Page 70 of Crossing Paths
“You…like them.” Although he looked a little bemused, he dropped his hand to his side.
“I’ve always liked them. They’re part of you, and I like looking at you. You’re very interesting. I’ve told you that before.” When he just continued to stare at her, she wondered if she’d sounded a bit sociopathic, so she tried to clarify what she meant. “I don’t like that you were hurt when you got them, but now that they’re a part of you… I just really like all this.” She waved her hands, indicating his entire muscled, scarred, gorgeous, protective, manners-obsessed form.
A hint of a smile touched his mouth, and she really liked that too.
“How’d you get them?”
“Pulled my buddy out of a burning car.”
“Did he live?”
His smile grew, softening his expression. “Yeah.”
“Well, now your scars are even more interesting.” She sucked in a breath and, before she could lose her nerve, pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her upper half in just a sports bra. Even though he already knew what her body was like from training together, this was different, more intimate. She felt exposed and vulnerable, but she also felt safe, cocooned in this small, familiar room with Dash.
The way he was staring at her made her catch her breath. “You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice a low growl in his throat.
Although they weren’t touching, she could almost feel the vibrations of that sound, and the sensation made her shiver. His eyes dropped to her goose-bumped arms, and he moved to turn on the shower.
She wondered if he thought she was cold. The idea almost made her laugh. She was the very opposite of chilled, with heat running through her like her blood was on fire. Taking the opportunity to undress while his back was turned, she stripped off the rest of her clothes. From the way his eyes flared when he turned back around, he hadn’t expected her to be naked. Her arms twitched, wanting to cross over her chest, but the stark need and appreciation in his eyes kept her from covering herself. The way he looked at her was clear proof that his earlier words hadn’t been an empty compliment. He truly believed she was beautiful.
The knowledge gave her the confidence to brush by him and climb into the shower. The hot water felt amazing on her overheated skin, and she closed her eyes as she tipped her head back to rinse the sweat from her hair. She could hear the slight rustle of fabric, and she felt her belly warm at the thought of Dash undressing completely.
The curtain rings clattered lightly against the rod as he pulled it closed, making her open her eyes again. She drank all of him in, the entirety of his beautiful, huge, fully bare form. When her gaze returned to his face, she saw he was smirking.
“Well?” he asked as if she were examining a painting and he expected her to give him a full critique.
“You’re even more interesting naked.” She smiled at him, a little surprised that any flush to her cheeks now was due to arousal and hot water. She must’ve borrowed some of his infinite confidence.
“I’m happy to please.” He stepped closer so their fronts were almost touching, close enough she could definitely feel that growl in his voice.
She lifted her hand and let it hover over his chest. When he went still, she glanced up to see his eyes were hot, his face a mask of need, but he didn’t move, allowing her to make the decision of where and when to touch. Without looking away, she brushed her fingers over his pec, feeling a strange sort of power rush through her at his responding groan. She’d done that.She’dcaused that reaction with just the smallest touch.
Wanting to explore more of him, she grabbed the bottle of body wash and squeezed some onto her palm. Rubbing herhands together, she started to spread the sweet-smelling foam across his skin.
“Sorry.” Was that her voice, so throaty and breathless? “You’re going to smell like a sugar cookie after this.”
“I like sugar cookies. After this, I’llreallylike sugar cookies.”
She felt his words under her fingers and smiled. Even though he was as still as a statue except for the quickening rise and fall of his chest with each breath, she could feel the static tension just under his skin. He felt soalive. It was a strange thing to be surprised about, she knew, but quick hugs and arm pats and even his arm over her shoulders hadn’t prepared her for the way his muscles tensed and released as she swept suds over them.
She washed him almost everywhere, losing her nerve and letting her hands skip away when she drew close to his groin. The difference in texture between his scars and the surrounding unharmed skin fascinated her, but she glanced at his face, her fingers hesitating as she asked, “Do they hurt?”
He gave a short shake of his head along with a strained quirk of his lips that looked more like a grimace than a smile. “That’s not what’s hurting right now.”
It took her a second, but she finally got his meaning and ducked her head—not to hide a blush but to conceal her pleased smile. She, Norah Pax, had aroused him to the point of pain. Standing on her tiptoes, she slid her hands up the back of his neck to urge him to bend down. When he obliged, she kissed him.
It was like she’d shot a starter pistol. Dash went from immobility to motion in a flash, lifting her off her feet and pressingher against the shower wall. She barely noticed the chill of the tiles against her back, too focused on returning his kisses, their mouths meshing almost frantically, clutching at each other as if they were trying to climb inside the other’s body.
Norah moaned, both from the intense sensations and from the feeling that she couldn’t get close enough to him. She’d never really wanted to be physically close to anyone, but now the thought of losing the press of Dash’s skin against hers was unbearable. Running her hands across his shoulders, she gripped him tightly, digging her fingers into the muscles working under her palms, and she knew she’d never grow tired of the way he felt—or the way he made her feel.
When he pulled back and set her on her feet, she gasped, his absence shocking her like she’d been dropped into icy water. She reached for him to pull him close again, but he held her off, smiling wickedly. “My turn.”
He picked up the body wash as she watched, curious now that the initial wrench of him pulling away had faded a little. Starting on her arms, he soaped her body thoroughly, his hands careful and curious as they ran over every inch of her skin. The way he looked at her, the way he touched her, made her feel like she was the most beautiful and precious thing in the world to him.
Her skin grew hot under his touch as he discovered sensitive spots she’d never known about. She leaned into the contact as he washed her and learned her body at the same time. Her skin was almost humming, so alive under his touch, and by the time he slipped his soapy hand between her thighs, she was so readyit only took the slightest brush to her clit before she was coming. The orgasm was quick but strong enough to soften her knees, the shock of pleasure startling a cry from her. He caught her against him, supporting her as she recovered.
Once she was able to hold herself up again, he reluctantly finished washing her skin and started shampooing her hair. As his fingertips massaged her scalp, her eyes drifted closed, and she marveled at the way her feelings for him could flip back and forth between wild need and comfort. Both were alluring in their own way, the almost platonic head massage just as addicting as his frantic kisses and the surprise orgasm…well, maybe not quite as addicting asthat.
