sometimes, but don’t think you have to hold your tongue to spare my feelings.”

“I didn’t mean to pry. I want you to know that if you ever need to talk, you can come to me.”

He spins me around and tilts my head back, washing out the shampoo. “I don’t like change or surprises, and there seems to be a lot of it recently. I don’t mean to ‘ice’ you out, as you called it, but that’s how I cope with shit sometimes.”

My eyes move to his lip as his tongue sticks out to wet them. “I shouldn’t have intruded on personal things like your tattoo.Your response alone was enough for me to know I should’ve stopped there, and I didn’t.”

“You’re allowed to ask questions,” he says with a breathy laugh, opening the shampoo bottle again to add another lather to my hair. I reluctantly turn around, allowing him to repeat his actions. “It’s a personal piece, the only tattoo I have.”

I stay silent, not knowing how to respond.

“It’s for my sisters.” I freeze again, but I don’t pry. “The anniversary of their death is coming up and finding out about my mother’s unexpected and miraculous pregnancy is a reminder of the grief we experienced. It’s like they’re dying all over again.”

His hands stop on my head and I spin around to face him. His eyes glaze over—a sight I haven’t been privy to before—and he stares at the wall ahead. My heart stings for him.

Lifting my hand, I wipe away the tears as they slip free and his eyes find mine, the sorrow spreading across his entire face.

Without a second thought, I lift myself on my tiptoes and he leans down, his lips finding mine. It’s an intimate yet soft kiss that spreads the heat throughout every inch of my body.

He pulls away after a second or two, a quick apology leaving his lips. “Turn.”

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