STEAM THERAPY
LUKE
I pulled into the driveway just as the sun kissed the horizon goodbye, painting the sky in deep shades of amber and purple. Practice had been brutal, and I felt every ounce of it in my shoulders and legs, but none of that mattered. I had a plan tonight–a quiet night with Jess, just the two of us.
She’d been running on fumes lately, her energy dipping as the weeks passed. I hated seeing her like that. If I couldn’t take the exhaustion away, at least I could make things a little easier.
Dinner was the least I could do. Her favorite pasta and a pint of gelato from the little Italian spot she loved so much.
Balancing the bags, I slipped inside quietly, careful not to announce my arrival. The house was silent, the kind of silence that felt heavy, still. I placed the ice cream in the freezer and slid the pasta into the oven to keep warm, then turned to peer into the living room.
Empty.
Frowning, I glanced around, my eyes scanning for any sign of her. Nothing.
Sofie had mentioned something about Jess, saying she needed a nap. Maybe she was upstairs.
I climbed the stairs, keeping my steps light, my ears straining for any sound. Halfway up, I caught the faint sound of running
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STEAM THERAPY
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water.
The shower.
A slow grin spread across my face. The idea of surprising her- of slipping into the shower and pulling her into me–sent a jolt of anticipation through me.
Reaching the top of the stairs, I walked down the hall, careful to keep quiet. The sound of water grew louder, the bathroom door ajar just enough for warm steam to spill out.
I stopped outside, my heart beating a little faster. My shoes came off first, one at a time, set neatly to the side. Then my socks, followed by my shirt.
I pulled the door open a crack, peering inside.
The world stopped.
The figure under the water wasn’t Jess.
Blond hair cascaded down her back sure but, water streaming over pale shoulders that definitely didn’t belong to her.
My heart thudded painfully in my chest as the woman turned, a gasp escaping her lips.
“Luke?” She squealed, but the sound didn’t suit her face. It seemed rehearsed somehow.
Sarah.
Her eyes were wide with shock, her hands flying up to cover herself as much as she could, although she did a piss poor job. My brain short–circuited, and my body fucking refused to follow my commands
“Shit,” I muttered, stumbling back and pulling the door closed again. My back hit the wall, the cool tiles doing nothing to ease the heat climbing up my neck.
“What the hell are you doing?” Sarah’s voice was sharp, cutting through the sound of the water.
“I-” My words jammed in my throat. “I thought you were Jess.”
A beat of silence passed before her incredulous laugh rang out. “Clearly,” Sarah smirked, stepping out of the shower, not faltering for even one second.
“Why are you using our shower?” I turned around and pulled a
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towel off the rack, throwing it at her without looking.
She sighed, the sound muffled through the door. “The one downstairs ran out of hot water. didn’t think you’d be home yet.”
My jaw tightened, embarrassment battling irritation as I pushed off the wall. “Next time, maybe lock the fucking door would you.”
Without waiting for her reply, I turned and left the bathroom, grabbing my discarded clothes on the way out.
What the fuck was that.
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