Page 102 of Dove
“But I don’twantyou to look like Stella,” he stated, voice sharp. “I love how you look, Dove.” His hands slid over my hips to follow the curve of my stomach, fingers flirting with my waistband.
“I love your curves,” he breathed into the back of my neck as his touch inched under my shirt and traveled higher, coaxing goosebumps to rise across my skin as the rough pads of his fingertips skimmed up until they cupped my breasts through my bra. Large hands, big enough to cradle my modest chest, squeezed just hard enough to have my breath catching and my eyes fluttering closed involuntary at the sensation.
“You don’t ever have to worry about what you look like, baby,” he whispered vehemently into my skin. “Because I love every single thing about you.”
He pressed closer until the sincerity of his words were proven true by the hard ridge of his dick pressing against the small of my back. Josh nuzzled my hair, inhaling, and I felt more than saw his full body shudder. “Don’t ever doubt how much you turn me the fuck on.” His voice was a thick, husky rasp in my ear, raising goosebumps across my flesh.
Just like that, the warmth along my back was gone,Joshwas gone, his hands sliding out from under my shirt. He pressed a lingering kiss to my neck, leaving the patch of skin tingly and hot in the wake of his soft touch.
“Now I’m going to hop in the shower before the water runs cold,” he said, voice sounding normal, like he hadn’t just groped me against the countertop. “Join me if you want. If not, I’ll make sure to save you some hot water.”
My fingers curled around the curve of the sink as he turned to get undressed. As if my eyes were a missile and he was my target, I watched him with laser focus through the mirror. First thing to go was his shirt, which he reached up to grab at the collar and pull off in one go. His back was broad and defined, smooth and utterly tempting. The curve of his spine made my mouth water, and the dimples that rested just above his belt made me want to go over there and bite them.
Instead, pain bloomed along my bottom lip as my teeth bit into it, the back of his neck likely prickling with the intensity of my stare, but I couldn’t stop myself. He was the human equivalent of a beautiful car wreck, the kind you couldn’t help but rubberneck at as you passed by because you justhad to see.He persisted, clearly unbothered by the show he was putting on. Knowing Josh, he was enjoying my gawking. Although I couldn’t see his face, it wasn’t hard to imagine the smug smirk fixed on it.
My thoughts were interrupted by the zipper of his jeans unfastening, loud over the sound of rushing water, louder still over the rushing in my ears. My mouth ran dry as he dropped them along with his boxers, and I was left with so much skin to look at my brain nearly short circuited.
I hadn’t realized I closed my eyes until I heard the shower curtain pull back as he hopped in. Water splashed as it hit his body, and I waited. Waited for him to beckon me to join him, to call out for me.
He didn’t. This was well and truly my choice.
My fingers ached from where I was still gripping the sink with an iron hold. I flexed them as I reached for the hem of my shirt. Blinded momentarily by the tangle of my hair as I tugged it off, I pushed the tousled mess out of my face as my shirt joined Josh’s on the floor. Hesitating briefly, my fingers hovered at the top of my shorts until they, too, were off and shoved down my legs—another addition to the growing pile of clothes.
Standing in only my bra and underwear in the growing humidity of the bathroom, I didn’t feel quite as exposed as I thought I would. Instead, something inside me urged me to hurry up, because I was starting to itch from the sweat and grim coating my skin, and I knew how quick the hot water ran out. Plus, as much as I was self-conscious about Josh seeing me in all my glory, I totally wanted to see him in his.
Seconds later, the last of my clothes were shed and I was pulling back the curtain and shoving myself under the spray. Warm water cascaded down my body, soaking my hair into wet strands that hung heavy around my shoulders. Blinking water from my eyes, Josh’s smirk came into focus. He didn’t have to say anything for me to know exactly what he was thinking.
“Shut up,” I grumbled, knowing I proved him right by joining despite my reluctance. He probably didn’t doubt for a minute that I would, even with the out he freely gave me. Josh knew me better than I knew myself at times, years apart or not, and although I could second guess with the best of them, he knew I wasn’t one to turn tail and run.
“I didn’t say anything,” he declared innocently, smiling to himself as he brushed his wet hair back. His arm skimmed over my shoulder as he reached behind me to the shower caddy installed into the corner of the wall. The slide of our bare skin had my nipples tingling, hardening into obvious points that had me itching to cross my arms over my chest.
I repressed the urge and sassed back instead.
“You didn’t have to. Your smug face says it all.”
His arm circled back around me, and I noticed he was holding my shampoo, the one I’d been using religiously for years.
“I think you meanhandsome face.” He squeezed a generous amount into his palm, more than I’d normally use, but I didn’t say anything, just watched as he snapped the cap back on one-handed and returned it. He rubbed his palms together to work it into a lather before massaging it into my hair.
My witty reply was instantly forgotten as a moan spilled free instead. His thick, strong fingers working shampoo into my scalp felt so heavenly my eyes were practically rolling back into my head.
“And can you blame me?” Josh asked, voice a tad huskier but otherwise ignoring my reaction as he continued to wash my hair carefully, making sure to avoid getting any in my eyes. “Who wouldn’t want a gorgeous woman joining them in the shower?”
The hot water spraying my back had nothing on the heat blooming along my cheeks. I’d been called many things by guys before, both good and bad, but I’d never been called gorgeous.
Tentatively, my hands reached out to slide across his wet, slippery chest. Despite me hogging the water, he was wickedly warm, his skin nearly a hot brand as my arms wrapped around his neck with shaky confidence. I took a half step closer. My nipples ever so slightly brushed his chest as I kept my head titled back, his hands working to finish shampooing through the long strands.
He murmured for me to keep my eyes closed as he tilted me back slightly to rinse the suds free, keeping one arm wrapped around me to steady me while the other carefully shielded my eyes from the spray of the water. I couldn’t help but peek through cracked eyelids, heart clenching as I spied the pure concentration fixed upon hishandsomeface.
Affection swelled in my chest for this perfect man I shouldn’t want but somehow couldn’t stop myself from desiring. Josh was the kind of guy that girls spent endless nights dreaming about—spent years wishing on shooting stars for. It killed me that if our situation had been different, our relationship would be celebrated, not condemned.
How could a feeling like this be wrong?
His fingers raked through my shampoo-free hair. “Conditioner?”
I nodded and turned, keeping one arm around him while the other grabbed the bottle.
“I can do it.” I felt bad he was pamperingme, when I’d spent the whole day imaging what I could do forhimwhen he got home.
