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JESS
| lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The soft fabric of Luke's T-shirt brushed against my skin, the scent of him
lingering in the cotton. It was ridiculously oversized, hanging down to my thighs, but I loved it- loved the way it
felt like a shield, wrappingin a piece of him. Through the muffled sound of water running in the bathroom, |
could hear him moving, the heavy tread of his steps as he adjusted the faucet.
Another shower.
I'd asked him about it after dinner, trying to keep my tone light. "Another one? You just had one this morning."
He didn't answer right away, just looked atwith an unreadable expression before muttering, "The waterfall
on the island doesn't compare to the water pressure here."
| almost laughed at that-almost. But something in the way his jaw tightened, the distant look in his eyes, told me
it wasn't a joke.
Now, as | stared at the ceiling, my mind wouldn't stop spinning.
The island.
He didn't talk about it much. | was too afraid to ask because asking would have made him relive it.
And yet, the selfish part ofwanted to know.
Luke wasn't a man easily shaken. He was steady, solid-like the
17.56 SHOWER
1288 Vouchers
SHOWER
JESS
| lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The soft fabric of Luke's T-shirt brushed against my skin, the scent of him
lingering in the cotton. It was ridiculously oversized, hanging down to my thighs, but I loved it- loved the way it
felt like a shield, wrappingin a piece of him. Through the muffled sound of water running in the bathroom, |
could hear him moving, the heavy tread of his steps as he adjusted the faucet.
Another shower.
I'd asked him about it after dinner, trying to keep my tone light. "Another one? You just had one this morning."
He didn't answer right away, just looked atwith an unreadable expression before muttering, "The waterfall
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇton the island doesn't compare to the water pressure here."
| almost laughed at that-almost. But something in the way his jaw tightened, the distant look in his eyes, told me
it wasn't a joke.
Now, as | stared at the ceiling, my mind wouldn't stop spinning.
The island.
He didn't talk about it much. | was too afraid to ask because asking would have made him felive it.
And yet, the selfish part ofwanted to know.
Luke wasn't a man easily shaken. He was steady, solid-like the
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285 Mouches
ground beneath my feet. | was the mess, and he was the one who putback together. But since he'd come
back, I'd seen cracks in that fortress.
Little cracks, but they were there.
Like the way he sometimes stared into the distance, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like it might shatter. Or
the way he'd grab my hand a little too quickly when | reached for him like he needed the contact to remind
himself he was here. Safe.
With me.
The water shut off, pullingout of my thoughts. | heard the squeak of the shower door and the faint rustle of a
towel. My heart thudded in my chest as | rolled onto my side, watching the sliver of light under the bathroom
door.
I wanted to ask him.
I should just ask him.
Wanted to tell him that it was okay to talk about it. That he didn't have to carry it all by himself. But my throat
tightened at the thought.
| buried my face in the pillow, frustrated with myself. | hated feeling this helpless and unsure of how to help him.
The bathroom door creaked open, and | propped myself up on one elbow, my breath hitching as Luke stepped
out,
Water still clung to his skin, glistening under the soft light, tracing the lines of his muscles. For someone who'd
been stranded on an island, he looked... well, unfairly good. Less bulky than he used to be, maybe, but still
carved from granite, every angle and plane honed to 17,56
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1255 Wouchers
perfection.
A low-hung towel was draped loosely
around his hips, and the edges. fh
tattoos ran acrosy hisdwerfd | back.
His Bard, Tressy hair was from his
fingers, and he was rubbing it with
another towel as he crossed the The
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room.
"Hey," he said, his voice rough, still carrying the weight of whatever thoughts had kept him in the shower for so
long.
| barely heard him, too distracted by
the way his abs tightened with every
step. That very dee Velinedoroed my
coon a He stopped at
the edge of the bed, looking down at
exactly where my mind was going.
"What?" The content is on
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chapter there!
The word snappedout of my daze, my cheeks heating as | realized I'd been staring.
"Nothing," I lied, my voice breathier than | intended.
One dark brow arched, and Luke leaned down, planting a kiss on my lips that was slow and deliberate, sending a
shiver through me.
When he pulled back, | couldn't stop myself. | tilted my head, my lips curling into a sly smile. "You look good in
that towel," | purred, my eyes trailing over him again.
Luke chuckled, low and deep, the sound rumbling through my chest. He straightened, tossing the towel he'd
been using on his hair over his shoulder. "You look good in my shirt."
"Mm-hmm," | murmured, sitting up
fully now, the soft fabric of his shirt
shifting against myEkD) "Thagh, |
have toladf & Shat towel." 1 let my
voice trail off, teasing, as my fingers
toyed with the soft material of his
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He stepped closer, his gaze locking onto mine, a heat sparking behind those dark eyes that made my pulse
quicken. "Admit what?"
| reached for the towel hanging on his hips, my fingers brushing against the edge. "You might look better without
it."