Page 111 of Revenge Puck

Trust.

Her expression softens in a way that hits me square in the ribs and, for a hot second, guilt assuages me for taking advantage of the moment to gauge her trust in me.

Without trust, she won’t fall in love with me.

If she doesn’t fall in love with me, I can’t crush her brother.

That’s the plan, isn’t it?

Except…

The longer she looks at me with those pretty eyes and fluttering wet lashes, with those freckles sprinkled across the bridge of her nose…

I swallow, a lump forming in my throat that shouldn’t be there.

NINETEEN

JULIETTE

He thinks I’m brave?

Not one soul has ever called me brave before.

I reach for the soap before I can overthink it, squirting a dollop in my hand and lathering it the way he did.

“Turn around.”

He lifts a brow, amused. “Oh?”

Aaron’s back is broad, tapering in a slow, powerful line from his shoulders to his waist. The muscles shift beneath his skin as he turns, defined with every flex, earned through hard work, long workouts, and dedication.

Even relaxed, he’s a solid mass.

Every inch of him is taut, firm. His arms are corded and strong. When I run my hands down his biceps his muscles flex instinctively under my touch, and I feel the restrained power there.

It makes my stomach flutter.

He’s solid in a way that makes me feel small but safe—like he could kick some dude’s ass in a dark alley that was going to cause us harm.

“You carry a lot of tension here,” I say, pressing my thumbs into a tight spot between his shoulder blades.

Hehumphs. “That’s from having to answer my sister’s phone calls.”

I laugh, sound echoing off stone and glass. It feels far more intimate than being naked on his kitchen counter, laughing like this while standing completely exposed under warm water, steam rising around us.

My hands slide around his sides now, exploring more boldly, soapy palms lowering. I feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath my fingers as the energy gets more charged.

He exhales slowly when I move lower still, when my touch lingers near his pelvis.

Neither one of us is laughing now.

I glance up into his face; at his set jaw and the eyes that are darker than they were a moment ago. Focused and penetrating.

“Juliette,” he says softly.

God, I love it when he says my name…

Especially when he’s turned on.