Chapter 37

With one last glance at the kitchen we'd scrubbed down, I turned to face him fully, my heart pounding in my chest. "Yes," I murmured, meeting his eyes directly. "Good enough."

His eyes sparkled with a teasing light as he took a step closer to me, making my breath hitch in my throat. "Your room or you want me to take you right here?" he asked softly. His proximity was making it difficult for me to think clearly.

The thought of sex on the kitchen counter was enticing, but with so many people having keys to our house, I wasn't interested in getting busted naked, wet and writhing on the counter. Without a word, I took his hand and led him up the stairs. This sex thing was addicting. I felt like I had been missing out for a long time, but I was glad I waited. Archer was the right man to have my first sexual experience with. He made me feel special and cherished. It didn't feel like he was using me for sex. He made sure I enjoyed myself.

As we reached the top of the stairs, I paused, taking a moment to draw in a deep breath. The air was thick with anticipation, and I could feel his burning gaze on my back. I loved sex with him, but it went beyond the way he made my body feel. It was intimate and emotional, something I'd never thought possible with a man like Archer. I felt connected to him in a way that left me breathless and wanting more.

I turned the doorknob to my room and stepped inside. "I think maybe I should take a quick shower," I said. "I feel a little icky after all the cleanup."

"I agree."

"Excuse me?" I asked with a laugh.

He closed my bedroom door and turned back to me. "Let's take a shower."

His suggestion sent an excited shiver down my spine. "Together?" I asked, the word emerging as a whisper.

Archer tilted his head, a devilish glint in his eyes. "Why not?" His voice was playfully low. And with that, he slipped off his shirt and tossed it onto the nearby chair.

"This will be another first for me."

"Good. I like being your first."

The anticipation of being naked and vulnerable in the shower with him was thrilling and nerve-wracking at the same time. "Okay."

He grinned and pulled my shirt over my head. "I want to wash you from your head to your toes."

"Me too."

"I'll get the shower going," he said. "You get naked and find us a couple of towels."

Archer headed toward the bathroom, his back muscles rippling with each step. Nervous excitement bubbled up inside me. I moved to the linen closet, pulling out two large, plush towels. I glanced at the closed bathroom door, imagining Archer naked and wet in the shower. The thought sent a rush of desire through me.

I took a deep breath and began to undress. It felt like an out-of-body experience as I dropped my sweats and panties to the floor, stepping out of them before unhooking my bra and adding it to the growing pile of discarded clothing. My heart pounded in my chest as I turned the handle, pushing open the bathroom door.

Steam billowed out from behind the shower door, filling the room with a humid fog. Archer's silhouette was visible through the opaque glass door, his tall frame causing my breath to hitch in my throat. The sight of him, even obscured and distorted as it was, set a pool of desire simmering low in my belly. I felt so lucky that I was the one that got to be with him. I felt possessive of the man. He was mine. I was his.

"Ready?" His voice echoed off the tiles, a low rumble over the sound of cascading water. The word was an invitation and a challenge rolled into one.

I opened the door and stepped inside. Seeing him naked was hot. Seeing him wet and naked was a whole new level of excitement. Every inch of him was gleaming with droplets of water, his muscles rippling under the sheen of wetness. His tattoos were brighter. I could barely breathe in anticipation of what was to come. The steamy air wrapped around me.

"Come here," he said, his voice soft against the sound of falling water. He extended a hand out to me, his eyes never leaving mine. With every step I took closer to him, my heart pounded harder.

I reached out and placed my hand against his chest.

"I love touching you," I whispered.

Archer let out a soft chuckle, his dark eyes filled with desire and affection. "Good to know." His eyes flicked down to my lips as if drawn there by some magnetic force.

He leaned in and closed the remaining distance between us. He tasted like maple syrup. The sweetness of his kiss was as intoxicating as the heat of his body. His hands moved over me, tracing every curve and dip. The sensation of his touch was electrifying, melting away any residual awkwardness and replacing it with overwhelming desire.

He grabbed the bottle of shower gel and poured some into his hands. He worked it into a rich lather, his eyes never leaving mine. I watched, mesmerized, as he raised his soapy hands to my shoulders, beginning to massage the foam into my skin. The sensation was heavenly, his strong hands kneading away the tension I didn't know I was carrying. After thoroughly washing every inch, he reached for the bottle of shampoo.

"Lean your head back," he commanded gently.

I obeyed, tilting my head back under the warm spray of the showerhead. He moved his foamy hands up into my hair, massaging my scalp with firm yet gentle strokes. The pleasure of it made me close my eyes in sheer bliss, my fingers curling into the hard planes of his chest as I enjoyed the sensation. Archer spent several long minutes kneading my scalp, working the shampoo into a thick lather. He was careful to keep it out of my eyes, showing an attentiveness that had me falling even more deeply for him.

"Rinse," he murmured.

I stepped under the warm downpour, letting it wash away the suds from my hair. Archer watched me silently with an intense gaze. There was a certain gentleness in his roughness, a seductive contradiction that made him even more alluring.

Once I was rinsed off, I smiled at him. "My turn."

"Alright," he replied. With his back to the shower, the water cascaded down his firm shoulders and onto his hard abs before descending down further.

With a dollop of the fragrant gel in my palm, I began at his shoulders. The skin was hot beneath my touch, muscles rippling. I slid my hands downwards. He made no sound except for the tangible exhale of breath as my fingers found their way down to his abs. I lathered the soap onto him.

His eyes were locked onto mine, a fierce intensity that set my heart thundering louder. I trailed my fingers lower, tracing over his defined V-line and stroking the soft skin there. A low growl reverberated from his chest.

"Your hands." He paused, swallowing hard as if finding words was suddenly an impossible task. "They feel good."

"Well, it's only fair. You did wash me first."

He chuckled softly, the sound echoing off the tile walls around us. His gaze was focused entirely on me. He watched as I worked my way further down, lathering up his legs before rising again to rinse him off. I stepped back, granting him access to the warm water cascading from the showerhead. The soap slipped away under the steady stream, disappearing in rivulets down his body and swirling around our feet.

A comfortable silence engulfed us as we stood there, steam and warmth surrounding our bodies in a cozy cocoon of intimacy. Archer was leaning against the wall, his powerful body visibly relaxed, eyes closed as the water cascaded over him. I admired the quiet strength that exuded from him even when he was relaxed.

Once he opened his eyes and met my gaze, it was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down my spine. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to his chest.

"Do you know how sexy you are?" he asked. "You make me hard just looking at you."

"Archer."

He silenced me with a passionate kiss, drowning out words and inhibitions alike. His lips worked against mine with an intensity that was almost primal. I clung onto him, my arms snaking around his waist as I surrendered to him completely.

Suddenly, the water was off and he was pushing me out of the shower. We ran back into my room naked and wet. He pushed me up against the wall, his hands roaming over my body with the same primal need I felt.

His touch was like fire, igniting a desire in me I'd never known before. He traced a path down my neck with his lips, savoring the water droplets that still clung to my skin.

"You're mine," he said, his voice husky with desire. He pressed me into the wall with his body, his hard length pushing into me suggestively. His hands moved down my sides, cupping my backside as he ground himself against me. The friction of it sent waves of desire coursing through me.

His mouth descended onto mine once again, muffling the moan that threatened to escape my lips. My hands roamed over his broad back, tracing the muscles there before moving up to thread through his damp hair. I tugged on it gently, earning a soft growl that vibrated against my lips.

He pulled away and turned me around to face the wall.

His chest was pressed against my back, his warm breath fanning over my neck as his hands began to roam my body. The intimacy of the position sent a shudder through me. Archer traced his fingers around my hips, up past my waist, and along the sides of my breasts.

"Stay here," he purred.

Stay?

My body ached in his sudden absence. The water droplets on my skin had turned cold. Turning my head to the side, I dared to peek over my shoulder to look for Archer and saw him emerging from the bathroom, tearing open a condom he must have grabbed from the pocket of his pants and rolling it on quickly. His consideration warmed me from the inside out, chasing away the chill from the water droplets.

I faced the wall, obeying my orders like a good girl, and felt him unbearably close, pressing against me in all the right places. A whimper escaped my lips as he used his knee to spread my legs. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back just a little. A moment later, his fingers found my opening, guiding his thick cock inside me.

The sensation was overwhelming, a rush of pleasure that made me gasp against the cold wall. His grip on my waist tightened and he began moving, each thrust sending waves of pleasure through me. My hands clawed at the wall, seeking something to anchor me in the storm of sensations he was creating.

He leaned forward, his hot breath ghosting over my ear. "God, you feel good," he breathed out, his voice barely above a whisper. His hand glided up my body to cup my breast, thumb brushing over the sensitive peak.

I couldn't respond. I could only moan his name as my senses threatened to shatter into a million pieces. Each thrust of his hips was met with an echo of need from within me, the rhythm of our bodies synchronized in a dance of desire. A coil tightened deep within me, each turn bringing me closer to the edge.

Archer quickened his pace, his breaths ragged against my ear. I could feel his body tense behind me, his movements growing more desperate. His lips pressed to the curve of my neck, teeth nipping gently at the sensitive skin there. The sharp contrast between the tender touch of his lips and the mild sting of his teeth sent a wild jolt down my spine. The sensation building inside me was almost unbearable.

"Let go," he urged in a husky voice, his teeth grazing my earlobe now.

Suddenly, it was like the floor fell away from under us. My body convulsed, pleasure erupting through me in intense waves. My back arched into him and a keening cry tore from my lips, my fingers leaving crescent marks in the pale paint of the wall. Archer's grip on me tightened, his rhythm becoming erratic as he rode out the storm with me.

He grabbed my face and his mouth captured mine again, swallowing down my cries of pleasure with a groan of his own. Through the haze of my release, I felt him stiffen. His body shuddered against me, and I knew he had found his own climax.

For a few long moments, we stood there, pressed together against the wall. His heart pounded against my back in unison with my own. Gradually, our breathing slowed and I turned to face him. He held me for several long minutes, showing me the tenderness I craved.

I wanted to stay just like this forever.