If the previous day’s heat could be blad on pheromones, then on the second day, there were no more excuses.
In the dim, unlit room, two figures slept soundly.
The first thing Zoe Pierce did upon waking was reach for the person beside her.
Before she even opened her eyes, she felt a hand grasp the spot she had brazenly declared was itching last night.
"Nathan Lockwood..." Her hand threaded into his hair, her voice still hoarse from sleep. "Stop... I’m not itchy anymore..."
It was because she had been so brazen on the sofa yesterday, pressing his head down in invitation.
She still hadn’t recovered.
Nathan Lockwood looked up at her. "Then why are you teasing ?"
She was being terribly wronged. Zoe Pierce hadn’t even opened her eyes; she was just fumbling around by instinct.
"I have no strength left... Nathan..." Zoe Pierce mumbled.
Nathan Lockwood found it amusing to watch Zoe Pierce act coquettishly with her eyes still closed. "You don’t need any strength."
Her strength had been depleted long ago.
Zoe Pierce hugged him, her eyes still closed.
She was covered in sweat and felt sticky all over.
In response to her implied complaint, Nathan Lockwood offered a solution. "I’ll carry you to the shower?"
’That’s not a bad idea...’
’But could the two of them just have a normal shower?’ Zoe Pierce was skeptical.
As it turned out, it was impossible.
Unlike in the bedroom, they couldn’t just shower in the dark.
Once the lights were on, Zoe Pierce inevitably opened her eyes.
The clean, clear mirror of the dicine cabinet reflected their images without obstruction.
He held her against him, her head only reaching his chin, but the mirror was high enough to reflect them both down to their waists.
Their upper bodies were in clear view.
This ti, not even their necks were spared; they were covered in love bites.
They both had pale skin, which made the marks look even redder and more striking.
Zoe Pierce awkwardly covered her chest.
She knew it was futile, though. After all, from the mont the lights ca on, there were no secrets left.
Even without the mirror, it wasn’t as if Nathan Lockwood was blind. All he had to do was glance down to see everything.
It was a classic case of fooling oneself, which was a little ridiculous, but it felt better than doing nothing at all.
The shower stall was fine for one person, but with both of them inside, it imdiately felt a little crowded.
Nathan Lockwood took the handheld shower head and rinsed Zoe Pierce off.
The clean stream of water washed away all the stickiness from her body.
"Lift your leg, baby."
Zoe Pierce looked a little uncomfortable. "Maybe... I should do it myself?"
But when Nathan Lockwood took a few steps back, she found she still couldn’t bring herself to wash naturally in front of him.
Even though they had done the most intimate things imaginable, she still felt... a little shy.
But Nathan Lockwood wasn’t comfortable leaving Zoe alone, especially since her legs had just looked so weak.
Of course, he knew perfectly well the real reason for her weakness.
He loved her current expression.
"Just don’t look at , baby," Nathan Lockwood said with a smile, having Zoe place her hands on the wall and turn her back to him. "I’ll help you."
The custom tiles had an intricate yet elegant pattern.
Zoe Pierce could only feel Nathan Lockwood’s constant proximity as he lifted her leg to wash it. She bit her lip tightly, her cheeks growing hot, as if suffused by the steam.
It wasn’t until she heard him say, "All done,"...
...that she sighed in relief. But the mont she turned around, he pulled her into an embrace and pressed her against the wall.
Her mouth went dry.
Her arms wrapped around Nathan Lockwood’s neck before she’d even consciously decided to move them.
The hot water had also flushed his skin pink.
In the end, all Zoe Pierce knew was that they’d have to shower all over again.
They had just gotten clean, only to get dirty again.
When it was finally over, Nathan Lockwood lathered her up with soap and washed her ticulously.
He dried her off and carried her out.
He didn’t take her back to the room they had been using, but to a different one.
The bed in that other room was a wrinkled, damp, chaotic ss.
Once they had crossed that first threshold, being intimate again ca as easily as breathing.
After three straight days of being wrapped up in each other, Nathan Lockwood took the initiative to start cleaning the house.
Zoe Pierce felt like she’d been in a daze for the past few days. Lounging on the sofa in her pajamas, she watched Nathan bustle about, confused. "What’s going on?"
Nathan Lockwood had ordered a ho-cleaning robot. He was setting up its modes and buttons when he heard her question. "Miles and the others are coming over in a bit," he answered.
After a few days of uninhibited intimacy with Nathan Lockwood, Zoe Pierce felt a little disoriented for a mont.
She subconsciously sat bolt upright for a second before feeling she was overreacting and imdiately slumping back down.
Nathan Lockwood, who had seen the whole thing, abandoned the robot he was setting up and ca to sit beside her. "What, nervous?"
He naturally pulled her into his arms.
Zoe Pierce thought for a mont before giving a hesitant nod.
’It’s just... the feeling that everyone will know exactly what Nathan and I have been doing, without a word being said.’
’Before, I at least had other things keeping busy, so I wasn’t just focused on my relationships with everyone. But now, with this sudden vacation...’
’...this is the only thing on my mind.’
’It just keeps replaying.’
"Don’t be nervous. You’ll get used to it eventually." It wasn’t just Zoe Pierce who was getting used to this new type of relationship; they were all adjusting.
’This is new territory for Zoe, which is why she’s so nervous,’ Nathan thought.
’The next ti her pheromones have run their course and it’s Chase Shaw’s turn, she probably won’t feel so guilty.’
’Although, thinking about Chase Shaw’s build...’
’Zoe might be in for a rough ti.’
’After all, she only seed to stop being delicate during the Soothing Competition. In bed, she was delicate about everything.’
’Don’t kiss here, I’m too tired there.’
The thought of how she was in bed made Nathan Lockwood’s lips curl into a smile.
The way Zoe Pierce was in bed was just so different from her usual self; anyone would beco addicted.
’He could never get enough.’
Especially now that their pheromones had blended so harmoniously. The slightest hint of her scent was like an aphrodisiac—intoxicating and addictive.
Zoe Pierce couldn’t even be bothered to retort. ’His words might be crude, but his logic isn’t wrong... Still, does he have to be *that* crude?’
’What’s this about "getting used to it"?’
’Is this a "practice makes perfect" situation?’
"Want to go out?" Nathan Lockwood asked, stroking Zoe’s hair.
The dia buzz around them was so intense right now that even Director Quinn had advised them not to go out. Staying ho all the ti was getting a little boring.
Zoe Pierce tilted her head to look at him. "Didn’t you say it might be dangerous?"
She rembered what Nathan Lockwood had said after their private celebration.
That soone lurking in the shadows would be looking for an opportunity to teach them a lesson.
That’s why Zoe Pierce hadn’t suggested anything like it since they got back. She didn’t want to cause trouble or invite any accidents.
Nathan Lockwood twirled the end of her long hair around his finger. "So there’s danger. Does that an we stay inside for the rest of our lives?"
’He had a point.’
Zoe Pierce couldn’t possibly spend the rest of her life going out only for official appearances.
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