Page 83 of Saving Ren

“Even with all this?” She steps back, grips her towel in one hand, and gestures with her other up and down her body.

I’m not sure if the look on my face clearly expresses the fucking horror I feel as I work out the meaning of her words, but I sure as shit hope so.

“What the actual fuck, Lauren?”

“You don’t have to make out, I get you like me, but I know I’m punching above my weight. I’veseenyou in all your naked perfection now, but even before, with your clothes on, just your face, without all of that. I get that I’m not up to your usual standard. . .”

This time she gestures towards me, but I’m done listening to this bullshit. Grabbing her hand, I head inside and towards my bedroom.

“Gabe!” Her voice sounds high-pitched as I pull her behind me, but I don’t slow my pace.

Pulling her through my bedroom and into my bathroom, I ignore her protests and flip on the light. Without letting go of her hand, I turn on the shower before turning to face her.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Her eyes narrowed on me as she struggles and attempts to pull away. Letting go of her wrist, I pull her towel away from her body, turn her around to face the mirror above the sink, and press myself against her from behind.

“You’ve lost the fucking plot,” she grits out, still trying to wriggle away from me.

With one arm around her waist, the other at her jaw, I hold her in place until her eyes finally meet mine in the mirror.

“Calm the fuck down and look at yourself.”

“Fuck off. You’re hurting me.”

I adjust my stance and twist myself around her body to look directly into her eyes, not at her reflection.

“Stop being such a drama queen. I’m not hurting you. I’d never hurt you, and you fucking know it.”

Her eyes dart back to her reflection and then back at me before staring at nothing over my shoulder.

“Look at yourself, Ren.”

“How about you fuck off,Gabe.” Her Essex accent comes through loud and strong when she’s pissed off, and I fight not to smile at the attitude she gives, but not the hard-on she’s giving me. Instead, I push my hips forward and introduce my dick to the crack of her arse. Her eyes widen as they dart to mine in the mirror and her mouth drops open.

“Feel that?” I question. “That’s what you do to me. I’ve just had you, but I’m already hard. In a minute, we’re gonna get in that shower, and I’m gonna fuck you again.”

I get a huff and an eye roll. Releasing her jaw, I move both my hands to her hips.

“I’m hard because of all of this.” With one hand, I gesture up and down her naked body like she did mine earlier.

Splaying my palms across her belly, I move my mouth to her ear.

“I’m hard because I fucking love this.” I squeeze at the loose skin beneath my hands.

“Gabe,” she whispers my name as she blinks rapidly at our reflection. My dick twitches and I nip at her shoulder.

“And I fucking love these.” Using just the tips of my fingers, I trail them over the faint silver lines and indentations on her belly and hips.

“You earned them, Ren. You grew two babies inside you. You should wear these like a badge of honour and be proud. Not every woman gets the opportunity to do that, so you should wear your Mummy Marks with fucking pride.”

“Gabe,” she whispers out my name again, but this time it’s said with a trembling jaw and accompanied by a small sob. I don’t want to make her cry, but Idowant her to listen and hear what I’m saying.

“And these. . .” I shift my hands to cup each of her tits, bringing them up and together. “Babe, these are fucking perfect. But it’s not just about these.” I kiss along the curve of her neck to her shoulder and enjoy the sensation of her shuddering against me as my mouth moves over her skin.

“It’s about what’s in here.” I press my palm against her chest, over her heart. “And all that you’ve got going on up here.” I tap my index finger against her temple.

“All of that together, it tells me a story, your story. It’s a story I like a fucking lot, one I wanna be part of.That’swhat makes me hard for you, Ren.”

Wrapping both my arms around her from behind, I bury my face in her neck, brushing my lips over her skin as I talk.