Page 52 of Coast

I gave him a nod, and that was all he needed to pull the material up and off me.

Then I was in nothing but my beige panties.

Coast sucked in a deep breath and valiantly tried to keep his gaze on my face as he tested the water.

But when he reached down to lift one of my legs over the side of the tub, some of his hair tickled over my chest, making a gasp escape me and a shiver rack my system.

“I know. We’re gonna get you in the warm water,” Coast said, misinterpreting the reaction as he got my other leg into the tub, then encouraged me to sink in.

It really was only lukewarm, but it felt good regardless.

“Know it’s not the third-degree burn temperature you guys typically like—”

“You guys?”

“Women,” he said, giving me a knowing smile. “Like you enjoy bathing on the surface of the sun or some shit.”

“You’re not wrong. Even in the summer, I like a hot shower. I used to run the hot water heater out back home.”

“Where’s that?”

“Maine,” I told him. “I was born and raised there. But I always knew I was meant for somewhere warm. I don’t handle the cold well.”

“Never really been anywhere cold,” Coast admitted. “I was raised down here in the swamp.”

“I can picture that,” I said, shooting him a smile. “Shirtless with a beer and a smoke, riding a gator.”

“Might need to commission Jade to paint that for me,” he said, eyes warm and crinkling.

“I wondered if she was an artist.”

“She is. Good too.”

“What about Sass?”

“Former street racer. Current auto parts store owner.”

“Street racer? Really?”

“Yeah, that’s how she met Che back in the day. Eddie too. And Donovan.”

“How did you find your way to the club?”

“Word got around that they were looking for prospects. It sounded like a good time. Gave it a shot.”

“Were you a biker beforehand?”

“I mean, I had a bike. Bike, ATV, dirt bikes… you name it. If it was fun and reckless, I was there.”

“Why?”

“Why what?” he asked, reaching for a washcloth, wetting it, then using it to wipe my sweaty face.

“Why were you called to reckless things?”

To that, he sucked in a deep breath. His gaze slid away from me, though, as he answered. “Guess I didn’t get a chance to be crazy as a kid, so I have been making up for lost time.” Before I could comment on that, he quickly changed the topic. “Feeling a little more even yet? The meds should have started to kick in.”

He ran the washcloth down my chin, my neck, across my shoulder.

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