####**Val's P.O.V**
I step into the shower, letting the warm water cascade down my skin like a lover's caress. I brush through my skin gently with my strawberry scented bar soap and I close my eyes, trying to wash away the memories of last night, but they linger, refusing to be rinsed away.
Jax's muscled arms caressing around me, holding me close, his broad chest a warm haven cuddling my red-bitten cheek, he whispered,
"It's Jaxie. You're safe. I've got you."
That felt so much like he stood there, like he stood right in front of me. Oh, there he is.
I began touching and squeezing myself so romanticizingly to get his attention, although I know he wasn't before me.
But part of me still wanted a display.
With a gentle breeze that soothes my soul. The way he calmed my nightmares, every drip of water from the hot shower made yesterday play out to my very eyes even as I was half-conscious.
I had zoomed out.
Trying to hold firm the slippery tile walls the bathroom to get Jax out of my head, this love universe was messing with my head that no ounce of my thoughts for him seemed delusional.
I raised my head up to where the waterfall was pouring from the shower to wash off the remaining soap that I had on my face.
And turning to face where he stood, he was no longer there.
My mind had slipped far away.
My mind flashes back to our childhood, the memories of our laughter, our adventures, and our secrets. The way Jax always made me feel safe, protected, and cherished. The way he'd chase away my tears and make me laugh, his smile a ray of sunshine that brightens my day just as kids young, wild and innocently ceasing to care each other, never thinking or knowing love could be in the mention.
In the same line of thought, I remember the time Mike bullied me, and Jax stood up for me, his eyes blazing with a fierce protectiveness. The way he clipped my hair clips back in place, telling me they were beautiful, his fingers brushing against my skin like a whispered promise.
A flutter in my chest makes me gasp, the sensation spreading through my body like wildfire. I press my hands against the shower wall again, trying to steady myself, but my legs feel like jelly, my skin tingling with anticipation.
Why am I feeling this way? I shouldn't be having these thoughts about Jax. Could this be love?
But, He's my friend, my confidant, my protector. Nothing more.
I'm freaking kidding myself, I had a deep crush on this guy.
But the memories keep flooding back, each one more vivid, more sensual, more alluring than the last. The way Jax smiled at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners, his lips curved upward in a gentle, loving smile. The way he teased me, making me laugh, his voice low and husky, sending shivers down my spine.
I feel a rush of heat, the water pounding against my skin like a thousand tiny fingers, each one stroking, caressing, and seducing me. I try to shake off the sensation, but it only intensifies, building into a crescendo of desire, of need, of longing.
I'm in trouble. Big trouble.
The shower seems to be getting hotter, the water steamy, the air thick with tension. I feel lightheaded, my breath catching in my throat, my heart pounding in my chest.
I need to get out of here. Now.
I turn off the shower, wrapping myself in a towel, the soft fabric entwining a gentle caress against my skin. My heart is racing, my skin flushed, my senses on high alert.
I glance in the mirror, and my eyes widen. My cheeks are pink, my lips parted, my eyes sparkling with a newfound awareness. I look...aroused.
Oh no. This is not good.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, but my mind keeps drifting back to Jax, his smile, his eyes, his arms around me. I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of desire, unable to escape the undertow of my emotions.
I'm in so much trouble.
---
I dried myself with my towel observing my looks in my mirror again and it seems well that I'm restoring myself to a steady mood. What if all the trances I had in the bathroom was what happened yesterday. It better be too good to be true?
That hot bath seduced all my memories and made everything in me to stand. The last time I felt this way was one time I was with Ryan and that got me running sheepishly in love with him.
Even as my mood relaxed, the nerves were still kicking as my emotions refused to balance with my body.
As I stand there, frozen in uncertainty, I hear a knock at the door. It's Jax.
"Hey, Val, you okay in there?" he asks, his voice low and husky.
I feel a shiver run down my spine. How did he know I was struggling?
"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply, trying to sound casual despite the turmoil inside me.
There's a pause, and for a moment, I think he's gone. But then I hear his voice again.
"Val?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I come in?"
My heart skips a beat. What does he want?
But before I can respond, the door creaks open, and Jax steps inside.
His eyes lock onto mine, and I feel like I'm drowning in their depths. He's looking at me differently, his gaze burning with an intensity that makes my skin prickle with awareness.
"Jax?" I whisper, my voice barely audible.
He takes a step closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay," he says, his voice low and husky.
I nod, trying to play it cool despite the turmoil inside me. But Jax sees right through me. He always has.
He takes another step closer, his eyes burning with an intensity that makes my skin prickle with awareness. I feel like I'm trapped in his gaze, unable to escape the undertow of my emotions.
And then, in a move that sends my heart racing, Jax reaches out and gently brushes a strand of hair behind my ear.
His touch sends shivers down my spine, and I feel like I'm melting into his gaze. It's like the entire world has come to a standstill, leaving only the two of us, suspended in this moment of pure, unadulterated tension.
I'm in so much trouble