Page 123 of Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places
She grinned. “I understand, but for the record, I do know how to be discreet. I’m not loud.”
He cocked an eyebrow and kissed the space in front of her ear, whispering, “If I have my way, you will be.”
“Oh.” Well. All right, then.
He chuckled as he kissed the corner of her mouth. She forced herself to hold still, waiting for him to ravish her properly, but he seemed intent on tormenting her instead. He kissed under her jaw and down her neck—hardly a poor replacement. She happily helped by tilting her head back for him. It’d taken her some time to realize it, but when she thought of romance, his were the kind of kisses she’d always imagined. His comforting touch lingered on her skinandin her mind. It was perfect where perfectionwasn’t supposed to exist. The most divine combination of physical intimacy and mental pleasure.
“I want to take a quick shower before bed,” she said absently.
Maverick suddenly met her gaze, eyes alight. “We could do it in there? My shower isn’t near her room, and if we put on music with the water running, it might…no?”
Lucky was shaking her head and frowning. “Shower sex might be okay, but maybe not the first time? I don’t think I’d like that.”
“Gotcha.” He kissed her temple. “Would you be open to having company?”
“In the shower? Why?”
“You said all I had to do was ask.” He took her hands and looked into her eyes. “I’m asking to join you. I want to take a shower with you.”
“Oh.Oh. I’ve never done that before.”
“Would you like to?”
“If you thinkyou’dbe okay just showering, I’d be fine with that. I mean, I’d be naked, so I completely understand if that’s—”
“Let’s go.” In one fluid turn, he steered them both toward his bathroom.
She snort-giggled at his sudden eagerness. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Let’s go.”
Maverick’s sink and mirror were outside of the bathroom itself—Lucky waited there while he got the water started. Her travel toothbrush was still on the counter, next to his in the holder. Same for the toothpaste she liked and the rest of her toiletries. She didn’t expect him to throw her stuff away or anything, but…maybe she did. Seeing them made her chest tighten. She shook out her hands and took a deep breath to steadyherself. Little things like that always meant more to her than they probably should have.
She began pulling her braids up into a high bun. Her gaze lingered a second too long over a prescription bottle as he sidled up to her.
“I take them for anxiety,” he said, kissing her shoulder.
Lucky suspected as much, but he never mentioned it before. “Have they been helpful?”
“I think so. It’s easy to fall into the cycle of feeling like I’m doing great and then wondering,Is it me or is it the pills?Then I go off them and almost immediately it’s like,Oh no, it’s the pills too.” He laughed. “I need to attack it from all angles. Exercise, staying busy, meditation, and medication. All of it, together, really makes a difference for me.”
She watched him through the mirror, trying to gauge if he was okay talking about it, ultimately deciding to change the subject. “How are you so wonderful?” she asked. “You’re wonderful.”
He scoffed. “Sure. Come on.”
“I’m serious,” she said as they walked into the bathroom.
“Uh-huh.”
“Accept my compliment,” she demanded.
“Already done.”
She narrowed her eyes at him before letting go and immediately noticed a distinct lack of steam. “It’s not hot enough.”
“I’m not interested in burning my skin off,” he complained.
“You’ll be fine,” she promised, slightly adjusting the temperature. “You’re taking a shower with me, which means we do it my way.”
