I didn’t need to think about the answer.“Yes.”
His body deflated as a relieved smile crossed his face before he tookmy hand and guided me to the bigger of the three bedrooms. My curiosity grew when Fox led me into the ensuite, and as we neared the shower, he dropped my hand so he could reach into the enormous cubicle and turn the water on.
By now, my heart was galloping as fast as a racehorse, partly in fearas memories tried to burst free again, partly in excitement for what might be about to happen.
Fox crouched down and started undoing the laces in my sneakersbefore pulling each one off, followed by my socks. Once he’d removed them, he took his own shoes and socks off and stood, smiling at the question written on my face.
I thought he was going to untie the knot holding my sweatpants upand remove them, but instead, he took my hand again and pulled us both into the shower and under the powerful flow of hot water.
Within seconds, our clothes were soaked through as steam engulfedus.
“What are you doing?”I asked, unable to stop a giggle bursting freeat how stupid we must have looked.
Fox maneuvered us so his broad frame blocked the spray of waterfrom hitting me in the face.“Making new memories.”
He lowered his mouth to mine, and when his tongue pressed againstmy lips, I opened my mouth, and our tongues delicately stroked against each other.
The fearthathad threatened to take hold floated away, replaced withanother feeling. One I was growing accustomed to whenever I was near Fox.
Want.
“Remember, baby girl, you’re in control. If this gets too much at anypoint, you only have to say.”
Gratitude rushed through me at his reassurance.“I promise, Daddy.”
He nodded once before slowly,ever so slowly,he lifted the hem of myshirt up and over my head and threw it on the tiled floor. Our breaths quickened as Fox removed his shirt, and my mouth dried up as my gaze raked over his body.
I’d seen him without a shirt on before, but I’d forgotten how stunninghe was. Defined pecs, chiseled abs, and sun-kissed smooth skin. I wanted to reach out and run my finger over every inch of him, but I held back, nerves getting the better of me.
My eyes paused their roaming when they landed on the tattooetched into Fox’s skin, right where his heart was. I’d forgotten all about it, but now we were only inches apart, I could make out what it said. A name.
Jessie.
“Who’s Jessie?”I asked softly, trying to ignore the hint of jealousythatsparked under my skin.
Whoever she was meant enough to Fox for him to brand himself withher name.
Fox’s lips pulled up on one side into a small smile as he ran a fingerover the tattoo.“My sister.”
Oh.
I didn’t know he had a sister. Come to think about it, I didn’t knowanything about his family. Whenever they’d come up in conversation, he’d always steered away from the topic.
“She died when she was four, and I was ten,”Fox said, answeringmy unspoken question. The sorrow in his voice was unmissable.
“Oh gosh. I’m so sorry,”I said, feeling brave enough to reach out andrun a finger over the tattoo.
Fox shuddered under my touch, and he briefly squeezed his eyesclosed. When he opened them again, they were like an inferno, blazing with desire.
“I’ll tell you about her one day, baby girl. But right now, this is aboutyou and me making new memories, and I don’t want anything to taintthat.”
He ran his hands up my spine sending a delicious tingle through me,but when he reached my bra clasp, he stilled his movements.“This okay?”
I nodded, unable to form the words as insecurities kicked me in thegut. No one had seen my breasts before.
Apart from Dwayne.
“Cora,”Fox said, his tone stern but soft.“Keep your eyes on me. It’sjustyou and me in here. No one else, only us.”