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“I know you don’t.” As the spray comes down I meet her eyes and there’s nothing but compassion there. “I’m alright.” I give her a smile. “Just need to wash up.”

I shampoo my hair twice and scrub every inch of myself with tons of suds. The water is running clear over me by the time I turn off the shower.

When I pull the curtain back I see she left a towel for me on the towel rack.

It’s warm to the touch like she put it in the dryer. And on the sink there’s a set of clothes.

“You all dry?” she calls when I open the bathroom door. “Here. Give me your towel.”

I hand it over but don’t let go and her eyes meet mine as she tries to take it.

“Sorry,” she whispers. “This can’t be an easy night.” She takes my towel and goes up on tiptoes to kiss my cheek. I almost ask her what happened. I almost ask if she knows but I don’t. I just let it be. I slip on the fresh T-shirt and boxers and she’s still standing there, watching. I know she sees that I’m not the one who bled all over me.

She doesn’t say anything though, not at first.

“Just give me a minute, okay? I’m going to take care of the bathroom.”

I’ll give her whatever she wants.

She disappears into the bathroom as I head to the kitchen. I get a beer out of the fridge and crack it open. It’s pitch black out now and I only realize that when the light from the fridge fills the room.

I pause after closing the door and try to remember.

There are soft noises from inside my bathroom—liquid pouring out of a container. When she comes out a few minutes later, she smells like bleach, and her face is calm.

“All clean,” she says, her voice warm and reassuring. “Everything’s all good.” Her voice cracks slightly but she keeps her expression warm.

She comes to where I stand at the kitchen counter and stands, waiting for something, and I open my arms. She snuggles into my chest, pressing her face into my shirt.

“It’s alright,” she whispers, “everything’s just fine.” She wraps her arms around my waist and holds me tight. The scent of her washes over me and I kiss her hair. My heart beating in time with hers.

We stand like that for a while. I don’t like not knowing what happened. My body doesn’t like it, either. It shakes in response to my nerves and I weather a few more waves of adrenaline.

Flashes of what feel like memories resurface but they’re gone before I can make sense of them.

Haley holds me tighter and murmurs things in my ear.

Finally, she takes a deep breath and squeezes me close, then leans back so she can look into my eyes.

Her eyes hold so much emotion.

“I know this is hard,” she says. “But you know I love you, and?—”

I cut her off with a kiss.

Her arms come up to my neck, and she lets her weight hang off me. I need all of me closer to her, so I put my hands under her ass and lift her up, turning us around so I can put her on the counter. I want to get lost in her touch. Lost in a night of pleasure and lust and whatever else this is that I feel.

She lets out another gasp as I go for her clothes. The denim rubs against her thighs as I get her pants down and off, and then her panties, and then I cover her mouth with mine and kiss her deep while I find her clit with my fingertips.

“You’re already wet. God, you’re perfect.”

She moans, the words muffled by our kiss. “Please. Please fuck me, Dean. Please. I need you.”

I shove down my boxers, meaning to take her the second I can, but instead I drag my crown through her folds, teasing the both of us and using the tip to put pressure on her clit.

She makes low noises in the back of her throat, squirming on the countertop, clinging to my shoulders.

“Please,” she moans. “Please, I’ll give you anything you need. Please, I just need you.” She slips her hands up my shirt and her nails scratch along my skin. Fuck, I need this.