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C L A I R E

I hear the creak of the bathroom door opening and my heart skips a beat. The shower above my head is pouring hot but the sound of my heartbeat is the one that drums in my ears. There is the rustle of clothes and I inhale a breath, knowing that he is undressed when his footsteps head towards the shower cubicle, its structure the only barrier between us.

"Stop," I say and he halts.

"Changed your mind, nemesis?" His deep voice greets my ears. It sounds hotter inside the bathroom, echoing in the quietness.

"No," I answer. "Turn around first and then step in."

A disgruntled groan leaves him and I turn my neck slightly to find him following my orders. His sturdy back enters the shower as he steps inside. It takes all of my self-control to not move my eyes down his body when the water from the shower hits him, making a deep sigh of relief slip past his lips.

We stand under the shower in silence and I reach for the body wash kept on a little shelf. I put some liquid over my palm before handing the bottle to him. He takes it without looking back while I turn off the shower for the time being.

"Say something," he speaks suddenly. "I don't like the silence."

A smile plays on my lips as I spread the body wash over my body, relishing the feeling of its lavender smell. I always loved lavender. It is one of my favorite scents.

"How about we play a game?" I say, moving my fingers to the nape of my neck. "How about a game of Truth or Dare?"

"Okay."

"You go first." I move my soapy fingers down my body and close my eyes when they touch my wet sex. "Truth or dare, Jackson?"

"Truth."

"Who is Kendall?" I ask the first question that pops into my mind.

He laughs. "Still stuck on her? Should I assume you're jealous?"

"Assumptions are fatal, Jackson," I reply. "Be careful about them."

"She was one of my fuck buddies." The sound of a low moan from him travels to my ears and I have the sudden urge to see what he is up to.

Control, Claire.

"Was?"

"I told you I wouldn't sleep with another while we're married," he reminds me, his voice throaty and low. "Your turn, truth or dare?"

I finish scrubbing my body and reach for the shower knob to turn it on again. Water bursts on top of us as I close my eyes and wash my body of the slickness.

"Dare," I answer.

"Kiss me, Claire." My breath catches my throat when I hear him. "Kiss me like you want me."

Silence follows his words as I let them sink into my mind. We are under the shower together — naked and drenched — and all I can think about is giving in. I want to see what will happen if I surrender to our attraction.

Without hesitation, I turn around and find myself facing his back. He is broad and muscular. Every inch of him speaks of strength and power. I touch his back and he tilts his head up, closing his eyes and groaning as I trail my forefinger down his spinal cord, his skin burning hot under my touch but I am the one who gets goosebumps as I move further down. I stop at the end of it, seeking a peek at his strong thighs.

"Turn around," I say and he does.

Water drips from his dark hair, his eyelashes, and his square-cut jaw as he looks at me with those magnetic eyes, taking in every inch of my bare skin.

"Fuck," he curses as he drinks in my appearance, his Adam's apple bobbing.

I put my hands flat on his chest as the water keeps wetting us. His heartbeats are just as quick as mine. I move closer and his jaw clenches. I move my hands up to his hair and in the next instant, I have pulled his head down to place my lips on his.

I kiss him like I want him — raw, wild, needy. He tastes of sweetness and sourness, lightness and darkness, and everything in between. He grabs my waist and presses me hard against his chest, a feral groan escaping his throat as he parts my lips and invades my mouth with his tongue.

I moan loudly as our tongues clash and we are exploding in passion. I feel his hard manhood pressing against my inner thigh and can't stop myself as I roll my hips against his, enjoying the feel of him. He pushes me against the wall, his fingers clutching my hair, untying the bun, and letting my wet hair fall loosely over my shoulders.

"Damn it, Claire," he whispers as he pulls away for a second and touches my lips with his thumb before claiming my mouth again. Kissing Vaughn feels like getting a ticket to hell, except this hell is a lot like heaven.

I trace the shape of his marvelous face, admiring the sharp edges as we keep kissing and sucking at each other's mouths. He is so delicious, so heavenly. I might just end up breaking all my barriers for him if I don't stop now.

So, I stop.

I push him away from me and lean my head against the wall behind me, trying to calm my breathing down. He looks at me as he pants for breaths too.

"Truth or Dare, Jackson?" I ask, heaving loudly.

His chest moves up and down as he breathes hard. The drops of water falling on him make him look like a Greek God.

Ares, Hades, Eros...name him and he is him.

He runs his fingers through his hair, closing his eyes and parting his lips to drink in the water.

"Dare," he answers, without looking at me.

"Jackson..." I smirk. "I dare you to make me come."

He opens his eyes all at once and looks at me, surprise claiming his perfect face. Slowly, a corner of his lips lifts to a cunning smile and I am left speechless when he gets down on his knees before me.

His hands are on my thighs and he places a kiss on the space above my sex. His lips are so hot that I feel my core aching with need. He moves a hand down to the back of my knee and I gasp as he lifts my leg over his shoulder, leaving me open between his lips. He buries his nose between my legs, inhaling the scent of me and I close my eyes, shivering all over.

"Hands on the wall," he orders, his hot breath fanning my clit and I oblige, pressing my hands to the wall above my head.

He presses his lips fully on my clit and I moan in pleasure. "Vaughn..."

I feel his lips curve to a smile between my legs before he plants his mouth on my sex, beginning to suck on it. I cry out in need, my hands leaving the wall as they reach for his hair, grabbing it tightly in fists. He sucks and licks my clit, teasing the bundle of nerves with his tongue. His hands move to my ass, grabbing tight as he coils my leg over his shoulder, parting me even further for him, urging me to tighten my grip, to pull him closer and closer.

"You taste even better than I dreamed of, Claire," he breathes, his voice low and raspy. "I'll fuck you with my tongue until you come all over my mouth."

"Oh, God!" I scream when he plunges his tongue inside me, curling it inwardly in such a way that the tip brushes my wall.

He fucks me with his tongue, earning moans and cries from me. I am shaking within his hold, melting like putty at his mercy. As I find something intense building inside my stomach, he puts two fingers inside me, hitting all the right spots as he takes turns in fucking me with both his fingers and tongue alternatively. I bite the back of my hand, tears coming out from the corners of my eyes. I am breathless, panting and moaning loudly. I have never had someone eat me like this before and little did I expect him to follow my dare.

Mason did go down on me once but he was nothing like Vaughn. He was too quick, too sloppy, too unimpressive. Vaughn is completely different. He is taking his time with me. Dragging me to the edge of release and then pulling back again until he has me craving for him.

He is on his knees before me and I am the one who feels like the defeated one in our game.

"Oh my God...Vaughn!" I wail as he bites my nub lightly, sending jolts of current through me.

The need in my stomach intensifies, building to such a pressure that I shatter against his lips, drenching his mouth with my juices. I roll my eyes and see stars as he continues fucking me through my orgasm, not stopping for a second and sucking me like a beast who has just found his food after being starved for so long.

When he finally lets go, my knees give out and I slide down the wall, sitting on the tiled floor. I open my eyes and find him with his fingers, the one he had inside me moments ago, in his mouth as he looks at me while he sucks on them. He cleans his fingers of my juices and gets up with a wicked look dancing in his irises.

I watch him breathlessly as he walks over to a cabinet under the basin, stark naked. He opens it and pulls out a white bathrobe, unfolding it and wearing it with his back turned to me.

"Won't you shower again?" I ask, covering myself with my arms as I pull my knees to my chest, still panting hard.

He turns around while tying the belts of the robe around his waist.

"And risk losing the taste of you on my tongue?" He smirks before walking over to the door. "Not so soon, nemesis."

He winks at me before stepping out and leaving me alone in deliriousness.