Page 55 of Wonder

Movement at my side, as a hand appears. “I’m Aiden.”

Swallowing, I gingerly take his hand. “Alyss.”

Aiden flashes me a grin. His facial features are identical to his brother’s – the same deep blue eyes, the same nose. Except Aiden has a slight crook in his. Kayden’s hair is short, a buzz cut, whilst Aiden wears his longer. He rubs his hands throughit, the chocolate brown curls dark with water as they stick up haphazardly.

I glance down, and back up. “You seem to have no clothes on, Aiden.”

He shrugs. A grin pulls at his mouth. “They didn’t give us towels. There’s shampoo in the dispensers attached to the wall, though.”

Shit. I glance behind me. Kayden is tugging on a pair of the black trousers they wore above ground, his eyes fixed on my face.

“Besides,” he murmurs. “You’re the one who invaded our shower time. Why should we get dressed?”

One dark eyebrow raises as I flush.

I do not flush.

Straightening, I raise a shoulder. “It’s the middle of the night. Figured it’d be empty.”

“Couldn’t sleep?” Aiden’s gaze is penetrating. “You had a busy night.”

“Leave it,” Kayden says gruffly. He strides over to us.

Where Aiden is sleek, built like a swimmer, Kayden is… massive. His shoulders must be at least twice the width of mine, and I sweep my eyes over the skin, taking in the intricate tattoos that curl over his torso. Almost every inch is packed with whirling patterns of ink.

His mouth opens, closes again. Finally, he sighs. “Thank you.”

I blink at him. “Did that gratitude feel as painful as it sounded?”

A small spot of color appears on his cheeks. Aiden snorts, a low laugh escaping him. “She already has you nailed, Kayd. He’s not a fan of relying on anyone.”

Kayden gives him a faintly murderous look. But then he turns back to me. “Why’d you do it?”

Any amusement drains out of me. Ducking around him, I make my way over to the row of showers. They wait behind me as I reach for one knob and turn it to the side until water sprays out.

“You said later,” Kayden says behind me. His voice is quiet, but there’s no hesitation. “It’s later.”

“It is.” I don’t pause before I reach for the hem of my ridiculous excuse of a dress, yanking it up and over my head. A choking noise comes from behind me as I toss it to the side and step under the water. “Shame they couldn’t give us underwear either.”

“Um.” Aiden’s words are strangled. “Should we… turn around?”

I shrug, reaching for the dispenser and assessing the options. Of which there is precisely… one. A squirt of cheap as fuck shampoo appears in my hand when I press down. “Nudity is a social construct. Besides, I walked in on you. This way we’re even.”

“We’renoteven.”

I turn, facing them. Kayden steps forward. His eyes flicker down my body before he fixes them on my face, his jaw tightening. “Tell me why.”

I use the shampoo to scrub at my body, over my shoulders, my breasts.

He doesn’t move his eyes. “Nice try, pixie. That shit won’t work on me.”

“Speak for yourself.” My lips tug up as I turn to meet Aiden’s gaze. He’s leaning against the sink, making no effort to hide the heat in his eyes as they trail over my body.

And given his state of undress, I can seeexactlyhow he feels about it. Heat suffuses my cheeks.

“Don’t be shy now,” Aiden murmurs. My eyes fly to his. “What a wonderful contradiction you are, Alyss.”

Breathing in, I look back to Kayden. He’s barely a foot away, a muscle feathering in his jaw as I reach up and begin lathering my hair.