close around me, pulling me down to bury his face in my neck.
“Holy shit,” he murmurs breathlessly against my skin.
My head bobs in agreement.
We stay this way, holding each other like we don’t plan on ever letting go, until the water starts to cool around us. Finally I shift so we can finish getting clean.
I flip the lever to drain the water and reach for the removable shower head. I hand Mase the loofah and release the clip from my hair. As I start to unwind it from its bun, I feel his long fingers start to tenderly comb through the curls, rinsing the conditioner from them for me.
Once we’re both clean, Mase holds my hand as I step out on the memory foam bath mat then he wraps one of the fluffy sky blue towels around my body, using the soft terrycloth to dry the water from my skin. After he’s done, I return the favor, the two of us grinning at each other like idiots.
I wring my hair out over the tub as best I can before going to the linen closet to grab another towel since he used the other one.
I start rubbing at my long strands then the exhaustion of my ordeal hits me and I stumble to the side.
Mase is there with a steady hand on my elbow. “Come on, Skittles. Let’s get you in bed.”
“Round two already?” I try to wiggle my eyebrows, but like rolling my eyes, it hurts too much, and I stop after one lift.
He doesn’t miss my wince and scoops me up into his arms yet again. I could make a comment about how I’m fully capable of walking down the hall to my room, but why would I? In his arms is my favorite place to be.
#Chapter20
The fact that Kay doesn’t fight me when I lift her into my arms bridal style is my first clue that she’s more worn out than she lets on. My girl is pure sass even on her worst day; this docile version I’m holding is the biggest sign she needs sleep, and she needs it now.
Once inside her room, I place her down next to the bed, keeping my hands wrapped around her arms for a few extra seconds. Once I’m sure she’s steady on her feet, I move to her dresser and start pulling open drawers until I find her clothes to sleep in.
Dropping a pair of well-worn black NJA sweatpants, a tank top, and a Henley—both in blue because we all know how she loves to match—onto the bed, I reach up and unwind the towel done up turban-style, causing Kay’s long curls to tumble around her shoulders and down her back.
If the guys ever found out one of the first things—outside of her height, or lack thereof—I noticed about her was her hair, they would make me turn in my man card. Still, I can’t help but twirl one of the waist-length curls around my finger, savoring the silky feel of the strands against my skin. The way the colorful combination of purple, pink, red, and black plays peekaboo through the golden mass of curls always has my fingers itching to sift through it to discover what other hues are hidden inside.
A small sigh escapes Kay’s mouth as I play with her hair, but it’s the goose bumps covering the bare skin of her shoulders and arms that have me blinking myself out of my trance.
Making sure my own towel is secure around my waist, I take a knee in front of Kay to help her into her sweats.
Oh how times have changed, huh, Nova? You used to be known for getting girls out of their pants, not into them. Good thing this one is a keeper.
My inner coach may live for giving me shit, but at least he understands what Kay means to me.
Unlike some…
The slide of Kay’s hands bracing herself on me once again grounds me back in the present as I work the pants up her toned legs and underneath the terrycloth. Not removing her towel was a strategic move. If I’m going to keep the head on top of my shoulders currently being kneaded by Kay’s fingers in charge and not the one in my pants, I can’t risk seeing her fully naked again.
I’m only human, and a man at that. The struggle is real, people.
As if reading my mind, Kay pulls her tank top on over her towel. The bath, and maybe the two orgasms