Sometimes it takes a woman to notice these things.
“Come,” I order, and grab his arm, or as much as I can get my fingers around. He looks in my direction and his eyes are tearing so hard I can't imagine him being able to even see me. “I'll show you the way.”
Not that I don't think he could find his way to the bathroom without me, but it certainly goes faster. He's walking unsteadily and I'm starting to worry that he has a concussion or something. But first we have to get the tear gas off him. Guess my first aid training is coming in more useful than I had expected.
I push him into the shower stall, where he sags to the floor, propping his back against the wall. I start the water.
“Fuck, that's cold,” he exclaims, the most solid reaction from him since the fight ended. “Jesus.”
“Sorry!” I point the shower head out of the way until the water warms, managing to spray myself in the process. He's right. It's freaking cold.
But then it warms, and I direct it back. He sighs as the water streams over his head and starts to rinse off the remnants of the gas. Then he pushes himself to his feet so he can look down at me. He smiles, and it's the kind of smile that'll make any girl weak in the knees.
He reaches behind my head and releases the catch on my gas mask so he can pull it off me. I'm sure I'm all puffed up and marked from it, but from the way he's looking at me, you'd think I was a supermodel or something.
I swallow an awkward lump in my throat. “Um… you should probably get the clothes off too, so they can be rinsed. I can go and—”
He puts his big hand at the back of my neck and pulls me closer. I have to crane my neck to look up at him. “Yeah. I should. But there's something I need to do first.”
Somehow, even in the shower, getting soaked from the spray bouncing off Hero's massive torso, my lips feel dry, making me wet them with my tongue. “What's that?”
The water plasters Hero's shirt to his chest and pulls his hair down with his weight. There's more curl in it than I thought, by how long it is. His thick beard drips on me as he leans in. He grips my upper arm and holds me in place.
“To thank you properly.”
Then he presses his full lips against mine as the water runs over us both.
17
EMILY
Hero's lips are much softer than I would've expected.
His touch is so hot, I swear it's going to leave third degree burns. He slides his hand behind my neck up into my hair. He buries his fingers in it so I can't pull back.
Not that I try.
I close my eyes, but there are flashes over the backs of my eyelids that make me wonder if there are actual sparks arcing between us. All this time, even as my captors, these guys have had me squirming. Heck, Wild Child had me literally squirming, and—
And now I'm making out with Hero. That's got to be asking for trouble. Serious trouble, and these guys are my kidnappers. You'd think that would be more than enough trouble for one girl.
But then he slips his tongue into my mouth, and I can't quite keep myself from doing the same. His hand at my arm moves until it's at the small of my back instead, pressing me closer. Not just my clothes getting soaked anymore. Now he's got my head under the water, washing us both off.
“You were in the gas too.” Hero grips the back of my shirt and starts to lift.
“Hey, hey, whoa, hold on.” I manage to take a step back as I smoothe down the shirt. “I probably shouldn't…”
He wrings his shirt off, exposing his broad chest. The water pours off it like he was carved into a waterfall by Michelangelo. My mind short circuits for a moment before I remember what it was I probably shouldn't do. And I'm not really sure I agree anymore.
“Shouldn't what?” He pulls me right back into the stream of water.
By the time he has my shirt off, I still don't have an answer, so I give up.
He cups my chin with one hand and makes me look up at him so he can kiss me again as he holds me close. My nipples spark as they rub against his rock hard abdomen. He raises goosebumps as he trails his fingers down my spine, then slips them under the elastic of my boxers to cup my ass.
My hands go to his chest, feeling his heart beat excitedly under my palm. His wet chest hair tickles my fingers. And there's a bulge in his jeans that's pressing into my stomach like it's trying to break out. Before I know it, I'm twisting at his fly, trying to get the button open.