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“My hero.” I smile.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
Still laughingand dripping wet from our ocean escapade, Eric and I walk back to my house. The sun is low, casting a warm, golden hue over everything it touches. We’ve been out for hours, not worried about keeping track of time. The sound of our laughter fills the air, a sweet melody that seems to echo the joy we’ve found in each other’s company.
We reach my front door, and I turn to Eric with a mischievous grin. “Well, that was definitely an adventure.”
He grins back at me, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “One for the books, for sure.”
I unlock the door and push it open, revealing the cozy interior of my home. “I’m going to take a nice, warm bath to thaw out,” I say, stepping inside and leaving a trail of wet footprints on the floor.
Eric follows me in, still chuckling. “That sounds like a great idea. I’ll head home to shower and change before our dinner tonight.”
I nod, but quickly think of a better idea. “Actually, I was thinking maybe you could shower here?”
He raises his brows. “You want me to shower here?”
I grab his hand and lead him to the bathroom, then turn on the shower. As the water warms, I take off my wet clothes, my eyes never leaving Eric’s. He watches me as I undress. I step into the shower, turning away to tease him a little. He takes this as an invitation to take off his wet clothes and join me.
He steps into the warm shower, hugging me from behind, his naked body pressed against mine. My body warms, and not from the water. He whispers in my ear, “Is this what you had in mind when you suggested I shower here instead of my place?”
My legs give out on me, and if he hadn’t been holding onto me, I would have ended up on the floor. I manage a small nod as I cling to Eric while I regain use of my legs. He kisses my neck just below my ear, hands roaming along my stomach and hips. His touches are feather light and send shivers up and down my spine. He whispers in my ear again, “I never want to take a shower alone again, if this is how they could be.”
I turn to face him, wanting to look in his eyes when I respond. “I wouldn’t mind more showers with you.”
His eyes close while his hand travels down to lightly squeeze my ass. I go up on my tiptoes and gently place a kiss on his lips. He moves one of his hands to my chin and tips my face up to meet him, then deepens the kiss.
Where previous kisses were ones of passion or of tenderness, this one feels like more. It is as if words are flowing within this kiss, telling each other the extent of our true feelings. We are both starting to fall for each other, this kiss saying all the words we need to say but can’t voice.
We break from the kiss and stare into each other’s eyes for a long moment, standing still. “Stay the night,” I say, knowing I don’t want to be without him tonight.
He looks down at me and says, “I need to run home for some dry clothes and things for work in the morning, but I would absolutely love to stay the night.”
“There’s a key hanging by the front door. Feel free to grab it and lock the door behind you.”
He gives me one last kiss as he steps out of the shower. He throws on his wet clothes, wincing as the cold begins to seep back into his bones. “I’ll be back soon.”
And he steps out of the bathroom, leaving me alone to think about the last few days.
* * *
Alone,I decide I want to relax in the bathtub to think. I turn on the water again, letting the tub fill as I step out to get a bath bomb and a glass of wine. I come back with my wine and my phone, ready to soak off the week. Stepping in, I rest the wine and my phone on the edge of the tub, and I lie back and relax, sighing deeply.
I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Every time his fingertips graze my skin, I experience a wave of shivers across my entire body. When I’m with him, my heart remains steady, but with every kiss, it feels like it’s on a high-speed chase.
I think back over all the moments we’ve had, like the park and the party. Then I remember my dad coming over here and it ending in a brawl. Scrunching my nose as I recall the memory of my dad hurting him, I think of something I need to do. I reach for my phone, unlocking it. I open my contacts, tapping dad. With shaky thumbs and a sigh, I hover over the keypad and begin to type.
Me
I don’t know when you’ll see this message, but it’s a long one, so I hope you take the time to read it. I don’t know what I did for you to treat me so horribly. You have been good to me at times, but you have been awful toward me for years. I love you so much, and despite everything, I’ll always be here for you. But, I can’t do this anymore. The back and forth of your good and bad behavior is shattering me into pieces.
I want nothing more than to have a real father-daughter relationship with you, but I can’t allow that unless you show real change. It seems the older I get, the shittier I am treated.
I take a shaky breath, pausing for a moment before continuing. Tears have already begun streaming down my face as I begin typing again.
Me
This isn’t goodbye forever, but it’s goodbye for now. I hope one day you find peace in your heart, because the dad who taught me how to ride a bike without training wheels, the one who taught me how to tie my shoes at such a young age, the one who bought me my first jewelry box, the one who took me to school dances and events in elementary, to field trips, I believe is still in there. I love you, Dad. Goodbye.
