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I breathe in deeply. Just because the guy irritates the hell out of me doesn't mean I can't appreciate how freaking good the smell is.
With the bathtub filled, I pull Dominic's shirt off over my head and slip out of his sweatpants. I let out a shockingly loud moan as I slip into the water, the warmth seeping into my muscles instantly. I don't think anything has ever felt so good.
I lean my head back against the edge of the tub and let the bubbles from Dominic's body wash cover me. My eyes start to droop. All of the activity of the day, coupled with the anxiety of the past several days, finally fades enough for me to relax.
I don't know how long I'm lying there, halfway between sleep and waking, before the bathroom door slams open.
I jerk upright, then sink back down when I realize if I sit up too much, I'll be exposing myself to him. Being naked in this context is very different from being naked after a shift. “I locked that!" I shriek, my voice coming out huskier than intended because I was just woken from a dead sleep.
Dominic stares down at me with wild eyes, his gaze roaming over me like he's checking on me, not checking me out.
"Do you have any idea how long you've been in here?"
"Uh, no."
"Over an hour. And I knocked, but there was no answer. I was starting to think something horrible happened to you. Fuck." He runs a hand jerkily over his head, clearly on edge.
"I fell asleep," I admit sheepishly.
"Yeah, no shit, Tess." He turns his back to me, and I wait patiently for him to leave the bathroom. Instead, he sits on the closed toilet seat and makes himself comfortable, his eyes returning to watch me like a hawk.
"Get out," I tell him, frowning heavily.
"No chance in hell. Do you have any idea…" he trails off with a growl. "I don't ever want you locking the bathroom door again when you're in here. It pissed me off taking the time to pick the lock—next time I'll just bust the fucking door down."
"That's ridiculous. I was fine." I sniff indignantly.
"The door stays unlocked, Tess." He holds a hand up to cut me off before I can protest again. “I promise you that locking that door isn't going to keep me out, so why bother?"
"Whatever," I mutter.
Just another reminder that I have no agency here. No control. No say. I’m counting down the hours until dinner with the Luna Sovereign is over and I get a new chance to escape out from under him.
I glance around for a towel so I can cover myself and get out, but I realize I didn't find one before getting in. Sheepishly, I look to Dominic. He stands before I've said anything and opens the bottom drawer under the sink.
"Thanks," I say when he hands me a fluffy towel—even though the word tastes like sand in my mouth.
I carefully hold the towel in front of me so I'm covered as I stand out of the bubbles. The water is cool, and I curse myself for falling asleep before even trying the jets. Dominic stays where he is a few feet away as I wrap the towel tightly around me and step out of the tub.
His gaze flickers down to where I've tucked the front of the towel into itself by my cleavage. I'm not exactly bulging out of the towel, but I can't help but notice the way his eyes linger.
"Seriously, get out." There's no way in hell I'm getting dressed in front of him.
He shakes his head at me, but at least he starts for the door. He pauses just before pulling it closed behind him. "If you're not out in two minutes, I'm coming back in for you."
I stick my tongue out childishly as he shuts the door quietly between us.
After a silent moment where he doesn't barge back in, I rush to tug the shirt on as quickly as humanly possible. But I frown as I stare down at my bare legs. I slept in just a shirt last night with no underwear—since I have none—but it feels far more inappropriate when I picture lying next to Dominic.
There's no way I'm putting the sweatpants back on. Especially after wearing them to the gym. I didn't manage even half of a normal workout, but I did break a sweat before Dominic showed up and dragged me out of there.
I'm too stubborn to ask Dominic for anything else so… mostly naked it is.
I take a deep breath and head back into the bedroom. Dominic is in the bed already, his upper body bare and peeking out from behind the duvet. I make a wide loop to the other side of the bed as if that will somehow increase the distance between us once I reach the bed.
"Come on," he sighs. "I won't bite."
Maybe you should ask him to. Imagine how relaxed you would feel.
