The Love I Need

Chapter 60

I'm enjoying the punching bag more than I thought I would. Perhaps too much, I realize belatedly when Theo is suddenly standing next to me with a scowl on his face.

"Did you not hear me?" he asks, and my arms drop to my sides. They feel like dead weights. "I was calling you from the top of the stairs. The soup is ready."

"Oh." I lift my arm to take one of the gloves off, and I'm surprised by how difficult the action is.

"You overdid it," Theo comments with a sigh. "I guess I should have known you would..." He removes my gloves for me and drops them to the floor. "I'm sorry, Princess."

His strong hands come up to massage my biceps and then move up to my shoulders, and I step into him to rest my head against his chest.

"I wish I knew what to say to make this right," he says quietly while his hands continue to massage my shoulders. "But I don't think you got it even when you thought I was a virgin, and now..."

When I don't offer anything to the conversation, he uses my shoulders to pull me closer and then smooths his hands down my back and gives me a hug. "Come on. Let's go eat and then I'll run a bath for you upstairs. You need to rest your muscles, little boxer."

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The water has gone cold, and my skin has become wrinkly from being so water-logged but I don't care enough to get out of the large bathtub.

"Milia," Theo's voice proceeds his knock. It's the second time he's come to the door, and his knock sounds a little more urgent this time. "It's time to come out. Don't make me come in there."

Says the man who doesn't want to see me naked...

I roll my eyes and sink further down into the stale water.

The door opens, and Theo's eyes settle on my face. He walks toward me with purpose, and before I can think of a thing to say, he's reaching into the water to grip my elbows and pulling me out of the bathtub.

"This isn't how I imagined the first time you saw me naked going," I mumble while he walks across the bathroom to retrieve the thick, navy towel that's folded on the counter.

He gives me a tight smile when he returns and wraps the towel around my shoulders. "Me neither." His large hands run over the thick material, pressing it into my skin to soak up the water.

Shivers have begun to move through my body but I'm not sure if it's from the air hitting my wet skin or the cold expression on Theo's face.

He's pissed.

I know I'm being a bit of a brat. So he doesn't want to have sex with me, so what? It probably seems like a silly reason to work my muscles into the ground and to sit in a bathtub for way too long but the rejection I feel is hitting me hard.

I thought the two of us were becoming something. This morning felt like a step forward in whatever it was that was happening between us but now it feels like we've completely fallen off course.

I study Theo's face while he rubs the towel over my body. He bends down in front of me to run the towel over my legs and then stands again to bring it back around my shoulders. Our eyes meet.

"Kiss me." The request comes softly from my lips but Theo doesn't miss the demanding aspect behind those two words.

His eyes move to my mouth, and he slowly licks his lips before shaking his head. "I can't. Not right now..."

Another rejection. I don't know why I keep setting myself up for this wretched feeling but this is a clear reminder that I need to stop doing it. I'm not sure I can handle it another time.