Page 69 of The Scent of Happiness

He could almost feel her decision being made. He’d stated his case, all the evidence was on his side. The verdict would go his way.

“So,” Brooke said. “Do you want to start the water while I put my hair up?”

Theo stripped in Brooke’s room. He left her to finish getting ready and walked through the living room and into the bathroom with a towel around his waist. He arranged the bathmat and turned on the water.

Brooke’s bedroom was decorated like a bowl of sherbet, but her bathroom was like being in a meadow. It had soft green walls, white tile, and yellow accents. There were deep drawers in the vanity which were full of junk, but every surface was empty, the tub and sink were always freshly scrubbed, and Brooke wiped down the mirror daily. He sometimes wondered why she couldn’t keep the rest of her apartment like this. He also wondered why there was no adjoining door to the bedroom, but he didn’t dwell long on it. He had better things to think about.

Brooke joined him a moment later, wearing a pale blue robe that barely cleared her knees. Her hair was up and her glasses were gone.

“You got new towels?” she asked.

“Yes. Soap too.” It was the best unscented bodywash he could find. After all this time, he still wasn’t sure if it was the scents she used or Brooke herself that got him so fired up. Today, he was going to find out for sure. He held out the bottle. “The ingredients are mild. Read the label.”

She put it on the edge of the tub without looking at it. “I trust you.”

Theo felt twelve feet tall. Soap was the most important thing in Brooke’s life and she trusted him to choose one for her. “One question,” he said.

She trailed her fingers over his arm. “I’ll allow it.”

“How big is your water heater?”

“That’s your question?”

“I don’t want to run out of hot water.”

“How long are you planning on being in there?”

“As long as it takes.”

Brooke pointed to the back wall of the bathroom, which butted up against her parent’s place. “The water comes from the main house. I’ve never run out before, but I just fill the tub.”

“We’ll chance it.” Having a time limit was more challenging, but he still thought he could make a solid case for showers over baths.

“Ready?” Brooke reached for the belt on her robe.

Theo held her hands. “Let me do that. I promised you wouldn’t be cold, so I’ll strip first.”

He removed the towel from his waist. His erection stood out proudly and he couldn’t help tilting his hips a bit. She’d felt him pressed against her. She knew how excited he was, but he wanted her to see it, to know what she did to him.

He adjusted the knobs in the shower until the water cascaded down like tropical rain, then slowly removed Brooke’s robe, kissing the skin that was revealed. “In you go,” he said.

“I’m not sharing the water,” she taunted as she stepped in and disappeared behind the curtain.

“Good. I want you nice and wet.” He stepped in after her and they stood close together in the small space. Water poured over Brooke’s shoulders and breasts as she claimed the spray, but Theo didn’t need to share it. The sight of Brooke’s perfect body had him so hot he could turn every drop of water to steam.

He wanted to pounce on her, press his lips to hers, thrust into her over and over until they were both crying out, but he would not. He had to take things slow. So he smoothed some of the bodywash between his palms until he had a rich lather.

He rubbed the backs of her hands, then the front of them, and between every finger.

“I didn’t think you’d start with hands,” she said.

“I’m full of surprises.”

He moved to her arms and shoulders. He took his time, worshipping her skin. He washed her breasts, teasing each nipple as he did so. He ran his hands over her smooth belly and cupped the sweet rounds of her buttocks. He moved down her legs and up between them.

That brought a small groan from her. She arched her back and closed her eyes. “Mmm. More of that, please.”

“Patience. I need to do this right.”