Page 83 of Diamonds

Warmth floods my cheeks.“Then we’ll steam it.”

“I don’t have a steamer.”

“You have a shower, don’t you?”

She narrows her eyes.“I think you’re aware.”

Right.We fucked in there Sunday night.

I spring off the bed and snatch her pink gown off the floor.I grab a hanger from her coat closet.I take it into Alissa’s bathroom and hang the dress off the rod for the shower curtain.Then I turn the shower on to its hottest setting and shut the door.

Pretty soon the bathroom is steaming up.

Alissa knocks.“Can I come in and grab my makeup?Just want to touch up a few things.”

“Of course.”I open the door.

She walks inside the steamy bathroom but then stops.

Her eyes widen, and her lip trembles.

She’s still for a solid thirty seconds before I finally wave a hand in front of her face.

“Alissa?”

She blinks.“Sorry.Just… I was just thinking about something that happened.”

“Something bad?”

She swallows.“It wasn’t good.An old memory.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.Not right now.”She grabs my hand.“I don’t want to ruin this moment between us.”

Alissa now knows most of my history, but I don’t know nearly as much aboutherpast.

It’s not the first time I’ve seen that distant look in her eyes.

Something about this bathroom, the steam… It triggered her.

But I don’t want to pry.

I asked her if she wanted to talk about it, and she declined.

So that’s that.

Alissa takes her makeup out of the bathroom since the mirror is fogged up and closes the door behind her.She has a full-length standing mirror in her bedroom, so she uses that to adjust her makeup.About fifteen minutes later, her dress is as good as new, and she slips back into it.

A shame.I didn’t mind her just walking around naked.

But she still looks fantastic.I can see why she chose this dress.

Once I’ve run a brush through my hair, I offer her my arm.

She takes it.

We descend the staircase of her apartment building.