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Any other day, I would have been an anxious mess. I wouldn’t even have been in the shower with him without clothing to begin with, but I didn't care. This wasn’t about us being naked together. This was about him taking care of me and being strong when I was too weak.
“Rinse off,” he kept his hands on my waist, holding me steady while I swayed under the waterfall.
One hand disappeared, and I opened my eyes to see him reaching past me to turn off the water. Seconds later, he wrapped a large, fluffy towel around me and patted down my arms and legs before grabbing another one and started drying my hair.
As soon as we were out, he quickly toweled off and put his clothes back on. We went back across the hall to the guest room and found fresh clothing for me on the bed. Did his mom know we were showering together? Did she care? My cheeks heated at the thought, but it was done. There wasn’t much I could do about it now.
He closed the door and helped me dress in the softest pajamas I’d ever felt.
“Lay down.” He tugged the blankets and folded them over so I could slip in. The sheets enveloped me in a silky cloud. The bed was truly that amazing. I wanted to stay right there forever.
“I’ll be right back.” He kissed my forehead and left the room while I struggled to keep my eyes open. I finally gave up and rested against the pillows until I heard the door open, and Luca stepped inside.
I cracked open one eye to see him holding a spray bottle and brush. He climbed in next to me but stayed sitting up against the headboard. He removed the towel from my head and sprayed a citrus-scented mist over my hair.
“I didn’t think you’d want to fall asleep without brushing. Mom didn’t have your coconut one, but you complain about tangles, so . . .”
He trailed off like he was second-guessing, and I looked over my shoulder to him. “Thank you.”
He smiled and worked the brush through my wet hair with expert stroke, not tugging or snagging once. There were few things in the world that felt better than someone brushing your hair, but at the moment, I couldn’t think of a single one.
When he finished, he guided me back down to the pillows. “Try to rest.”
I nodded and turned so I could wrap my arm around his waist. He scooted down. I settled my head on his chest where his arm met his pec. My favorite spot.
“I love you, Avalon,” he whispered the words, and I froze, wondering if I imagined it. Then, I tilted my head to see his face.
“What?”
His lips tugged into a smile. “I love you.”
I sighed into him. “I love you too, Luca.”
He ran his finger down the side of my face and bent down until he could kiss my forehead. “Sleep, my love.”
This. This was all I needed. I could stay in this moment forever and be happier than I’d ever been before.
