Page 106 of The ARC Unit: Breach

I heard the change in the water when he turned to me beneath it.

“Because I caused it.”

And then I became painfully aware of what we were actually doing. Wolf and I were standing completely naked less than two feet apart, his mask off, having a conversation with nothing separating us but a thin shower curtain that had never offered much privacy to begin with.

“I’m following Bear’s instructions.”

“Good.” He went back to facing the front.

“You don’t need to keep checking on it.”

“I know.”

“That sounded suspiciously like you plan to anyway.”

“Then stop doing stupid things with it and I won’t have anything to check.”

I looked toward his curtain. “There he is.”

“Who?”

“The asshole from yesterday.”

“He never left.”

The exchange loosened something in my chest without pretending the night before had been funny. The marks around my wrists were fading and the shoulder was improving, but both still existed. So did the memory of him stopping the second I told him not to touch me.

I did not know what to do with a man who could cross a line that badly and then become almost rigid about respecting the next one. I shut my water off before I could think too hard about it. The sudden quiet on my side made Wolf’s shower sound much louder. I wrung water from my hair, reached for the towel and wrapped it around myself before pulling the curtain open.

The floor was slick from an hour of showers. My foot slid just enough to send my stomach into my throat, and I caught the partition with my left hand before anything worse happened. A small yelp escaped me.

Wolf’s silhouette turned immediately.

“I’m fine,” I said, before he could move.

His shadow stayed where it was.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

I crossed to the bench and started dressing with my back angled toward his stall. His curtain showed only the dark shape of him under the water, but I became aware every time his head seemed to turn in my direction. I could not tell whether he was looking at me or simply facing the mirrors, and asking would have required admitting I cared.

My clean shirt caught on damp skin when I worked the right arm through. I slowed before the shoulder could complain and reached for my pants.

Wolf’s shower shut off.

Shit. I shoved one foot into my pants so fast I missed the leg hole entirely and nearly introduced my face to the bench.

“Mercer.”

“What?”

“You’re dressing like the building is on fire.”

“Maybe I value privacy.”

His silhouette remained behind the closed curtain. “Then take your time. I’m staying behind here until you’re dressed.”