Herophine: Second Chances

Chapter 15

Hero's POV:

I didn't exactly plan on telling Jo that I loved her in such a fucked up way, but here we are. Hell, I didn't even think she'd let me in when I knocked on her door. The words just came out; fast and unfiltered. The way her blue eyes slowly filled with tears the more the conversation went on broke my heart and I knew that if I didn't confess my true, undeniable feelings for her right then, it might never happen.

"I'm sorry," I say quietly, holding onto her small body leaned onto mine. With eyes now clear of tears for the most part, she looks up at me and apologizes just the same. I reach with my free hand and take in the side of her face as I lean down and gently kiss her lips. They have a slightly salty taste from the tears that were there before.

"And I'm sorry about today on set. I know you didn't want to even be near me this afternoon and it was hard for you to do. Hopefully tomorrow is better," I say, staring directly into her eyes.

"It's okay. We will get passed this. We have no choice but to," she replies, placing her forehead onto mine.

"I was about to run a bath before you knocked. I'm exhausted from the last two days," she continues, beginning to get up from the couch.

"Well, let me help you." I stand up as well and pick Jo off the ground, her body laying horizontally across my chest. She yelps and begins to laugh due to my unforeseen gesture.

I carry her into the bathroom, gently placing her on her feet just beside the tub in the middle of the room. The sun has just set, and the skyline throughout the city is brightly lit just through the large floor to ceiling windows on the other side of the tub.

Jo reaches down and turns on the water, placing her hand under it until it's warm enough. She reaches onto the shelf just to her left and empties a large amount of lavender bubble bath into where the water is entering into the tub.

I lean back, resting on the counter with my feet crossed in front of me just next to the sink a few feet away from her, watching her prepare to relax. I can see the steam rising from inside the tub and the smell of lavender has now filled the room. She looks so peaceful, much unlike when I first arrived.

As the water nears more than halfway up the sides of the tub, Jo begins to remove her clothing, one article at a time, her tan skin fully exposed. She begins to pull her hair up into a messy bun while she looks in my direction, smiling.

"Well, aren't you going to join me or just watch from over there?" she says, her voice muffled from the running water.

I don't dare move yet, I continue to watch her as she leans down and turns the facet off before stepping over the side of the porcelain tub, left leg first, lowering herself into the hot water.

After I can no longer see her body, I push myself off the bathroom with the palms of my hands, remove my shirt and toss it on top of the pile of her clothes just in the corner. I begin to unfasten my belt and slide my jeans to the floor, stepping out of them and then removing my socks. Jo watches me, her eyes traveling to whatever section of my body is exposed next as I undress, leaving my briefs to be the last think I take off.

She shifts her body towards the front of the tub as I climb in behind her, easing myself into the scolding water. It takes my body a moment to adjust to the temperature change. I will say, I'm not one for baths seeing as I'm taller than most, but this tub actually is bigger than it looks.

Jo slides her body back towards mine, my legs on either side of her, and I can see sweat starting to form on the back of her neck, making the loose stands of hair escaping from her bun wet.

"This brings back memories," I laugh, rubbing my hands down both of her arms from her shoulders to her elbows in front of me.

"Yes, it does, except this time there's no need for clothes," she laughs, bringing a mound of bubbles up towards her chest.