Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Aurora closed her eyes, letting the spray massage away the tension in her shoulders.
That man was so impossible. One minute, he was so kind to her that her heart ached from the attention. And the next? He pushed her away.
She’d never craved anyone this intensely. Her skin longed for his touch. Her lips yearned to kiss him again. How was she supposed to spend another night in the same house with him without the slightest possibility of physical contact?
He obviously wanted her, too. But he was torturing them both by trying to be “honorable.” Following his “rules.” The guy was so tightly wound, she half expected to see a wind-up mechanism jutting from his back, like a toy soldier.
Aurora had seen a few cracks in that armor he wore. The kiss in the penthouse apartment. The way he sometimes looked at her, and his touch on her hip last night. But he seemed to have no trouble shutting down his feelings.
Sylvie was right. The day that Devon finally, completely lost control, the lucky woman would probably be sore for a week afterward.
But dammit, she thought, I want that to be me.
If Devon were totally uninhibited, what would he want to do to her? What would he let her do to him?
Desire pooled in her lower abdomen, her clit pulsing with need. That sexy man was going to drive her insane. Was his dick as gorgeous as the rest of him? Was he cut, uncut? Long? Thick?
A groan snuck out of her throat as she imagined him stripping down. Showing off for her, while fierce need glowed in his eyes. No inhibitions, no control.
How would his hands feel? How would he smell? How would he taste?
“Oh god. Why do I do this to myself?” Close proximity to him had only made her cravings worse.
His refusals only made her want him more.
Which was a little screwed up, to be fair.
But he’d admitted that he wanted her back, so it wasn’t like her feelings were one-sided. She wasn’t some creepy stalker.
Though, if she’d had the chance to spy on him getting undressed—yeah, she’d probably do it. I’m pervy for him. I can’t help it.
The hot water ran in rivulets down her breasts, along her stomach, and between her legs. She slid her hand down along the same path, taking a moment to tug at her pert nipples, pretending that it was Devon’s mouth on her instead. She whimpered, needing more.
Her fingers lowered. Caressed the hot wetness at her core. She moaned louder. Devon. Yes. Oh— She widened her legs, imagining him beneath her. Behind her. Every possible way.
But when she stepped to the side, her foot slipped out from under her. She yelped. Suddenly, she was careening downward, grabbing for any kind of traction. Her fist closed on the shower curtain.
“Help!”
She landed halfway out of the shower, water spraying everywhere.
The door flew open.
Devon stood there, mouth hanging open. His eyes moved over the scene.
The shower curtain—ripped.
The walls—soaked.
And Aurora, completely naked, sprawled all over the place.
“Holy fucking—” Devon grabbed a towel and lunged forward, both trying to cover her and get her upright at the same time. “I thought you were dying.”
Of embarrassment, maybe. “I’m very much alive.”
Leaning past her, he turned off the water. “Are you hurt?”
“I don’t think so.”
“What happened?”
“I—um—” I was touching myself and thinking about you? “Slipped. You probably don’t want to know what I was doing.”
He coughed like he was choking. “You sure you’re not hurt?”
Aurora wrapped the towel around her. The cloth rubbed against her nipples. “I landed on my hip. It aches, but I think I’m okay.”
“Let me see.”
“I’m sure it’s fine.”
“But I should check.”
A minute ago, she’d have been happy to strip down and show him any part of her. But his brusque tone infuriated her. Like her near nakedness didn’t faze him at all, except for some mild discomfort. This is inappropriate, he was probably thinking. Just like he’d said before.
Oh yeah? I’ll show you inappropriate.
She let the sides of the towel fall. The fabric barely covered her breasts and between her legs. Didn’t hide her ass at all. She twisted, showing him her hip and an eyeful of butt cheek.
He swallowed audibly. “Looks like it’ll bruise.” Gingerly, his fingertips brushed her hipbone. Poked. Prodded. “Any pain?”
“A little.” And a whole lot of something else.
“Might want to ice it.” His fingers disappeared behind his back, like he couldn’t move them away fast enough. “Be careful. The floor’s wet.”
“Yeah. I noticed.”
He reached for her shoulders, as if to steady her, and then pulled his hands away again.
The room barely fit the two of them. He still stood there, back straight, eyes dancing around like he didn’t know where to rest his gaze.
Or maybe he was surveying the damage to the walls. Anything but survey her.
Yet, he wasn’t leaving.
“I’m sorry for messing up the bathroom. I swear I’ll make it up to Chase. And his cousin. If he has tools around here somewhere, I can fix the curtain rod.”
A smile ghosted across Devon’s face. “I’ve seen you doing home improvement. It didn’t go so well.”
She huffed. “That was a bad example. I’ll have you know I am very handy when I have the proper tools. I can take care of things myself.”
“I have no doubt.” He snuck a glance down at her towel. He’d tried to be quick about it, but she saw.
Cracks in his armor.
She shrugged one shoulder. The towel fell a little more, revealing another inch of side-boob. His eyes strayed along her body again.
“I take care of things myself a lot. Actually, that’s what I was doing in the shower when I fell. Touching myself. Since nobody else around here is willing to touch me.”
Devon’s nostrils flared, teeth biting into his lower lip. “Aurora, you know what I want. But…”
Just like that, the entire mood in the room shifted. His chest moved as his breath quickened. Heat surged through her body. Her clit throbbed again, craving contact.
“No, I don’t know. Tell me.”
He took a step closer. As he advanced, she backed up against the counter. “I should probably go. Definitely should go.” His voice was husky.
“Uh-huh.”
“This is a very bad idea.” Every word seemed to take effort. Like he was trying to speak while holding his breath. “So, I’m asking you to please get dressed…before…I…”
“Before you what?”
She let her towel fall onto the tile. He groaned, so low the sound came from his chest. Aurora looked down at herself, seeing what he was seeing. Bright pink nipples jutting outwards with arousal. Full creamy breasts. The smooth curves of her hips. Trimmed dark-blond hair between her legs.
Next, her eyes moved to him, noting the straining bulge in his jeans. He shifted, trying to adjust himself in his pants.
But he made no move to touch her.
Aurora planted her hands on the countertop and lifted herself onto it. “I told you. I can take care of things myself. But I don’t mind if you watch. That’s not against your precious rules, is it?”
“Aurora, don’t.”
She spread her knees. His hazel eyes widened, pupils blown as he stared.