22. Naked #2
Tucker is waiting for us at the door with Baety tucked into his side. “Baby, are you ok? Col texted me to tell me what happened. I made some herbal tea to warm you up, and I was about to text Jodie to ask her to bring some dry clothes for you. You’re soaked.”
To my surprise, Taryn shakes her head. “No need. Can I borrow something from you guys?”
“Sure,” Colsen agrees. “It’ll be big on you, but if you want, you can have one of my shirts.”
Taryn nods again. She hasn’t spoken much since the tow truck arrived. Maybe she’s in shock. She looks pale, uneasy, and angry at the same time, and I don’t blame her.
“Tucker, can I use your bathroom?”
I immediately offer mine. “You’ll have more room in my shower. Tuck has been showering in our bathrooms since he has Baety’s pool at the bottom of his shower.”
“Tucker’s bathroom will do.”
We all agree and follow our girl as she takes off toward Tucker’s bathroom.
Understanding dawns on all of us when Taryn marches straight into Tucker’s bathroom and opens the shower door.
She powers off her phone and dangles it over Baety’s kiddie pool. “Good luck spying on me now, fucker!” She bites out, dropping the phone into the water.
TARYN
As I watch my phone land in the bottom of Baety’s kiddie pool, a shiver works its way down my spine.
The adrenaline begins wearing off, and the reality of my situation dawns on me. I could have died out there.
“Baby, you’re shaking.” Tucker sets Baety down and wraps his arms around me. I let his strong body hold me upright.
I’m sure the guys will have questions, and I don’t know how they’ll react to my answers. But for now, I need a second to believe that I might not lose everything once they know.
“Come on,” he says softly. “Let’s get you out of these wet clothes and into the shower.”
I’m about to say that I don’t need a shower, but as Tucker guides me out of his bathroom, I catch a glimpse of my own reflection in the mirror. I’m not just drenched in water like a drowned rat. I’m covered in dirt from the wet asphalt and there are a few scrapes on my legs.
I exhale a shuddering breath as I let the guys lead me to Colsen’s room.
“Here, pretty girl.” He sets a folded t-shirt on his bed. “That will still be big on you, but it’s a small. They fucked up my size in freshman year and told me to keep it while they got me the right stuff. As if I could have shown up to practice or to the gym in that.”
Nash takes my hand and guides me to the en-suite bathroom, where Tucker has turned on the shower. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
He begins unfastening the buttons of my shirt with deft fingers, dropping the wet garment on the bathroom floor. My skirt is next, and then my underwear.
For a second, I get the urge to wrap my own arms around myself to cover up. But these three men have seen everything there is to see, at least when it comes to my body. Soon, they’ll know everything about me, and there isn’t going to be anywhere to hide.
“Come here, baby.” Tucker beckons me into the shower.
He undressed while Nash helped me, but he left his underwear on.
“Here, man. Take this, it’s brand new.” Colsen hands him a washcloth that Tucker uses to wash me.
He uses Colsen’s body wash and drags the cloth down my neck and over my shoulders and chest with the gentlest touch I’ve ever experienced.
It’s the strangest feeling. Usually his touch sets my skin on fire, but there’s nothing sexual about this.
As Tucker washes my stomach and thighs and drops down to his knees to take care of the space between my legs, I don’t feel turned on.
I feel safe.
“Turn around.” He asks and washes my back in the same gentle way he did my front. “Let’s take care of your hair now.”
“Hey man,” Nash is standing by the shower door. “Mind if I help?”
Tucker opens his mouth as if to say something, but then he seems to change his mind. “Sure. Let me step out. This shower stall isn’t big enough for the three of us.”
Like Tucker, Nash is naked except for his boxer briefs.
“Come here, Trouble.” He sits on the small bench opposite the jets, and I lower myself onto his lap.
He lathers my hair and works the shampoo through the long strands. When my hair is all soaped up, he massages my scalp.
“Oh my God.” The moan that comes out of my mouth would be embarrassing if I hadn’t moaned and screamed his name before while he was inside me. This is completely different. It’s soothing and relaxing, and I could stay like this forever.
“Can someone pass me the shower head, please?” Nash asks.
Tucker is right there, helping his teammate.
As Nash rinses my hair, my head rests on his shoulder, and between the warmth of the water, his gentle touch, and the solid feeling of his body against mine, I could fall asleep.
But we can’t stay in the shower forever, and eventually someone turns the water off and Nash helps me out of the cubicle.
“I’ve got you, pretty girl.” Colsen is waiting right outside with a towel he wraps around my body.
Like Tucker and Nash washed me, Colsen helps me dry off. He’s just as tender, using another towel to dry my hair and then my arms and legs.
Before I know it, I’m helped into a dark gray t-shirt that says “Cove Knights” on the front in bold silver letters.
Like Colsen predicted, the t-shirt is huge on me. It feels more like a dress, almost reaching my knees. I guess a small designed for hockey players is still big for someone like me.
“I made you a peppermint tea.” Tucker hands me a steaming mug. “Be careful, baby, it’s still hot.”
I’m sitting on Colsen’s bed with Tucker and Nash on either side of me. Colsen lowers himself down by my feet and pulls them into his lap.
For a second, with my three guys around me, I feel like nothing can hurt me. Nothing but the truth.
I knew this moment would come sooner or later. But now that it’s here, I’m terrified that the truth will destroy us.
Tears well in my eyes, and I inhale sharply to keep them from falling.
“Baby,” Tucker fusses over me. “If you don’t like peppermint, I have a secret stash of hot chocolate. Or I can see if Talia has regular black tea.”
“It’s not…” I shake my head because I don’t even know where to start.
Nash tucks a strand of my damp hair behind my ear. “If you’re worried about getting a new phone, we can help you.”
I close my eyes. They’re being so nice, and I can’t take it. “For once in my life, I bought the insurance plan the last time I upgraded my phone. I’ll just have to find time to go into town and get a new one. It covers accidental damage, so I’m good.”
“Then don’t cry, Trouble.” His voice is so soft that it makes my heart hurt even more. “Don’t be scared. You know we would never let anything happen to you, right? Tucker, Colsen, and I will keep you safe.”
Colsen gives my feet a comforting squeeze. “He’s right, pretty girl. We’ll take care of your car and get you a new phone tomorrow. And you should consider calling the cops.”
The words tumble out of my mouth before I can think about the consequences. “Yeah, that’s something I’d rather not do. But you might disagree with me once you know what’s going on.”