Page 53 of Crush's Fall

“I’m not joking around here, Lucifer,” she growled and shoved away from the counter.

He followed her as she stomped through the space toward what he assumed was the bathroom door. As she walked, she started removing her clothes. Not wanting that to stop, Lucifer started removing his own and continued to follow her lead.

She was down to her boots and jeans when she swung the door open and stepped inside.

Lucifer kicked out of his boots and laid his jacket and tee on the back of her couch. Unfastening his jeans, he stepped into the bathroom and found her completely naked while turning on the water for the shower.

“I’m not joking.” Lucifer yanked down the zipper of his jeans before shoving them and his boxer briefs off. Yanking his socks off, he said, “And I’m getting fucking sick and tired of being compared to every other man that has ever been in your life.”

“You better watch yourself,” she growled back at him, standing there with her hands on her naked hips.

“They aren’t in your life anymore for a damn reason, Crush.They. Weren’t. Who. You. Needed.” He picked up his clothes and tossed them out of the bathroom, so they didn’t trip. That done, he met her stare and demanded, “Claim me.”

“What?”

“I’m done fucking around, Crush. I’m done with your damn fear. I’m done with you pretending that you don’t fucking need me in your life. I’m. Fucking. Done.Claim me.” Lucifer took the three steps needed to bring him against her. He shoved her hands away from her hips and replaced them with his own on her hips. Pushing her back against the glass door of the shower, he gazed into her eyes and informed her, “I’m not leaving here without your property patch.”

Her eyes flashed greenish-gold light at him before she got control of herself. “You don’t make those decisions.”

“Claim me,” he repeated.

“Or what?”

He lowered his head and nipped at her bottom lip. “Tell me you don’t want to and mean it.”

She winced, and her eyes closed. He knew he was right, but her reaction only proved it to be true. “Lucifer,” she practically breathed.

“Claim me,” he said, softer but no less insistent. “I don’t want you to change who you are. I fucking love the way you spar with me. I love the way you go head to head with me over every fucking thing. And Ifucking lovethe passion you give me when we fuck.”

“You can’t love me,” she said, low.

“I love you,” he replied and meant it. “I fucking love you.” When she shook her head, he cupped it in his hands and used his naked body to keep hers in place. “Crush, I love you.”

“I…”

He shook his head. “You’re afraid. I get that. I understand it. You expect me to try to take over. You expect me to try to control you. You expect me to try to turn you into the perfect Ol’ Lady. But you’re missing the point, Crush. You already are the perfect Ol’ Lady for me. You already are exactly what I need. I don’t want to take over anything… except the occasional scene in bed.” He chuckled. “I’m not Axle, though. I don’t need or want to give you orders and have you follow them. I need you to fight me. I need you to challenge me. I need you to not bore me to gods-damn tears.” He pressed his lips to hers and whispered against them, “Claim me.”

After kissing the hell out of her, he pulled back and pressed his forehead to hers.

Looking into his eyes, she admitted, “I already did.”

“What?”

She shrugged. “I already did. This morning. During church.”

“Then where in the hell is my property patch?”

“You’ll get it when I decide to fucking give it you,” she bit out and put her hands to his chest, giving him a shove. She didn’t really try, though, or he would have been on his ass. He knew that.

Unable to stop the smile from growing on his face, he took her hand and maneuvered them into the shower.

Crush

Crush loved her shower. Her apartment may have been studio style and small, but it was outfitted the way she wanted it, especially the bathroom. She wasn’t a bath girl. She liked scalding hot showers. Because of that, she had a glass and stone shower installed with high-power shower heads. Others could keep their rainfall showerheads. She wanted waterpower.

The glass door of the shower had a horizontal bar handle and swung out into the room. The other three walls of the shower were a tan and gray stone that had been polished to a smooth finish that was comfortable against the skin. That was important to her, since she tended to lean against that stone and let the water beat against her after a long day.

Following Lucifer into the shower, Crush realized that smooth stone was about to be important for another reason.

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