Eclipse Skin.

Chapter 23

Nova Lux's POV

"How is it in here doll?" Kiveni asks.

I sink further into the scented bath and I sigh contentedly, my glass off apple wine dangerously close to slipping out of my fingers, but not close enough for me to let it happen.

For the first time in a while, I feel relaxed.

Then my mind moves to Sora.

I hope he's okay.

I've got him the best treatments that money can buy and I hope all the massages do him good.

I know he's been more stressed than he would ever like to admit.

But that's what I'm here for.

And if I could take his stress and have it instead...

I'd do it.

Without question.

I wonder if that means that I have more feelings for him than I would ever admit to him.

I think I'd feel ashamed to say it.

Especially after all of the emphasis I put on him for this to stay casual.

I wonder how he feels?

Does he feel the same?

I wonder if this is just casual for him?

I wonder how he actually feels about me having way more experience?

I feel my heart slam against my ribs as I anticipate all of this.

"Lux!" Kiveni's voice calls.

I look at her.

She has a concerned look on her face.

"You okay doll?" She asks.

Her tone mirrors the look on her face.

I nod.

"Yeah I'm good" I lie.

"Liar" she responds.

She grabs a towel and holds it up.

"Your skin will prune" she reminds me.

Having been my physiotherapist for so long, she's seen me naked more times than my bathroom mirror has, so I stand up without hesitation.

The water falls down my body and I step out of the bath onto the rug, grabbing the towel and drying myself off.

Kiveni observes me for a bit, analytically and then she walks out to give me a little bit of privacy

I wear a bath robe and a pair of slippers, before walking out, where Kiveni waits for me.

"I booked y'all the private sauna. Think of it as a gift from me" she says with a smile.

"I appreciate it" I say, as she walks me down.

She leads me into the sauna room and I nearly gasp.

Sora is already there.

Now I may not have noticed between the training and the extracurricular activities, but his muscle mass has increased significantly.

And there he sits, with a towel threatening to drop off of his hips and sweat dripping down his whole body, making it glisten in the dim light.

His eyes are closed and he sits with his back against the seat, stretching his legs out, head back and looking like the front cover of a magazine that was written by a woman.