Enemy Beloved

19 | on the road

★

C L A I R E

"Someone attacked you!?" Jesse shrieks as we Facetime early in the morning.

She is in her bed, still dressed in her pajamas with her hair in a messy bun above her head. She looks sleepy but better than me at least who is still reeling from yesterday's events.

I am lying on my stomach in Vaughn's bed while he is in the bathroom taking a shower. After what happened between us last night, I can't find the courage to face him. It is worse than the times we fight.

I let him touch me.

How could I have been so stupid?

"Yeah," I mutter, stealing a glance at the bathroom door where the sound of the shower running is clear.

I imagine Vaughn standing under the shower — naked — drops of water cascading down his body, from his hard chest to the V of his belly, his abs glistening with the moisture. He was so incredible with me last night. He actually made me sleep like the dead after the trauma I had been through.

I avert my eyes, ashamed of myself. Last night was a great slip on my part. I was so stressed that having Vaughn's fingers inside me provided the distraction I needed. He was like a magician working my body to all the right tricks. I haven't been able to stop my mind from repeating the visions of the night.

The way he kissed me with his skillful mouth, the feel of his hardened cock stroking my inner thigh through his pants. His fingers were rough and talented as they explored my depths. I was undone the moment he touched me.

So much for keeping my hormones in control.

"Claire?" Jesse calls, bringing my attention back to my iPad.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay now? What did Vaughn say?"

"Yeah, I'm good," I say. "He was...helpful."

Helpful? Really?

The bathroom door opens and my breath catches as Vaughn steps out dressed in nothing but a towel around his waist. His eyes meet mine and I see a small smirk on his lips as he walks towards the closet. Water droplets travel down the hard ridges of his chest and I find myself staring at them.

"I'll talk to you later," I murmur to Jesse and before she can say anything, I cut the call.

I watch Vaughn as he comes out with a pair of boxers, a white shirt, and black dress pants from the closet. He reaches for his towel and I am alerted.

"What are you doing?" I blurt out and he stops halfway through undoing the knot.

He turns around, making my eyes come in contact with his chiseled abs, still wet from the shower.

"I'm dressing?" he answers casually. "Or do you want me to walk around this way?"

"Go and dress somewhere else," I fold my arms over my chest, hugging my body. "I'm here too."

"It's my room, blondie." He puts his hands on his hips as he looks down at me. "I can walk around naked if I want to."

"But it's my room too now," I protest. "Go and change somewhere else. I don't want to see you naked."

He raises an eyebrow at that. "If I remember correctly, you seemed pretty excited to see me naked yesterday when I had my fingers in your—"

"Stop!" I pick up a pillow from the bed and bury my face in it, groaning loudly. "It was a mistake."