green that seemed to represent hope blazed brightly within the brown.
“There’s nothing in this whole world that I want more than you.” Cupping my jaw in one hand, he swept his thumb across my skin, making my scalp tingle. “I’m going to pull out, but I want you to shower with me.”
“I can do that.”
“And I want you to spend the whole day with me.”
When he pulled out, I plunged my hand between us to stem the flow. Snagging a tissue from a box on the nightstand, he gave it to me, anticipating my need before I voiced it. It was like we were a couple who’d had sex without a condom for years, but in reality, this was my first time.
Tears burned in my eyes. I was so glad my first time was with him.
“Well, the rest of it, at least.” He gave me a wry look. “It’s already past noon. Are you hungry?”
“What?” I sat up and glanced at the window, panicking as I noted the bright sun. “No. Cork. Job hunting. I can’t. I don’t have time to play.”
“Already checked on Cork.”
“Oh.” I took in a breath and told my racing heart to slow.
“I had a little talk with him. I hope you don’t mind.”
“What kind of talk?” I tossed the wadded tissue in a nearby trash can and narrowed my gaze on him.
“Cork wasn’t alone. He had the blonde with him.”
“Monique?” My mouth rounded.
Storm nodded. “She’s eighteen. On the pill. They used protection, but it was Monique who brought it.”
“He told you all that?” I asked.
“Yeah, we’re guys.” Storm shrugged like that explained all the mysteries of the universe. “I don’t think they’re serious, but I told him I’d take him to get his own supply of condoms later. Better to be prepared all the time, yeah?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Thank you.”
“For nothing.” He shrugged like it wasn’t significant what he’d done, but it was. He was looking out for my brother like Cork was his brother.
“Shower?” he asked to remind me.
“Sure.” I followed him into the bathroom. It was like mine, clean and small. The tile was mustard yellow, and the fixtures were gold. He drew back the curtain and turned on the water.
“In, babe.” He tapped me on the rear.
I stepped over the rim of the tub, and he moved in behind me.
“Can you hold my hair out of the spray?” I asked. “I don’t have my shampoo and stuff here. And anyway, I don’t have time to mess with washing it. I have to go look for another job.”
“Okay. But why don’t you hold it, and I’ll soap you off.”
I shuddered, imagining it. “Your hands on my body?”
“Yeah,” he said thickly, as if just imagining it turned him on too.
“Huh-uh. I’ll never get out of here. Shower. A quick one. Then I have to go. I’m sorry.”
“Surf with me later?” He wound a long length of my hair around his hand.
Just feeling the tug at my scalp and knowing he was doing the tugging made my nerve endings, from breasts to clit, tighten like a drawn bow.
“I want to. I’ll try to make it happen.” I grabbed a bar of soap and started lathering it in my hands. “What about you? Don’t you have to return Ivy’s purse this morning?”
“Yeah, and Cork and I have band practice later, but we should be done by the afternoon.”
“I’ll call you,” I said as I applied soap to all the important parts.
“Do.” He kissed the side of my neck.
Shifting to rinse away the suds, I said, “You can let go of my hair.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Let go . . . Journey.”
I almost slipped on his name again, and then wondered, would it be bad if I did? Would it end us like he thought it would? Why?
Not knowing the answer, I kept silent.
“All right,” he grumbled.
I turned and lifted my hands, placing them on his beard. As he gently gripped my upper arms, I pressed my lips to his. “I gotta go.”
“I know you do.” Yet his fingers tightened around me, his gaze searching mine.
Did Storm want to tell me? Was he looking for clues like I was, to how the truth would be received?
“I’ll miss you,” he said softly. “I like you in my bed, in my shower, at my place . . . in my life.”
My throat closed. His words were lyrical and profound. He’d verbalized what I wanted, but I wanted it to repeat and repeat unendingly. Did he?