circle, wondering what the hell he’d missed. Unlike a lot of the rooms in hostels scattered around Europe, this one had its own private bathroom, which meant there was no way for anyone else to gain access to it without coming into the room itself. Luke might have been distracted, but he sure as hell would have seen someone walk by him.
The room was empty except for her.
She pointed a shaking finger, and he followed the line down to the… He blinked, part of him wondering if this was some kind of joke. “A spider. You screamed bloody murder because of a tiny half-drowned spider.”
Alexis made another frightened noise that was just this side of a shriek. “Kill it. Oh my God, just kill it.”
Even though she was obviously afraid, he couldn’t help a little snark. “Don’t move. I think it can smell fear.” He hurried back into the bedroom and retrieved a boot. One well-placed smash later, the threat was eliminated—and his boot was wet. “He’s gone. You’re safe.”
“Thanks.” She looked around the bathroom as if expecting more spiders to pour from the vents or something.
Luke shook his head, not sure if he should hug her or laugh his ass off. “Princess, you kicked my ass and laughed at me afterward. You scaled a twenty-story cliff. How are you possibly afraid of a little bug?”
Her shiver was so violent, it made the rings on the shower curtain rattle. “You’re a grown man. Grown men do not scuttle.” She shuddered. “Spiders scuttle. It’s freaky and unnatural.”
Holy shit, she was downright precious. He grinned. “The distinction is noted.” And so were the soapsuds sliding down from her hair, between her breasts, and over the long line of her stomach. He wanted to trace that same path with his tongue, and take it one step further to drape her leg over his shoulder so he had nothing stopping his ability to taste her there.
Suddenly, he wasn’t feeling all that tired at all.
“If you could see the way you’re looking at me.”
“Like what?” He already knew. He just wanted to hear her say it. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of hearing filthy words come out of Alexis Yeung’s mouth.
She licked her lips. “Like you want to take me up against this shower wall.”
Christ, but he did. Luke didn’t say anything, though. Not yet. He just let himself look his fill, tracing her body with his gaze, from her pale pink toenails to her long legs, the tempting vee between her thighs, her nipples that practically begged for his mouth, and finally to her challenging hazel eyes. She was the most perfectly shaped woman he’d ever seen, and the fire of her personality only made her more attractive.
“Are you going to stand there and stare or are you going to lose the underwear and join me?” The tone of her voice said she didn’t think it was much of a decision, and she was right.
But there was one thing they needed to cover first. “The conversation isn’t over between us.”
“I’m sorry?”
She knew exactly what he was talking about. He could read the knowledge all over her wide eyes and the way her body shook. “You will tell me about your past, and what happened to you. Eventually.” As much as he wanted to have the information right this second, it wouldn’t mean a damn thing if he forced it out of her. He wanted her to want to tell him. “When you’re ready.”
“And if I’m never ready?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? This thing between them had an expiration date, something he’d do damn well to remember. Luke met her gaze, seeing far more than he knew she’d want him to. Damn, darlin’, you have scars to rival mine, don’t you? “You will be.”
“You seem so sure. I wish I could be that sure.” She glanced away and then back, resolve showing in her expression. “Why are you still wearing underwear?”
He let the previous subject go. Sex was easy, and with how scraped raw he felt right now, it was exactly what he needed—what they both needed.
“Good question.” He shucked off the boxer briefs and paused. Condom. Under no circumstances was he giving either of them a reason to put this thing on pause again. “Five seconds.”
“One.” She held up a finger. “Two.”
Luke practically dived for her pack, riffling through it and dumping things to the side until he came up with a string of condoms. He ripped one open and had