Page 32 of Rauf: Minotaur Mates

He had one hand against the wall of his shower and his head bent beneath the spray. I could see him clearly over the divider, and I let myself look. I wanted to walk over there and kiss the side of his neck. He’d have to bend down for me, but I was sure we could work that out.

I ducked under the water to rinse my hair. When I straightened, he was looking at me.

For a few seconds, I forgot where we were. I wanted to ask him to come closer, and I was afraid he would say no. Then he lowered his eyes, and I turned away before I could embarrass myself.

I finished rinsing, shut off the water, and took the towel from the hook opposite his shirt. Once I was dry, I pulled the shirt on and rolled the sleeves back so I could find my hands. I’d just reached for a button when Rauf came out of his stall in a towel.

He came toward me, then stopped.

I stared at him.

I needed to stop staring at him.

He was staring at me just as intently.

He looked at the shirt, then at my face, and made no move to pick up his clothes. I still had one of his buttons between my fingers.

I’d come to Ceres-9 to find a husband. I wanted someone who would come home to me, who would let me care about him without making me feel as if I’d asked for too much. Rauf had already told me he couldn’t be that man.

I knew all of that. I also knew how badly I’d wanted to hold on to him when he came out of the cave, and how stupid I’d felt apologizing for it afterward.

I didn’t want to apologize this time.

Fuck it.

I crossed the two steps between us, caught his face in both hands, and kissed him.

Rauf went absolutely still.

For one awful beat I thought I’d made a terrible mistake.

One hand closed around the back of my neck and the other swept around my waist. He hauled me against him, bending over me until there was nowhere for the kiss to go but deeper. His mouth opened over mine. I tasted clean water and the sharp bite of soap, and then his tongue stroked mine and I stopped tasting anything. Heat rushed through me so hard my knees went loose.

I dragged my mouth from his. “When you didn’t come back, I thought you died. I thought I did that.”

“I was afraid you’d been swept away.”

His voice was rough. He stared down at me, his chest heaving against mine, and there was nothing guarded in his face.

His thumb moved over my cheek. “Just let me hold you a minute.”

I went into his arms so fast I nearly knocked my forehead against his chest. He folded himself around me, one massive hand covering most of my back. His heart hammered beneath my cheek. Mine answered just as hard.

For a minute we only breathed.

He was warm and solid and alive, and I wanted to put my hands everywhere just to prove it.

I turned my mouth to the scar on his neck. Rauf’s breath caught when I kissed it. I followed the uneven line upward, over his jaw, then pulled his head down until I could reach his mouth again.

His tongue swept into my mouth, slow once, then again, and my nipples tightened against his bare chest. The open edges of the shirt were the only thing between us. I rubbed against him because I wanted the drag of warm skin, and a growl rolled out of him, so deep I felt it against my breasts.

Oh, fuck. I wanted to hear that again.

My fingers slid into his wet hair and found the base of his broken horn. I remembered what one innocent touch there had done to him before. There was nothing innocent about the way I stroked it now.

Rauf jerked against me. His eyes flashed molten gold, and his hand flexed at my waist hard enough to make my body clench.

“Teresa.” My name sounded wrecked in his mouth.