“I shouldn’t have gotten my hair wet,” she said, frowning at her reflection in the steamed-up mirror. “It’ll be a nightmare to deal with tomorrow.”

Nah, my imagination isn’t good enough to add details like that.

“Same. My hair will be a bush in the morning, and I don’t even have a comb.”

She smiled, turning away from her own image to lick a stray drop of water from his shoulder. “You’ll be cute anyway.”

“Glad you think so.”

He had a quiet idea about sweeping her off her feet, but he didn’t trust himself on slippery tiles, so he waited until she left the bathroom, and then he swooped, carrying her to bed like a bride. But he didn’t stop there, and they bounced onto the bed together, ending up in an untidy sprawl atop the white comforter.

Leanne pulled back enough to scramble beneath the covers because the air con was set to chill. He burrowed in after her and chucked his towel; she did the same. The lights were on low, and he rolled onto his side to gaze into her eyes, content to let her lead. Everything about tonight had been her idea, after all, and he hadn’t been disappointed once. In fact, this was the best night he’d had since—

No, don’t do it. Don’t. You’re happy right now, for fuck’s sake.

But his brain refused to listen and completed the thought anyway. Since Sarah dumped me for good. Sometimes Trev imagined there was an enemy living in his head, one who gloried in reminding him of painful memories every time he inched closer to not hating himself, every time the misery abated.

Leanne must’ve noticed something in his expression because her brows drew together, and she touched his cheek lightly. “You okay?”

He’d answered that question so many times. Breezily, lying through his teeth. Yeah, I’m good. No worries. Everything’s fine.

But, for some reason, he couldn’t be that guy tonight. Not with her. The simple deception wouldn’t come, even though he knew the script by heart. It was all about reassuring other people, setting them at ease, because if he told the truth, they’d be scared shitless of what he might do.

“No,” he said. “I’m not. I haven’t been in a really long time, and I don’t know why I’m telling you this, because it’s nothing to do with you.”

“You want to talk about it?” The offer surprised him. “Sometimes it’s easier to open up to a stranger than someone you’ve known your whole life. I don’t have any preconceptions about who you’re supposed to be.”

“You wanted to go for round two, not listen to my problems,” Trev said softly.