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He drops our bags onto the dirty red carpet, then kicks off his boots.
“I’ll be right back,” he announces before heading into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.
I look down at Lucky for answers. But he only looks up at me, just as baffled as I am.
I switch on the tiny TV for background noise because I’m extremely tempted to press my ear against the bathroom door. But instead, I go through my shopping bags, looking at the new garments I purchased. As my fingers pass over the blue silk of my bra, my heart races at the thought of Quinn seeing me in it.
Stop being an idiot, I berate myself. You have more important things to deal with than underwear.
Fifteen minutes later, Quinn is still in the bathroom, and I wonder what he’s doing. Judging by the size of this room, I can’t imagine the bathroom being any bigger than a shoebox.
It remains unspoken between Quinn and me that we’re to stay at derelict hotels. I can’t justify unnecessary spending, especially when we crash for a few hours at a time and are out before the sun rises.
I slump onto the end of the bed, toeing off my boots, and sit cross-legged, facing the bathroom, waiting for Quinn to emerge.
“C’mon,” he says, poking his head round the bathroom door, then disappearing again.
I hesitate, wondering what I’m about to walk into. But I trust him, so I know it’ll only be good.
I walk over to the bathroom, which is only a few feet away, and as I step inside, my mouth drops open. I see that the small but comfy pink bathtub overflows with bubbles, some floating over the tub.A single candle, which I’m pretty certain is a citronella candle, burns brightly on the cracked sink, but it does the job.
“Quinn,” I gasp, looking at him quickly.“What’s all this?”
He shrugs, scratching his scruffy jaw as he leans awkwardly against the white wall. “I thought you could use a bath.”
Looking at the bath and then back at Quinn, who looks to be gauging my response, I slowly walk to the tub and sit on the edge, skimming the tips of my fingers through the boiling water.
“Are you saying I stink?” I tease, giving him a small smile.
He returns my smile, and the only sound permeating the air is the water swishing back and forth through my fingers.
“You know you smell unbelievable,” he replies after a moment of silence.
But I don’t say anything because I’m speechless, and Quinn mistakes my silence for something else.
“I just thought a bath might be relaxing or something. It was a dumb idea.” He reaches forward quickly, attempting to pull out the plug.
“No!” I yell, latching onto his arm to stop him. “This is amazing. I’m sorry if I sounded ungrateful. What I should have said was…thank you. This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
I do something that feels natural.
I yank on his collar and smash his lips to mine, kissing him passionately. And as I deepen the kiss, because his mouth feels too amazing not to, I grip the bathtub’s edge, afraid of slipping off. But Quinn supports my nape softly, his large palm angling my head to give him better access to my lips.And we kiss this way until I’m breathless.
When he pulls away softly, his eyes are almost black as he teases, “I’d offer to wash your back, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I won’t be long,” I whisper, trying to catch my breath after making out with him so fervently.
“Take as long as you like. I’m not going anywhere,” he replies, kissing my lips gently before he closes the door behind him.
Looking at the bath with a smile, I eagerly strip off and lower myself into the boiling water that feels like heaven.I reach for the towel sitting on the sink and roll it up, using it as a pillow behind my head.
The water smells like sandalwood, and I instantly submerge myself, falling into oblivion.
When a nameless amount of time has passed, I wake, feeling like a floppy doll. I don’t want to rouse, but I know I’m not alone.
“Hey,” I croak, slowly opening my eyes and adjusting to the soft lighting.
Quinn sits on the floor, his broad back flush against the wall with his bare feet pressed against the bathtub and a sketchpad resting in his lap.
