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On the bright side, it was working. My patience was paying off, and Indy was opening up to me. Maybe she wasn’t spilling all of her deepest, darkest secrets to me, but she was softening toward me.
We’d had the best day out today, laughing and having fun while I rode my board, and she snapped some pictures. It was, at least for me, a close second on my list of memories I’d made with her.
Yesterday had been the best, with last night being the reason it was sitting in the top spot. The obvious reason for that was finally being able to kiss her. God, it felt like I’d been waiting an eternity for that.
But there was more to it than just that.
It was that I realized she was okay being there with me at all. Then, it was me taking note of how she’d started the afternoon watching movies on the opposite side of the bed from me and wanting to be curled up in my arms by the evening.
That meant a lot to me, because from where I stood, Indy was obviously a very cautious woman. She’d come out and said as much. That she was comfortable enough to get to that place with me last night said a lot.
And I tried to bring those thoughts to the forefront of my mind while she’d been in the shower, instead of remembering what it had been like last night to kiss her and hold her close.
Because it was doing little to help me.
I’d surprised myself enough as it was last night. My restraint shocked me even more, because I didn’t know how it was possible I didn’t try for more with her. Knowing she was naked in my shower now only served to put my mind right back in that bed last night, wondering what it would have been like if we’d taken things further.
My back was to the bathroom door, so when I heard it open, my body tensed. I knew it was coming, but all I needed to do now was twist my neck in the opposite direction, and I’d likely get a nice surprise. Sure, Indy would probably have a towel wrapped around her, but it’d be showing off far more of her skin than I’d ever seen.
Unfortunately, before I could even make the first move to look in her direction, Indy warned, “Do not peek. You’re not allowed to look.”
It wasn’t easy, but I was beginning to learn that I wanted to do things that’d make her happy. So, I honored her wishes. “I promise I’m going to be a gentleman.”
I heard the bathroom door close behind her and listened as she pulled the curtain hanging between the bedroom and the rest of the coach, so she’d be able to get dressed in private.
She wouldn’t be able to see me with the curtain up, and considering it was just long enough to cover the important bits, I had to admit I was tempted to peek and get a glimpse of her legs. I’d been resting my hands on her thighs for days, but there was always clothing in the way. I wanted to touch her skin and feel the warmth of her body next to mine.
Would it really be a big deal if I took just one look at her legs?
Yes.
Yes, it would.
Because she had indicated she wasn’t ready for me to see that, and I needed to respect that. I reminded myself I’d made great progress with her already, and I’d done that by being what I’d just promised her I would be—a gentleman.
Damn, this was torturous.
Luckily, Indy was quick about getting herself dressed, and before I had too much time to get too worked up about anything, she had emerged from the back and was standing beside me.
I looked up at her, saw the smile on her face, and couldn’t stop myself from doing the same. Even with her wet hair, she was breathtaking.
“You look beautiful,” I told her.
She looked down at her body and said, “Well, I didn’t have much that was fancy enough for a dinner date and would prevent me from freezing to death on the way there. And I’m guessing you don’t have a hairdryer in here, do you?”
“Actually, I do,” I told her.
Indy’s eyes widened. “Really?”
I nodded and stood. “I’ll get it for you.”
Without waiting for her to respond, I turned, walked away, and moved to get the hairdryer out of the cabinet I kept it stored in. When I returned, I asked, “Is it okay you don’t have access to the mirror in the bathroom while you’re drying your hair, so I can hop in the shower now?”
“Of course. I know it’s probably just a thing parents tell their kids when they are younger, but I don’t want to get sick by going out with my hair sopping wet,” she replied.
I laughed and plugged it in for her. “Alright, here you go. And unlike you, I don’t mind if you want to peek while I strip out of my clothes here.”
Her eyes widened again as I lifted my shirt over my head. I tossed it aside, noting her eyes didn’t stray from my torso. I slipped my fingers beneath the waistband of my pants and pushed them down my legs. After I stepped out of them and stood up again, Indy licked her lips.
