Page 71 of Renard's Deliverance

Yeah, no way she was getting them off without help.

“Yes, please,” she said, hiding her wince.

Opal never used to have any issues about being naked in front of someone else, but Stefan had seriously eroded her confidence in her body. But surely, he could help her without seeing too much.

He slid her panties down. Stepping back, he turned on the shower before turning back to her.

Then his gaze ran over her. It felt like everywhere it touched, her skin heated.

“Damn, Gem,” he said gruffly. “I thought you would look good. I didn’t realize it would be amazing.”

“What?” she asked.

“You. You’re absolutely fucking amazing.”

“I thought . . . I thought you weren’t gonna look.”

“When did I say that?”

“Um, when you said you only cared about making sure I was all right.”

“Baby, I am doing that. But I never said I wouldn’t look. I’m not a saint after all.”

She had to grin at that. Somehow, she didn’t feel like an invalid when he had his gaze on hers. No, she felt . . . desirable. “No, you are not.”

Lightly grasping hold of her chin, he tilted her head back, kissing her gently. “So beautiful.”

When he drew back, she let out a noise of protest. “Come back.”

“No.”

“Come back please?” Maybe she’d be able to get her way if she said please.

“Nice try, but no. Like I said, I’m no saint. And kissing you while you’re naked is definitely pushing the edge of my control. Now, get in the shower.”

When she was in, he grabbed the shower head to aim it against her back. “Is that a good spot?”

“It’s perfect,” she said as she leaned her hands against the side of the shower.

Her eyes closed.

Bliss.

Why had she gone to the club tonight? What an idiot she was. Her back hadn’t been that bad before Dean the Dick tweaked it.

Shit.

Now she was calling him that.

“You all right, Gem?”

“Now I’m calling Dean the Dick, Dean the Dick.”

Great. Was she even making sense right now?

He grunted. “And once you earn a name like ‘the dick’ you can’t ever get rid of it.”

“Truer words were never spoken. He’s ‘the dick’ for life.”

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