For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,92

into her suite. His arms were around her waist and she had the keycard in her hand, but kept going straight for her bedroom. He just kissed the length of her neck as they walked.

"Braden," she said, tossing the key on the bedside table. "We're both gross, and I need a shower before you get any ideas."

With a laugh, he released her. "Oh, so I'm allowed to have ideas, huh?" Then he jerked his chin toward the bathroom. "Willing to share?"

A moment of insecurity hit her. It was stupid. He'd already seen her naked, and yet she couldn't make it go away. "I guess?"

"You're allowed to say no," he reminded her. "Pretty sure there's another in the other room."

Rhaven shook her head. "I want to. It's just..." She paused to lick her lips. "I'm more used to being nervous about how I look without clothes, you know?"

"I kinda like how you look without clothes," he reminded her.

"I meant because I don't like that I have, you know..." She gestured downward. "A dick."

"It's a girl dick. It's cute and girly. I also comprehend that people have dysphoria, even if I can't understand what that would be like. Rhaven, it's ok to say that's not your thing."

"Can we try?" she asked instead. "I mean, in the scheme of things, my dysphoria isn't that bad. I feel more self-conscious than loathing. Mostly, I'm just ready for you to be disgusted."

He nodded. "Then we can try, but will you answer a question for me?"

"Ok?"

"Who made you feel like this?" he asked. "Is it all internal, or did someone say shit?"

A sigh fell from her lips and she waved in the general direction of her still boxed-up computer. "The internet. I'm on Twitter and Reddit, Braden. I see the comments. I know that people like me aren't always accepted."

"Ok, that's fair," he admitted. "I just asked because I once got the shit beat out of me. Some guy saw me kissing my date. He said he didn't want to see it, and I wasn't quite as big back then. That taught me a lesson, and it seems I haven't been able to forget it."

"That people hate us?" she asked.

"Us?" He grinned. "Did I just get wrapped up in a Pride flag? And no. My lesson was that if I wanted to be myself, then I had to learn how to handle my own fights. As a bonus, I could step up for others in the process. You, Dez, some guy in my class, some girl on the street. Doesn't matter. Shit, even Amy gets it from me."

"You like to be the hero," Rhaven said, remembering someone talking about that earlier.

He turned her toward the bathroom, guiding her before him. "Kinda? It's more that I hate the fact that anyone needs one. Heroes are supposed to fight dragons and spice raiders, Rhave. Not other humans. Flawed is supposed to be a game, not our real fucking lives, you know?"

But once he made it into the bathroom, he headed over to turn on the water, then simply pulled off his shirt. Standing behind him, she let her eyes enjoy the muscles along his back and how his waist tapered into his jeans. Her gaze had dropped to his ass when he turned around, leaving her looking at his crotch by accident. Of course, he noticed.

"Showers work better without clothes," he teased before simply dropping his pants and underwear to the floor.

Braden didn't even care that he hadn't taken off his socks or shoes. His point was clearly to make a statement, and the burning in her cheeks proved that it was working. So, while he bent to get rid of those, she kicked off her own shoes, her jeans and socks - in that order - and then her shirt. Braden's eyes jumped up to take in her matching bra and panties, but he didn't say a thing. Her fingers were trembling when she unclasped her bra, but somehow this man made it feel ok.

His eyes roamed, but he didn't make a comment that would embarrass her. His gaze was hungry, not disappointed. Then the man turned and stepped into the shower, leaving the glass door open so she could follow. Pushing off her panties, Rhaven gave in, sucking in a breath at the scalding temperature of the water.

"Too hot!" she hissed.

He adjusted it to be a bit cooler. "Good, because I like to keep my skin on my body." Then he grabbed the bottle of shampoo.