Slowburn

Chapter 107

        After that chef cleared out and my belly was full I went back upstairs to use the guest room shower. I needed it. If only a shower could cleanse the soul. I tried. It didn't work. Eventually I just had to get out of the shower. 

When I stepped out I realized there was only one towel, but I use one on my body and one on my hair. I was going to search for one but there was a knock. "I remembered there may not be towels in here, but I see that you have one" Renzo's eyes caught a glimpse of me in the door I cracked open for him. 

"Actually, I'd like one for my hair" I opened the door wider and held my hand out for the towel in his. Renzo's eyes dropped to my body. I would be modest if Renzo hadn't already seen every inch of my naked body ten times over. And the towel was big enough to cover everything.

        His hot stare did make me shift towards the mirror instead of him. I started squeezing the access water out of my hair, but Renzo never left the doorway. His eyes were still watching me. All of me. He was behind me. I could just see him through the mirror. When my eyes shifted away from his I caught my own. 

Who is this person? I quickly averted my eyes and shook my head. "I don't even know how to look at myself in the mirror," I admitted to him. 

Renzo took one then two steps inside the bathroom. He was still behind me. Taking my wet hair and moving it to one side, he placed his hands on my bare shoulders and nudged his chin for me to look up in the mirror.

        His towering frame was a wall behind me. His hands stayed on my shoulders while our eyes met through the mirror again. "This is how. Look" he said, running his hands a little lower onto my arms. "What do you see?" He asked me. His eyes never left mine. It was overwhelming, but it was easier looking at him than looking at me. 

"A killer" I finally said aloud. Renzo sucked his teeth and lifted one hand to gently tuck a few loose strands of wet hair behind my ear. I watched all of this through the mirror. When Renzo replaced both hands on either arm and brushed his fingertips down them my body became very alert to his touch. 

"You know what I see?" He asked me. I swallowed hard and shook my head no.

        Renzo's mouth was suddenly so much closer to my ear and I felt goosebumps run down my neck and back. "I see a survivor. A resilient woman" he told me. I sulked my head down, but he brought his fingers under my chin to stop me. 

With slow hands he made me look back up. His fingers remained on my chin and his lips at the shell of my ear. "Don't turn away from yourself. You're a marvelous sight to see." My pulse quickened at his words. This felt trance-like. My body leaned into his touch. 

        "No" I disagreed quietly. "Then you aren't looking at what I'm looking at" he didn't take no for an answer. When Renzo brought his mouth down to the crook of my neck my eyes fluttered shut. It's been an eternity since he's touched me. I judged him for the blood on his hands, but now that I have blood on mine where does it leave us?

"Renzo" I wanted to warn him not to start with me, but my voice betrayed me and came out breathy and affected. He still planted the kiss on the crook of my neck anyways. When our eyes caught through the mirror again there was such intensity in them. Renzo bit his lip like he was controlling himself. Or trying too. 

When his gaze never left mine I couldn't help asking, "Then what are you looking at?" 

        He hummed in appreciation, and ran his hands back up to my shoulders, and one came around my shoulder enough for his large hand to clasp my throat. Not tightly or harshly, just to show me he can move me when and how he wants to with his hold on me. My head tipped slightly.