His comment brought a smile to her face, just as he’d intended.
When he’d returned from the gym, he’d called her name. He hadn’t been immediately worried when she hadn’t answered. But when he walked into the bedroom and found her on his side of the bed, tucked up as if to protect herself, tear tracks on her face, and his hoodie keeping her warm, his heart had skipped a beat.
Intuition told him that the reason for the upset must have been something on her father’s laptop. And when she’d woken, Emerson had confirmed his fears. She’d also confirmed something else he’d already started to believe. Paul Dyer had been a good man. Everything he’d done, his every action, had been to protect Olivia and to look out for those who had been affected by the wedding venue damage.
Once in the bathroom, he helped Emerson undress. He pulled his hoodie gently over her head before laying it on the counter. The care continued as he stripped her of the rest of her clothing until she was naked before him.
But his first thought wasn’t anything remotely sexual. It was to look after her, to bring color back to her cheeks.
Connor turned on the shower, putting his hand under the spray to make sure it was the right temperature. He moved two towels within reach before stepping out of his own clothes.
Connor opened the door to the shower wide, but Emerson didn’t move. “Are you okay, Em?”
Somehow, she’d become his everything, and he wasn’t quite sure how. It had happened quickly, like a thunderbolt. And she’d chosen him as her rock during what was probably the most stressful period of her life. She’d become his lover, his friend, and she trusted him as her confidant.
“I love you,” Emerson said suddenly.
It was as if she’d read his mind. They were both naked, as vulnerable as human beings could get, as the shower softly steamed up the bathroom.
“More than dry chocolate brownie with melty ice cream?” He took her hands in his, kissing each knuckle in turn.
“It looks like it.”
“More than General Tso’s Chicken from the Cleveland mall?”
“That still might be pushing it,” she said. “But you’re definitely a solid second.”
Connor slid his hands to her cheeks, holding her gently because she was the most precious thing in his life. “I’ll take melty ice cream because I love you, too, Em.”
Their mouths lingered against each other for a moment, and Connor knew they were at a tipping point. While he loved the feel of her body as it moved against his, he wanted to care for her more.
“Come on, shower,” he said, leading her under the steamy spray.
Emerson tilted her head back and let the water sluice through her hair.
Connor reached for his shampoo and poured a generous amount in his hand. At some point, they should probably get around to leaving things at each other’s homes for convenience instead of always having to carry things like a toothbrush with them.
“Step out of the spray a little,” he said, and she followed his instruction.
He ran the shampoo through the lengths of her hair before returning to her scalp to lather it. In all honesty, he had no idea if he was doing it right; he’d never washed anyone else’s hair before. But from hearing Emerson’s soft moan as he used his fingertips against her scalp, he figured he was probably doing okay.
When he was satisfied it was soapy enough, he nudged her back under the spray. His dick didn’t get the whole “caring” message as it sprung to life as he watched rivers of soap bubbles run down her breasts.
Emerson lifted her arms to help rinse the soap from her hair, making her nipples stand to fucking attention.
Connor turned away for a moment and busied himself with quickly washing his own hair. As he stepped beneath the water to rinse it, Emerson glanced down at his dick and bit her lip.
“Stop,” he warned. He leaned forward and stole a gentle kiss. “I’m trying to be a gentleman.”
He repeated the steps he’d taken with the shampoo but using conditioner this time, and as she rinsed, he grabbed his body wash. She was going to smell like him, he realized as he poured a generous dollop into his palm.
“You don’t need to do this, Connor,” Emerson said, turning to face him.
Connor applied the soap to her shoulders and arms. “I may not need to, but I want to. I really do love you. I want to take care of you. I can’t describe it any simpler than that. This is way more than simply sex. It always has been.”
He soaped her breasts, trying his damnedest to ignore her perfectly pert and erect nipples and the appearance of goosebumps on her skin as he gently washed between her legs.
“Connor,” she gasped, moving gently against him.
Unable to resist, he placed his lips against hers, capturing her sigh. “Not yet,” he murmured.
Quickly, he finished his own ablutions, and once they were both rinsed, he wrapped Emerson in a large, soft white towel. It swamped her frame, and he took the time to dry her thoroughly.
While he dried himself, Emerson reached for the hand towel next to the sink and pressed it against her hair.
“If you want to slip my hoodie back on, I’ll cook—”
“Make love to me, Connor,” Emerson said, dropping the towel that covered her body.
Fuck, she was set to test his resolve. “As much as that would be my absolute pleasure, you’ve had a fucking huge shock tonight. It’s going to take a lot to process, I’m sure. Let’s get some food in you and—”
“What if it’s not your food I want in me?” She stepped up to him, placing her hands on his chest. “What if I just want your warmth and comfort?”
Connor cricked his neck before looking at her. He should stand firm. Her emotions had been running high, and she was likely exhausted.
But then she moved her hands to his shoulders and
