Page 163 of Wicked Savage

Not yet.

Placing the sponge aside, he pulls me under the cascading water, washing my hair clean, his hard chest pressing flush against my back. His strong hands roam my skin, igniting something deeper. Something dangerous. Something I may not be able to resist much longer.

“Why did you move my things?” I finally remember to ask as he shuts off the water and grabs a towel to dry me.

“You think I’d let you go back to sleeping alone after that nightmare?” His voice is low as he dries me slowly, his jaw tightening when his gaze flickers to my chest.

His words send a warmth spreading through me. He cared. He was worried about me. That’s what this is.

A small smile trembles on my lips. “Thank you.”

“Don’t ever thank me for taking care of you. I enjoy it…” He grabs my jaw, his thumb brushing over my mouth. “Very much.”

As his hand drifts downward, I find it hard to catch my breath, my gut coiling tighter with every passing second.

He finishes drying me off like he didn’t just unravel me. I step out of the shower first, him close behind me. While I dry my hair, he’s wrapping a towel around his hips.

“We should make this a thing,” he says.

“Make what a thing?” I peer up at him as I slip into my clothes.

“Showering together.”

I laugh, brushing right past him, while he follows me into our bedroom.

Our bedroom…

I hadn’t realized how easily I thought of it as ours.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Can you blame a man for trying?” His palms settle on my shoulders from behind, his mouth pressing against my neck, kissing me softly.

The longer he holds me, the harder it becomes to fight him. And I don’t even know if I want to.

“By the way…” he says, his mouth dancing across my skin. “Fia called. She said we’re having that tea party with her tomorrow at Fionn’s.”

A laugh escapes me, the heat of his body making it harder to speak. “So you have a four-year-old telling you what to do now?”

“What can I say?” He wraps an arm around my midsection, pulling me tightly against him. “The women in my life have me by the balls.”

I peer over at him, cracking a smile. “Do you have to work today?”

“Just for a little bit. But Tynan did say Amara and Elara wanted to come by later if you’re up for it.”

“Sure. That sounds nice.”

I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to them at dinner, so maybe spending more time with his family will help me feel more like I belong.

* * *

A few hours later, the girls arrive, bringing food and drinks with them. The warm scent of fresh bread and savory dishes fills the air as Elara grins.

“We’re so happy to be here,” she says, dropping the bags on the kitchen counter.

Mary takes charge, gathering everything and heading outside to set up for us. We follow her, finding a table nestled beneath the shade of a tree. As we settle, Mary pours each of us a glass of wine before heading back inside.

A few bodyguards are stationed nearby, standing watch with quiet precision, but my attention is drawn to one in particular. He’s been watching me for the past few days, his gaze too intense. At first, I brushed it off as my imagination, but now I can’t ignore it. His eyes linger on me with a discomfort that I can't shake.

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