Page 86 of Stolen Voices

“Ow, shit,” I yelp, catching myself on the cool tile wall as a sharp pain in my coccyx shoots up my spine.

The foggy glass door whips open in an instant, all the steam rushing out, revealing a worried Eli. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I slipped a little, but I’m fine. You can close the door,” I say in a placating tone as I slowly reach for the shampoo. Gooseflesh spreads across my arms at the chill from the open shower door.

I look up to find Eli staring at me like he’s the hunter and I’m his prey, helpless and caught in his trap. A full body shiver rolls through me as I watch the color in his hooded, desire-filled gaze grow darker.

Okay, I’m not great at reading people, but Eli has never looked at me like this before.

It’s about freaking time.My inner harlot hoots and hollers, doing a little jig. I want nothing more than to savor this moment, but I can’t stay here all night, and the last thing I want is for Eli to push me away. I need to tread carefully with him.

“You can close the door now.” Licking the drops of water off my lips, I wait for him to shut the door.

“Why did you cry out?” The muscles in his jaw tick as he maintains eye contact, refusing to leave.

“It was nothing, I swear. I just leaned too far back.”

“Let me help you.”

“You want to help me wash my hair?”

“Yes.” His tone is firm, leaving no room for doubt. He’s my white knight, ready to jump in when I need him. “The last thing I want is for you to hurt yourself. I didn’t save your sexy ass only to let you slip and fall in the shower.”

Sexy?He called me sexy.

Like a record scratch, my brain glitches as I watch Eli grab the collar of his shirt.

“What are you doing?” I ask dumbly. It’s obvious, but my body won’t be able to handle seeing him shirtless right now. He needs to keep it on.

Eli freezes, looking at me like I’m an idiot. “Taking off my shirt. I don’t want it to get wet.” He rips the offending material over his head and…

Oh, goddess in heaven, thank you.

I always knew the man towering above me was handsome and had a body hidden under all his fancy suits, but wow. My imagination didn’t do him justice. Eli’s a walking statue of David, only hotter. Sexier.

My throat feels tight as I slowly rake my eyes over his body, appreciating his golden tan skin and firm broad chest, with a perfectly trimmed patch of hair in the center. His waist is trim and… Oh, holy eight-pack are his abs glorious.

Eli’s defined abdominal muscles ripple as he throws his shirt behind him to the floor. I’d do just about anything to trace every hill and valley with my fingers, my lips, and my tongue. And the defined triangle of muscle that leads straight to his…

My gaze catches the reflection of his back in the mirror. Inked in the middle of Eli’s back is a compass. The tattoo is bold and gorgeous. And really fucking hot.

Thank goodness water drips down my face, hiding the drool dripping down my chin as I ogle him.

Geez, is there anything about this man that’s not sexy?

Breaking the spell his body has on me, Eli holds out his hand, blocking my view. “Hand me the shampoo.”

My traitorous body heeds his command, and I place the bottle in his waiting palm. Chancing a glance up, I find him staring down at me with hooded eyes. The color in his irises is dark and wild, like an ocean storm’s waves that threaten to pull me under their tide.

The hot spray does nothing to stop my skin from pebbling as images of me surrendering to his passionate storm fill my head. Would Eli be as rough and intense as I’ve envisioned him to be?

“Gently lean your head back for me,” he orders, ending the scandalous musings of him as my lover in my head.

He grabs the shower head, saturating my hair before squeezing a dollop of the gel onto his palm and lathering it between his big hands. His forearms flex and ripple with the movement, and I squirm in my seat. It’s like watching forearm porn, and boy does Eli got some serious arm porn going on. I could watch them work all day. I could watch him all day.

Chin up, I lean back as he takes his time working the soap through my hair before rinsing it out. He repeats the process with the conditioner, and a low moan vibrates in the back of my throat as his fingers massage my scalp. His hands are like magic, and I wish he’d never stop, but he does.

I open my eyes to find Eli with his eyes closed. He visibly swallows, and I wonder what he would taste like if I dragged my lips over his thick neck right now. After a few agonizing seconds, his eyes find mine.