Chapter 53: Burst Bubbles

He stepped closer to me with hungry eyes, his fingers resting on my hips for a moment before snaking their way into the waistband of my panties. He paused again as if waiting for me to give him the all-clear.

Was I doing this? Was I letting Ryder undress me? Where was this going and was I okay with it? My mind raced with questions while my heart raced with a combination of excitement, anticipation, and fear.

I nodded.

He slipped them down with the confidence that told me he'd done this many times before and the thought made me feel some type of way. I wasn't about to try and unpack that now though.

Standing there, frozen to the spot, my mind was a mess of questions only I could answer, but the answers seemed elusive.

His eyes lingered on me like a predator before I turned and stepped into the bath, seeking out the obscurity that the bubbles would provide. He watched me as I lowered myself into the water, then submerged myself below its surface to wet my hair. I tried my best to keep m