Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Star
Steam turned the bathroom into a private haze, like the walls had leaned in and decided to keep our secrets. The mirror was completely fogged, and the light overhead softened until the whole room glowed, and the air felt thick enough to cling to my skin.
I stood under the spray with my palms flat against the tile, head tipped forward, eyes closed. The heat soaked deep into my shoulders, slid down my spine, and loosened places I hadn’t even realized were still holding tension. My body felt loose.
I breathed in slowly.
For a few quiet seconds, I let myself just be here. Warm. Safe. Whole.
The shower curtain shifted.
I didn’t turn around. I didn’t need to.
“You planning on using all the hot water?” Cole asked, his voice already low and rough in that way that made my stomach tighten.
A smile curved across my mouth. “Depends,” I said. “You here to complain or contribute?”
The curtain slid shut behind him.
Then he was there. Solid and close, filling the space like he belonged in it. His chest brushed my back as his heat mixed with the steam until I wasn’t sure what was water and what was him anymore.
His hands settled on my hips. The contact made my breath hitch before I could stop it. I leaned back into him without thinking as my body responded before my brain could catch up.
And that, right there, felt like a small miracle.
My skin buzzed under his palms, and my body arched into him like it trusted him completely.
I didn’t feel small or like a victim.
I felt wanted. Claimed in a way that didn’t take anything from me.
His mouth found the curve of my neck, warm and unhurried. “God,” he murmured against my skin. “You feel good like this.”
The words sank straight into me.
I tilted my head to the side, giving him better access, as my fingers pressed against the tile while his lips traced down my neck. He kissed me like he had nowhere else to be, and like time itself had slowed just for us.
“Cole,” I breathed. Half warning. Half invitation.
He hummed softly, then reached past me for the soap. The click of the cap popping open sounded loud in the small space. He slicked it between his palms, then his hands slid back to me, spreading suds slowly over my arms, shoulders, and sides.
The sensation was immediate. Overwhelming.
Soap made everything glide, and his touch was warm and confident as he moved over me like he was memorizing every inch. He didn’t rush. Didn’t skip anything. Every pass of his hands lingered just long enough to make me ache for more.
My head tipped back against his shoulder, and a soft sound left me before I could stop it. “Soapy,” I whispered. Not exactly brilliant, but it was the only word my brain could say.
“I like taking my time with you,” he said quietly.
His mouth followed his hands, kisses pressed slow and lingering along my collarbone, my shoulder, and the hollow of my throat. Each one landed like a promise. Like he knew exactly what he was doing to me and intended to enjoy every second of it.
I felt anchored under his touch.
The soap slid away under the spray, but his hands never left me. Steady. Certain.
I turned in his arms slowly, and my palms came up to rest on his chest. His skin was slick beneath my fingers, and his muscles shifted as I explored him the way he’d just explored me.
I spread soap over him this time, my touch slower, teasing, and watching the way his jaw tightened when my hands lingered.
Seeing him like this, wet, flushed, eyes dark and focused on me like I was the only thing in the room, did something reckless to my heart.
This was Cole stripped down in front of me. No clubhouse. No chaos. No orders or plans. Just him.
“Careful,” he murmured, eyes never leaving mine. “You’re playing with fire.”
I smiled, slow and bold. “What if I like fire?”
He kissed me then.
Not rushed. Not desperate. Slow and deep, like he wanted to feel every second of it. The water poured over us, loud enough to drown out everything else, while his hands came up to brace against the tile on either side of me, boxing me in.
“You’re all mine,” he murmured as his mouth brushed my ear. “Just. Mine.”
A shiver ran through me. My fingers tightened on his shoulders. “And you’re mine.”
“Yeah,” he admitted quietly. “I am.”
His mouth trailed along my jaw and made my toes curl. He bit down gently once, just enough to make me gasp, then soothed it with his tongue like an apology he didn’t mean.
I moved against him without thinking. My body responded on instinct, chasing that closeness. He groaned low in his throat as his grip tightened, wanting more.
I wanted to stay right here. Wrapped in steam and him and the knowledge that for this moment, nothing else could touch me.
And then—
Gravel crunched outside the window.
We froze.
Cole’s body went instantly still, and every muscle locked into place. My heart leapt straight into my throat.
“That’s my mom’s car,” I whispered.
His eyes widened just a fraction before he reached past me and shut off the water. The sudden silence was jarring, the steam still curling around us as we stood there dripping, pressed together, barely breathing.
We listened to the car door open, close, and then her footsteps walk away from the window. The front door opened.
“Star?” Mom called. “I’m home early!”
I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing or making a sound that would absolutely give us away. Cole’s forehead dropped to mine, and his shoulders shook silently.
“Bathroom’s occupied!” I called, forcing my voice to sound normal.
“All right,” she said easily. “I’ll start dinner.”
Her footsteps moved away.
We stayed exactly where we were, bodies still pressed together, for several long seconds after that.
Then Cole exhaled slowly, and his mouth brushed my temple. “We are never doing that again.”
I snorted softly. “You’re lying.”
He smiled at me then, warm and soft, and his thumb brushed my cheek. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I am.”
We dried off quickly, stealing soft kisses as we tugged on our clothes. Cole pulled on his jeans first and glanced toward the door.
“You go,” I whispered.
He smirked, leaned in to steal one more kiss, and then slipped out of the bathroom as he pulled his shirt on over his head.
I listened to his footsteps pad down the hallway toward the bedroom.
“What is he doing?” I whispered to myself.
Then I heard his footsteps head back past the bathroom. His voice drifted down the hall when he hit the kitchen.
“Hey, Mac.”
I froze, one sock half on.
“Oh, hey,” my mom answered. “Did you have anything planned for dinner?”
I hurried to finish getting dressed, tugged on my shirt while I listened, my heart thudded like I’d been caught doing something way worse than I actually had.
“Uh,” Cole said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “We were just gonna order pizza.”
“That sounds perfect to me,” Mom replied easily. “Long day, but I managed to get home early.”
I let out a quiet breath of relief and grabbed my brush, quickly running it through my damp hair. I tried to smooth it into something that didn’t scream just had sex in the shower, even though I was pretty sure that ship had sailed.
Once my hair was reasonably under control, I squared my shoulders and opened the bathroom door.
I walked into the kitchen, doing my best impression of someone who had absolutely not been pinned against tile twenty minutes ago.
“Hey, Mom,” I called.
She had her back to me, rummaging through a drawer, but she turned around with a smile already on her face.
“Hey, sweetheart,” she said. “Cole was just saying you guys were going to order pizza. I managed to get away early tonight.” She tilted her head slightly, her eyes scanning me.
Then her gaze flicked to Cole, who also looked suspiciously fresh and relaxed.
Her smile turned knowing. “And maybe,” she added lightly, “I should have called to let you know I was heading this way.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“Oh my God,” I gasped.
“What?” she asked innocently.
“I would have to be blind not to realize that you tw—”
“Stop!” I yelled, mortified. “You know. We know. Can we just not talk about it? Please?” I clasped my hands together like I was begging for my life.
She laughed and shook her head. “Yes, honey.” She stepped closer and patted my arm. “I’ll spare you.”
I exhaled. “Thank you.”
“I’ll go order the pizza, okay?” she said, already grabbing her purse.
I nodded, trying not to melt into a puddle of embarrassment as she headed for the front porch.
The door closed behind her.
Cole burst out laughing.
“This is not funny,” I snapped, pointing at him. “My mom knows we were having sex.”
He wiped at his face, still grinning. “Pretty sure she knew already.”
“In the shower,” I added weakly. “In her house.”
He stepped closer, and his hands came to my waist, his expression softening immediately. “Hey.”
I looked up at him, still flustered.
“It’s fine,” he said quietly. “You’re fine. We’re fine. We’re both consenting adults.”
Then he kissed me, hot, confident, familiar, and the kind of kiss that reminded me exactly why none of this actually mattered.
When he pulled back, his forehead rested against mine. “I promise. You don’t need to be embarrassed. Nobody’s judging. And I’m not going anywhere.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” I grumbled. “That wasn’t your mom.”
He brushed my hair from my face. “I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty, my mother also knows that we are having sex.”
My eyes bugged out. “The whole club knows,” I whispered.
He chuckled. “Yeah, and we know the whole club is having sex, too, Star. Just take a deep breath, babe.”
I let out a breath and leaned into him, my hands curling into his shirt.
“Okay,” I said softly. “Everyone is having sex,” I whispered.
His body rumbled under me as he laughed. “Yeah, they are. They definitely are.” He leaned back and looked down at me. “I’m just glad to join the ranks with you.”
My cheeks heated all over again. “I think we should just stop talking about it.”
He nodded. “As long as we don’t stop doing it.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. This man was impossible, but at least he was my man.