Page 81 of Reticent

There aren’t any suds in the water to hide my nakedness, and I’m shy for some reason. It’s not like he hasn't seen me naked—stretch marks and all. I’m musing over my butt-nakedness when Hunter steps into the doorway with bare feet. Why is that so sexy? Why are you so horny? Justine Skye's “Intruded” plays from surround sound, and I feel exposed. Instinctively, I cover my breasts with my arm as if that can shield my feelings.

Hunter grabs my towel, fisting it as he makes his way to the tub. “Wrap your arms around me.” His voice is huskier than usual, or maybe I’m just hearing it that way because I’m imagining that he’s as affected in this moment as I am.

“You don’t have to pick me up. Hold out your arms, and I'll use you for support.”

“It’ll be easier for you and safer if I lift you.”

I ponder this for a second, chewing on my bottom lip. “Okay.”

I drop my hand from my breasts, and Hunter doesn't even pretend not to look. I half roll my eyes at his lingering gaze.

His mouth quirks with humor as he leans over the tub. “Don’t pretend you weren’t checking me out from your bedroom window earlier.”

I wrap my arms around his neck. “I was admiring your form,” I say, unable to keep the laughter out of my voice. “Your swim form.”

“If that's what you want to go with ...” He lifts me easily and sets me on my feet, securing the large towel underneath my arms and tucking it in at my breasts.

Our eyes connect as silence settles between us. I drink in his closeness, my heart thumping erratically. My desire to feel his lips on mine is strong, especially as he ghosts his fingertips across the ink on my arm, from my shoulder to my elbow. Hesitantly, I lift my hands to Hunter's chest. I know I shouldn’t, but he feels so good underneath my palms. He’s so warm and hard, and I can feel his heartbeat.

He lifts his hand to cradle my cheek, darting his tongue over his bottom lip. I wish it were me doing it. Slowly and cautiously, our mouths come together in the sweetest kiss. It’s different from the other day, not as urgent, but my heart’s beating just as fast. I feel his kiss in my veins, pumping through my body. Letting go of my towel, I fist his shirt as we deepen the kiss.

Hunter’s hand reaches between us, and he slides his digits over my clitoris. I need him inside of me. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Like right fucking now.

“Come with me.” The words fall from my lips with zero uncertainty.

Hunter pulls back, his stormy blue eyes dark and dilated, and searches my face. I take his hand, walking backward out of the bathroom.

We start kissing again as I back him up to my bed, rubbing his dick over his sweats. I give him a shove, and he goes down easily onto the mattress. He scoots back on his elbows and watches me with hungry eyes as I position myself over him. He takes his shirt off, and I pull his dick out of his sweatpants, fisting his length and aligning him to my channel. Hunter covers my breasts with his big hands, flicking my brown nipples with his thumbs as I sink down all the way.

Our desperation from moments ago evaporates into smoke as we savor the joining of our bodies. Neither of us moves. Glazed blue eyes meet mine, and in them, I see agony, as if I’m torturing him like he's torturing me. This connection we have is both healing and destroying us.

How am I ever supposed to give him up?

We start to move, our bodies grinding in slow motion as Hunter fucks into me with upward thrusts. Pleasure wraps around my body like tentacles as I rock into him, arching my back. We become lost in the sex, lost in each other, where nothing else matters but this moment and this feeling.

Gasps fall from my lips when Hunter’s thumb finds my clitoris, causing my walls to squeeze around him as I ride my orgasm and his dick simultaneously. Every visible muscle in Hunter’s body flexes as he pumps into me faster and harder, working me over with his cock as he spills into me.

When Hunter pulls out of me, I feel empty. “I’ll be right back,” he says, kissing me on the mouth, and rises from the bed.

I roll over to my side, watching him walk away to my bathroom. I close my eyes and catch my breath, listening to Savannah Re’s “24hrs” playing from the bathroom.

“Open your legs for me, beautiful.”

I open my eyes and my legs. Hunter sits on the bed with a washcloth in his hand, positioning himself between my legs. My throat works in a swallow as he gently cleans me. It’s both intimate and arousing. But what happens next has me lifting up on my elbows as panic clutches my chest.

"Umm … Yasmine?"

“I think my water just broke.”

We scramble from the bed, staring at the wetness with wide eyes, then back at each other.

“Oh, shit. Yasmine, baby—"

“It's time.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

We both have jobs to do. I call my doctor while Hunter calls the hospital to secure our room. Ten minutes later, a fully dressed Hunter is at my door with his car keys in hand. I’m in a different robe, double-checking everything in my hospital bag.