“I turned to find him grinning. “You need a shower, I need a shower, let’s save water by taking one together.”“When did you turn into such a conservationist?” I snapped.“Two point two seconds ago,” he said and his white teeth were startling against his caramel colored skin. Siva and Sloane”

“I need to brush my teeth. And I need a shower."He grinned, hopping off the bike. "Now that is an invitation.”

“We had never taken a shower together. We had never even been in the same bathroom together. "Don't flush," I'd said, "I want to look." What I saw brought out strains of compassion, for him, for his body, for his life, which suddenly seemed so frail and vulnerable. "Our bodies won't have secrets now," I said as I took my turn and sat down. He had hopped into the bathtub and was just about to turn on the shower. "I want you to see mine," I said. He did more. He stepped out, kissed me on the mouth, and, pressing and massaging my tummy with the flat of his hand, watched the whole thing happen.”

“You need to shave,” I said to wipe that gooey love struck look off his face. I didn’t need my dad to kill him. Caeden grinned and rubbed his stubbly chin. “But you love my scruff,” he said and rubbed his jaw against my face to drive home the point.”

“Hey, you coming to the bar tonight?” he called out after me.I stopped and turned around, “Maybe, I don’t know. I have to see how I feel after a shower.”A smile burst onto his face, making him more stunning than it was humanly possible. “Do you need help with that? I’d like to see how you feel after a shower too…”

“You smell good, too,” said PatchIt’s called a shower.” I was staring straight ahead. When he didn’t answer, I turned sideways. “Soap. Shampoo. Hot water.”Naked. I know the drill.”