Sunshine Kisses

‘Oh, you poor things. Nora,’ Susan called down the hall, ‘the children are having stomach trouble. We should bring up some peppermint tea.’

Abby groaned inwardly, throwing out one last ditch attempt to be left alone. ‘Mother, we probably just need to sleep it off—’

‘Nonsense! We’ll be back with your tea in fifteen minutes.’

When Abby closed the door and turned to face Erik, he wore an amused smirk. ‘Quick thinking. Should I be concerned you’re going to use your powers of deception on me one day?’

‘I’d rather use my powers of seduction,’ she said softly, drawing close enough to toy with the buttons of his shirt again.

‘Oh, Sunshine, fifteen minutes is not enough time for everything I plan to do with you,’ Erik said roughly, his hand closing over hers.

And that… He’d thought about it. About them.

‘Go take that shower. Warm up. I’ll receive our tea,’ he rolled his eyes, ‘and try very hard not to think about you being wet and naked while my mother is in the room.’

Abby pouted, stretching up to kiss him again. If there was one thing in life she was certain of, it was her ability to bring Erik around to her side. Except he grabbed her jaw, holding her in place. ‘Abigail. Shower. Now,’ he said firmly.

His voice had her shuddering as anticipation flared through her body imagining when else he might use that tone.

And that gave her an idea.

Stepping out of his hands with a nod, Abby untied her dressing gown and let it drop. ‘Yes, sir,’ she said, sending a beatific smile his way.

She may have swung her hips more than necessary as she disappeared into the bathroom. The sounds of a long, deep exhale and a muttered, ‘Fucking brat,’ were her rewards.

Abby spent a few long, content minutes letting the water warm her to the bone. Sometime after she had leisurely removed her makeup, Erik appeared. He’d changed into his dressing gown, and he leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed.

The sight did little to calm her.

‘Are you going to join me?’

‘I’d rather watch.’

And he was, eyes staring intently as she slowed the movement of her loofah. He shifted, breathing deeply when she arched her chest under the spray to rinse the last soap from her skin.

It struck her that it should feel weird—her oldest friend watching her shower, devouring the sight of her naked body. That making out in the car should have filled her with anxiety about how this would affect their relationship. Instead, every moment they’d shared that took them beyond the bounds of their friendship had felt natural. Safe. The way things had always been with him.

When Abby shut off the water, Erik moved to the edge of the bath, swaddling her in a thick towel as she stepped out. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed the top of her head gently. It was such a familiar gesture, one they’d repeated thousands of times. But never post-shower, barely clothed, with tension filling every millimetre between them.

‘We’ve been summoned.’

Abby felt her face scrunch in annoyance. ‘What now?’

‘Dinner and dancing.’ The corner of Erik’s mouth quirked up. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the Sunday evening tradition.’

Inside Erik’s arms was exactly the spot she’d imagined spending the next few hours, but in her mind there’d been less clothing and no audience. The prospect of being stuck at a table with their parents beforehand didn’t help.

‘But we’re so sick.’ Abby pouted, widening her eyes as she lifted them to meet Erik’s gaze. ‘Doesn’t it make far more sense for us to stay up here, in bed?’

The neck of his gown had slipped open, and she was dying to slide a hand under the soft fabric. But Erik still had her trapped in a fluffy burrito. She settled for burrowing her nose into the exposed skin, leaving lingering kisses on his chest.

‘Later, Sunshine,’ he whispered in her ear, steadying her as he stepped back.

Her heart sang as he tucked a steady curl behind her ear, and it took her a moment to place the feeling. For the first time in a long while, she felt…peaceful.

‘If we make an appearance,’ Erik continued, they’re more likely to leave us alone. ‘We’ll have dinner, dance to a few songs, then say we’re feeling ill again and want to turn in early. If we don’t go down at all, our mothers will be back up here every half hour trying to convince us.’

Abby frowned and Erik laughed softly, leaning in to kiss her forehead. He finally let go of her towel, and she snaked one newly freed hand through the fabric and in the direction of his gown’s belt.