Page 166 of Tag

There was a freestanding tub that sat like a sculpture in front of a frosted window. Gold fixtures. A large walk-in shower that could hold at least six people. I knew that from experience.

I put my clothes down on the counter beside my phone. I used the bathroom, and as I washed my hands, I finally let myself look in the mirror. My reflection stared back at me with nothing but honesty.

No makeup.

No jewelry aside from my half of the best friend necklace resting against my chest. My skin still held the flush of sleep and leftover sin. My long hair was a bit messy from his hands. Where my neck and shoulder met now held a faint bite mark. This morning, even with my reservations, I was happy enough that while standing in the brutal clarity of daylight, bare and exposed, I didn’t pick out all my flaws or hate the woman staring back at me. In fact, I might have liked her a little more than usual. I mayhave been sore in places thanks to Dennis, but after some much-needed, uninterrupted sleep, my eyes looked clearer than they had in weeks. The multiple orgasms probably didn’t hurt either.

I grabbed the bathroom caddy kept stocked for me from under the vanity, and pulled out my morning essentials: toothbrush, face wash, a brush, and one of the many ponytail holders I could never seem to keep track of. The water from the right sink was already warming as I went through the motions. Brushing my teeth. Washing my face. Twisting the cap back onto the mouthwash with one hand while patting my skin dry with a facial towel. The door opened just as I was about to start brushing out my hair. Ryder strolled in and shut it with a flick of his wrist.

“I must have been so out of it I didn’t hear you knock,” I said, dryly.

He came up behind me, and I caught the Listerine on his breath. I could tell he’d washed his face too. No surprise there. “If I knocked, you wouldn’t have opened it.”

I caught his gaze in the mirror. “I might’ve, after I had clothes on.”

He smirked, a lazy, dangerous curve of his mouth. “See? You wouldn’t have. You never make it easy. That’s what I like about you.”

I scoffed. “I don’t think I’ve made it all that hard for you.”

“Is that a joke? You’ve had me working for it for more than a decade.”

I gave him a side glance. “Okay, let’s not exaggerate.”

He gently tugged the brush from my hand. “Let me.”

Without waiting for permission, he started brushing, dragging the bristles through my hair with utmost concentration. I couldn’t stop the wide smile spreading across my face as I watched him.

“I fucking love when you smile like that.”

“All thanks to you. You sure know how to make a girl feel special, Ryder Voss.”

“Just you, Sass,” he replied with certainty. “Only you.”

My stomach did a flip.

God, it should’ve been criminal to feel this happy despite everything. Still, my heart swelled from how I loved him. It hadn’t escaped my notice that I hadn’t tried to cover up once.

“What are you thinking now?” Ryder asked.

“You mean you don’t know?” I teased.

“My mind reading powers may not be as good as yours,” he joked, brushing the ends of my hair with slow, methodical strokes, “but I know when my girl’s happy. When she’s sad. When she’s overthinking, which is—let’s be honest—ninety percent of the time.”

I smirked. “Just thinking.”

He laughed. “Obviously.”

“Maybe I’m thinking I like you domesticated.”

His eyes sparked in the mirror, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Domesticated, huh?” He leaned in, lips brushing just behind my ear. “Careful. You keep saying shit like that, and I might be tempted to start showing you my plans for our wedding venue, future home, and the headstone I already picked out.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. That was the thing about him, I would think something was a joke right up until I realized it wasn’t. “You’ve already picked out your headstone?”

His grin sharpened. “Ourheadstone. Since we’ll be going together. Can’t have your name next to anyone else’s.”

A laugh caught in my throat, spawned from half panic, half something dangerously close to swooning. “You’re insane.”

“I’m yours,” he said simply.

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