Page 11 of Save Me
I turn back around in time to see Ronan emptying his pockets onto a nearby shelf. “What are you doing?”
He kicks off his shoes and socks.
My heart pounds as his intentions become clear. “I’m not really in the right headspace for …” My words drift as Ronan steps into the shower stall, still dressed in his work clothes.
“Why does everything have to be about sex with you, Sea Witch?” Grabbing the nearby bottle of shampoo, he squirts a dollop on his palm, seemingly unfazed as the water soaks into his clothes. “Why can’t we just talk?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Because …” My voice falters as his strong fingers seize either side of my head. “We don’t seem to know how to do that.”
“We haven’t tried.”
“Fair enough.” I study the hard lines of his jaw as he works the shampoo into a lather, a heady mixture of coconut and pineapple combined with his masculine cologne. “Is that what this is? You, trying to talk to me?” Because his overwhelming presence in this tiny space hasmy half-naked, traitorous body forgetting all my current troubles and eager to find new ones with my back pressed up against the wall.
“I’mtrying,” he whispers, his touch sending a wave of shivers through me. “I’m not sure what you’re angling for.”
“You wish.” The way his fingers massage my scalp is both soothing and teasing, and a moan escapes me unbidden.
The corner of his mouth kicks up. “See? I’m just a guy trying to have a conversation, and then you go and make sounds like that.”
God, his voice is so grating and deep. This is all so overwhelming that, for a moment, I’m afraid I’ll lose my balance. My hands find their way to his waist, resting gently against his sculpted body. I barely know this man, but I’m positive that he’s all wrong for me. Positive! Still, I could fall for him so easily, and that is a dangerous reality I’m struggling to come to terms with.
“I can tell you what I’mnotangling for, and that’s a fuckboy.”
His fingers stall a moment on my scalp before continuing. “Neither am I.”
“You’re not looking for a fuckboy?” I quip, unable to help myself.
He chuckles. “You know what I mean.”
“But doyouunderstand whatImean?” That came out patronizing. “I’m not sure we’re looking for the same thing.” I want a man I can sit next to on the beach and watch the sunset at night.Everynight. From what Ryan alluded to, Ronan is looking for willing orgy participants.
His lips curve into a wry smile. “I was in a relationship for four years, so yes, Sloane, I understand.”
His admission catches me off guard. Four years is longer than any relationship I’ve ever had. “How long ago was that?”
“We broke up a little over two years ago.”
“What happened?”
His minty breath skates over my face with his sigh. “She wasn’t ready for a commitment.”
I can’t help it—I snort.
That earns a sexy smirk. “What? You don’t believe me.”
“No. I don’t. What actually happened?” I watch his face closely. Will he be honest? If he cheated, would he admit to it?
“She’s younger than me, and she wanted to experience other people before she settled down.”
That isn’t the answer I was expecting. “Settled down like?—”
“Marriage. Yeah, we’d talked about it.”
Thisguy? That’s … unexpected? “Did you love her?”
“I did. Yeah.” He reaches up to adjust the showerhead and then angles my head back with a finger under my chin.
Water rains down, rinsing away the suds with the help of his fingers as I process this new bit of information—acutely aware of his gaze on me. So, Ronan is capable of commitment. But from the sounds of it, he can also fuck his way through a cheerleading squad. “Do you still love her?”
