Unlikely (H.S.)

thirty-one*

~Harper~

The hot water poured over me, a welcome contrast to the chill that still clung to my skin from the pond. I'd stayed in longer than I should have, determined to prove Harry wrong about needing the wetsuit. But now, standing under the steaming spray, I was paying for my stubbornness, my fingers and toes still tingling from the cold.

I tilted my head back, letting the water cascade over my face and down my body, warming me slowly. My muscles ached in the best way, a reminder of how alive I'd felt out there. Despite my initial reluctance, swimming in the pond had been exhilarating—invigorating, even. And Harry had been so sweet about encouraging me, his enthusiasm contagious.

The sound of the shower door sliding open startled me out of my thoughts. I turned, water dripping into my eyes, to see Harry stepping in with me, completely naked, a playful grin tugging at his lips. My eyes studied his toned body, as if seeing it for the first time. He was carved by the Gods, it was the only logical explanation.

God...

He looks so good...

I could run my tongue over every single muscle on his body.

"Mind if I join?" he asked, though he was already inside, the steam clinging to his skin as he reached for me, shaking me from thoughts.

"Harry!" I laughed, both surprised and amused. "You could've waited for your turn."

"Could've, but didn't, and frankly, love, didn't wanna," he remarked, stepping closer, the heat of his body instantly replacing the chill lingering in mine. "Plus, I thought you might need a little help warming up," with a wiggle in his eyebrows.

Before I could protest, his hands were on me, warm and sure as they glided over my shoulders and down my arms. He reached for the body wash, squeezing a generous amount into his palm before lathering it between his hands.

"Turn around," he said softly, his voice low and intimate.

Yes, daddy, whatever you say...

I paused for only a second, just to compose myself, before I did as he asked, turning my back to him. His hands slid over my shoulders, working the suds into my skin with a gentleness that sent shivers—not from the cold—racing down my spine. He took his time, his fingers kneading the tension out of my muscles, trailing soap and warmth across my back, my arms, and down to my waist.

"Feel better?" he murmured, his breath warm against my ear.

"Mm-hmm," I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

​​"Relax," he murmured, his breath warm against the shell of my ear.

I closed my eyes, letting out a soft sigh as his hands traveled lower, tracing the curve of my spine before moving to my arms. His fingers lingered at my wrists, his touch firm but soothing, like he was trying to warm me from the inside out.

I'm warming up in different places...

"You're so tense," he said, his voice laced with quiet amusement. "Guess that wetsuit didn't help much, did it?"

I laughed softly, tilting my head forward as his hands moved to my waist, gliding over my sides in slow, sweeping strokes. "Maybe not. But it kept me from freezing completely, so I'd say it was worth it."

He chuckled, the sound low and intimate, and I felt his hands pause at my hips, his thumbs brushing the sensitive skin there in a way that sent heat pooling low in my stomach.

When I turned to face him again, the steam swirling around us, his eyes locked onto mine, dark and intense. The space between us seemed to vanish, and the air grew thick with something that felt electric, charged with a tension that made my pulse quicken.