Page 36 of Paved in Hate

“I do.”

I look away, not sure how to process everything this man makes me feel. While he washes and rinses my hair, I grip the edge of the tub, trying to get comfortable in this awkward position. When he’s satisfied all the soap is out, he hands me a cloth and the body wash.

“Are you okay for a few minutes while I shower?”

“What?”

He gives a soft laugh. “I need to shower, and I swore I’d be a gentleman.” He nods at the cloth I’m holding. “If I start washing your body, I’ll be proving myself a liar.”

Without waiting for me to find my voice, he stands and walks to the large shower in the corner, the one that I have a perfect view of.

“I won’t be long. Don’t try to get out without me.”

I wet the cloth and run it over my face while I try very hard to not stare at Vitaly as he starts to strip. Squeezing out some soap, I start on my arms, but my whole body stills when he tosses his shirt aside, revealing the most beautiful upper body I’ve ever seen. Tattoos mark his tanned skin, etched beautifully over all the hard muscle, and when he starts to undo his jeans, my breath catches in my throat. Pulling them off, he stands in his black boxer briefs while he starts the shower, and once it’s the right temperature, he strips naked like he doesn’t have a care in the world and steps under the water.

The glass has obviously been treated with anti-fog spray, because nothing obscures my view of him, and I can’t stop staring. He’s hard, and the size of him has me gripping the edge of the tub because that can’t be fucking normal. There’s no way in hell that every man is walking around sporting something that huge.

When I hear a soft laugh, I force my eyes off his thick cock to meet his very amused look. Feeling my face heat up even more, I grab the cloth and start scrubbing, anything to take my mind off Vitaly and how goddamn perfect every inch of him is.

He keeps his shower short, and I’m all scrubbed clean by the time I hear him turn the water off and step out. I keep stealing glances at him, watching as he rubs a towel over his head, drying his hair and then running it over his body before securing it around his trim waist. God, how many muscles can one man have?

I’m still mulling that one over when he steps closer and pulls the stopper so the tub starts to drain before grabbing another towel. He waits, watching the water dip lower and lower as my body is slowly revealed to him. When he leans over to get me, I can see how tightly clenched his jaw is and the dark look in his eyes. Putting the towel over me, he scoops me back up like I weigh nothing. I’m crushed against his hard, wet chest, and when I grab his shoulders for support, he lets out a deep, masculine groan that goes straight to my pussy.

“I can walk,” I whisper.

His eyes meet mine, and I can see the soft smile playing at his lips. “This way is more fun.”

I study his tattoos as he carries me out of the bathroom and into the large, walk-in closet, smiling when I see the colorful dragon that’s peeking over the curve of his shoulder. I want to take my time, studying every tattoo, but he’s already preparing to set me down. Before he does, I run a finger over the Russian words tattooed across his pec.

“Brothers in blood, in life, and in death,” I say out loud, reading the phrase.

He looks down at me but doesn’t say anything.

“You’re very close to your brothers.”

“I am,” he says, choosing to not elaborate.

“That’s really nice.”

I envy him his family. I would give anything to have brothers that care about me, a family that I could love and have them love me in return. The idea is so foreign to me that it’s hard for me to understand. I can’t even begin to imagine how great that must feel. Even with my parents dying when I was ten, I don’t have fond memories of them. My dad was distant and cold, and my mom was almost just as bad, choosing to hire someone to take care of me instead of doing it herself. I’ve always been passed off for others to deal with.

Vitaly surprises me by kissing my forehead, keeping his lips pressed against my skin far longer than necessary, like he’s reluctant to let me go. Before he sets me down, he brings his nose to my hair, breathing in the scent of me.

“Get dressed, Katya. You need to eat.”

I grip my towel, watching him drop his as he reaches out for a pair of boxer briefs. “I can feel you staring at me,ptichka.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just not used to seeing a naked man right in front of me.”

He looks over his shoulder, giving a soft laugh. “I’m glad to hear that. Now get dressed.” His eyes slowly run over me, making me feel like I’m naked in front of him instead of still desperately clutching at my towel. “I’m only human, and I’m scraping the bottom of the damn barrel for willpower. I’m not so sure how much longer I can last.”

Turning around, I grab a pair of panties and slip them on under my towel, ignoring the soft laugh he gives behind me. With my back still to him, I undo the towel and wrap it around my head to try and dry my hair a bit more as I slip on a bra and reach for a pair of jeans and a light blue sweater. When I’m dressed, I turn around to find Vitaly leaning against the wall and staring at me. He’s in jeans and a black sweater that hugs his muscular body in a way that makes me want to fidget and rub my thighs together as this closet starts to feel way too fucking small. His face is unreadable. After a few seconds, he scrubs a hand over the light stubble he has since he didn’t shave this morning and grabs another pair of thick socks for me.

Kneeling down, he grabs one of my calves and sets my foot on his thigh. Checking to make sure the bandages are still okay, he carefully puts one of the socks on me and then does the same to the other foot.

When he starts to pick me up again, I grip his shoulders and say, “Wait, I have to brush my hair.”

“That can’t wait?”

---