Egomaniac - Vi Keeland Page 0,43

was a note:

Down the hall, first door on the right.

What the?

There was only one hall. My palms were sweaty when I reached for the doorknob. Why was I so nervous?

I had no idea what to expect, so I pushed the door open ever so slowly. Only to find…an empty bathroom? I was still holding the note from the kitchen in my hand, so I rechecked the directions. First door on the right. Assuming he must have made a mistake, I was just about to shut the door when I saw a sticky on the mirror above the sink. I flicked on the light and took a good look around the room before reading it. It was one hell of a nice bathroom. Bigger than the bedroom in my apartment. Turning to meet my reflection, I pulled the sticky note from the mirror.

Bag on counter. Got you some girly bath stuff. Remote to tub jets in bag, too. Happy belated birthday. Enjoy your day. P.S. Motrin in medicine cabinet.

Unexpectedly, my eyes welled up with tears. The hard-ass destroyer of relationships had a soft side.

***

My skin was getting pruney. I’d actually dozed off for twenty minutes soaking in the tranquil tub and listening to Norah Jones. Drew had picked up bath salts, lavender bubble bath, and two small lavender candles. The odd feeling I had stripping out of my clothes and drawing a bath in an unfamiliar home quickly faded when I stepped into the warm water.

I’d been in the tub for more than a half hour, and the water was starting to chill, yet I still wanted to try out the whirlpool jets. I opened the drain for a minute, then added some scalding water to warm the bath back up. Grabbing the tiny remote, I pushed a couple of buttons, and the tub whirled to life.

Mmmm, that feels heavenly.

I increased the pressure of the jets on my back and covered the one at my feet with the arch of my right foot, simulating a foot massage.

It really felt like a massage. When was the last time anyone actually gave me a massage? A man? It had been a long time. Too long. Which was probably why when I shut my eyes to enjoy the sensation, I began thinking what that sensation would feel like other places on my body.

And that brought my mind right back to Drew.

That kiss.

That kiss.

Sigh. I hadn’t realized Baldwin had walked into the hallway, and Drew was only doing it to make him jealous. It had felt so real. So filled with desire. The way he pressed his body up against mine so hard, holding me so tight, I thought it was hunger fueling the kiss. And even though I’d been startled by it at first, my body had reacted immediately. Which was why when I realized he’d only done it because Baldwin was watching, to make him jealous, I was flooded with so many mixed emotions.

Today I was also confused for another reason. I seemed to be more concerned about things turning weird between me and Drew than I was about what Baldwin would think.

Since I had the man on the brain, I decided to send Drew a text. I wasn’t even sure if he was a texter—I’d never really seen him pay attention to his phone other than to answer it.

Emerie: This might be my new favorite birthday present ever. Thank you.

My pathetic heart sped up when I saw dots start jumping.

Drew: Topping a gift to slice open your eyeballs, which you returned? You’re damn easy to please.

I laughed. I also moved my foot to uncover the jet and spread my legs to feel the water pressure.

Emerie: It was really sweet of you. This bathtub is heavenly.

Drew: Is? Are you texting me from the tub right now?

Emerie: I am.

Drew: You can’t tell me shit like that. I’m in the middle of a deposition, and now I’m going to be distracted picturing you naked in my tub.

I started to type a response, then stopped. Drew was picturing me naked. Tiny goosebumps broke out over my body, even though I was blanketed with warm water. I knew he was teasing me, yet there was still something exciting about it, and I wanted to play back.

Emerie: Do you like what you’re picturing?

Drew: I just had to adjust my pants under the table. What do you think?

I think…I liked the thought of Drew Jagger getting a hard-on thinking about me. My body was reacting to his texts the