He shrugged out of his suit coat and shoes, leading Lou to the back door.

“I’m going to strip and take a hot shower while you do that,” she said.

He nodded and led Lou to the back door, while she headed toward the bathroom. She was chilled and freezing. After turning the water on in the shower, she started peeling her clothes off, letting them drop to the floor. As soon as the shower was heated up, she climbed inside and let the steamy water pour over her head. Her skin was so cold, but the hot water was definitely helping. She grabbed the washcloth she’d brought in with her and scrubbed her makeup off.

In a few minutes, the door opened and a naked Bash stepped inside with her.

“Christ, it’s cold and wet outside.”

She moved aside to let him have the hot water.

“No,” he said, pulling her against him. “Stay here.”

His body was cold, but not for long. She wrapped her arms around him and lent him some of her own heat, laying her head against his chest.

“I’m sorry about the storm. I was going to take you dancing after dinner tonight.”

She tilted her head back. “You were?”

“Yeah. Plans got spoiled after we got soaked.”

She started swaying back and forth with him. “We can dance in the shower. It’s warmer here.”

He smiled. “Kind of hard to dance in here. Slippery.”

“We’ll take it slow.”

“No music.”

She cocked her head to the side, exasperated. “Use your imagination, Bash.”

“I have a pretty good imagination, though there’s usually no music involved.”

She laughed.

He slid his arm around her waist and got into the dance, though she wasn’t sure if what he was doing could be considered dancing—unless it was dirty dancing, because he slid his thigh between her legs and she suddenly forgot all about dancing or the music in her head. And when he backed her against the wall and kissed her, she also forgot about being cold.

In an instant, he’d heated her from the inside out, his body pressing into hers, all his good parts touching all of her good parts. She raised her leg and wrapped it around his hip, undulating against him.

He pulled his head away to look at her. “Keep doing that and we’re going to have a problem.”

Her lips quirked. “A problem?”

“Yeah. No condoms in the shower.”

She scraped a nail down the side of his arm. “Hmmm … that is a problem, isn’t it? I’m already plenty warm.”

“Me, too.”

He turned the shower off and they got out. Bash handed her a towel. She hurriedly fluffed her hair dry, ran the towel over her body, and then draped it on the counter to dry. Before she could head for the bedroom, Bash backed her against the counter, her butt resting against the towel. He spread her legs and put his mouth on her sex, making her gasp.

The bathroom was hot and steamy, and her temperature rose even more as Bash took her to great heights of pleasure with his mouth. She was primed and ready to go off and came in a lightning-quick jolt, reaching down to slide her fingers through his hair as she shivered with post-orgasmic delight.

He licked her thighs, kissed her hip, and trailed a map of hot, wet kisses up her stomach and breasts, lingering at her nipples until she was on fire all over again. His cock lay heavy against her belly as he finished off at her mouth with a long, deep kiss that made her whimper against his lips.

He led her to the bed, put on a condom, and spread her legs, entering her with a quick thrust that made her moan in deep pleasure. He took her mouth as he drove against her. It was a quick, passionate coupling that she craved as much as he did. Neither of them needed to say anything. Their eyes said it all as they looked at each other while they moved together.

And when she felt the quivers, knew she was close, she raked her nails down his arms, then lifted against him. She saw the furrow of his brow, the intensity in his eyes, and felt the way he ground against her, which shattered her. He kissed her, a deep, soulful kiss she felt through every part of her as he took the ride with her, both of them clinging to each other as they rode out the waves of pleasure that never seemed to end.

Afterward, he brushed her still-damp hair away from her face and kissed her temple. She laid her hand on his chest and felt his heart pump as it went from mad fast to normal again.

She was certain she looked like Medusa. She hadn’t combed out her hair, and she wasn’t sure all her makeup had washed off.

She didn’t care, which was a first for her. She always presented an impeccable appearance, especially around men she was …

Dating. She supposed they really were trying out this dating thing.

The funny thing was, she was so comfortable around Bash, she didn’t care that she looked like hell right now. Then again, they had been friends for so long, he’d seen her at her worst, and also her best.

That was a first for her.

He looked over at her. “You’re staying tonight, right?”

No mention of her raccoon makeup, her crazy, wild hair. No laughing at her. He’d just asked her to stay with him.

Warmth surrounded her.

“Yes. I’m staying.”

He gathered her close, and Chelsea was certain she was in way over her head.

She had to keep reminding herself their relationship was just a temporary thing. He still wasn’t the perfect man for her.

But for right now? This was really good.

Chapter 27

Bash took his car into Carter’s shop for some repairs. He’d noticed when driving it the last few times that it was making a grinding noise. He knew it was going to need new brakes soon, but soon had become now. Especially after being out in that rainstorm with Chelsea in his car. Bad brakes and a rainstorm didn’t go together well at all.