Folding my arms under my chin takes more effort than it should. "How'd you get this place? I assume the Fire Department didn't pay for it?"
He laughs. "You assume correctly. Inheritance did." When I raise a questioning eyebrow, he adds, "My father was a massive asshole. I've no problem pissing his legacy away."
"And you chose to be a firefighter, anyway? Why?"
He shrugs. "Because I can."
Damn. I really fucking hope he gives me the ick soon before I do something dumb, like fall in love.
"Look at you," he says, running a finger along my sweaty spine. "You're a mess. You need a shower."
I laugh. "I need a fucking baptism. But not just yet. I need to be dead for a while."
He swoops in closer and drapes a leg around my body. "Take as long as you need."
***
"I TAKE IT I've done my job right?" are the first words I hear when I open my eyes.
"Sorry," I mumble, my voice hoarse. "How long was I asleep?"
Hayden smiles. "Not long." He leans in and gives me a soft, close-mouthed kiss on the lips. "I could watch you sleep all night."
I sigh with content and stretch, my muscles aching pleasantly. I have no idea what time it is. "I can... I can leave," I offer.
"You can." He reaches up and strokes my hair. "But you shouldn't."
Damn it. How is he so...perfect?
Then, he slaps my ass and bursts my sappy bubble. "Come. Let's clean you up."
When a hot, relaxing stream showers over me a few minutes later, and two strong, soaped-up hands slide across my chest, I realize I've never been cleaned by another person before.
I just stand there, partly because I'm tired, partly because it's all so...nice. I let Hayden do his thing, lathering me up all over, including my ass and my spent dick. There's nothing sexual about it—no subtext, no hidden intentions. Just care.
He even washes my hair. Damn.
When he's done, I lean against the shower wall and watch him wash himself. When he shuts off the stream and runs his palms over his black curls to squeeze out excess water, I gather up the courage to ask the question that's been swirling in my mind for a while. "Hayden?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you, like... Need that app? The Grindr thing?"
He steps in closer until he's an inch away and looks down at me with those dark, heavy eyes. "I don't know. I think it's up to you at this point. Do I?"
I try, I really try to keep my face in check, but it's futile. I smile anyway. "No. I don't think you do."
He leans down and kisses me.
"Good. I only ever found one guy I liked there, anyway."
THE END
