36 Good Night 2 (2/2)

”Do you mean that?” Ash asked him quietly.

Hunter's panic went from a hard 10 to a less than average 4. She still hadn't said ”I love you” back, but at least she was speaking to him.

”I mean it. I love you,” he said.

Ash rose from the bed and wiped her eyes.

”I'm going to take a shower,” she said. She climbed off the bed and headed for the bathroom.

Hunter covered his face with his hands and groaned into his palms. She didn't say it back! He told her he loved her and she went to take a shower? Did she do that just to leave the room? Did his words make her feel dirty?

As the sound of running shower water rushed into his ears, he flipped over onto his stomach and buried his face into the pillow. [Maybe it's my turn to cry now,] he thought dejectedly. He wished so hard that he could take his words back.

The sound of the water finally stopped and he heard Ash moving around in the bathroom. She was going to come out soon and he needed to decide whether he would stay in the guesthouse with her or slink back to his room in the main house with his tail between his legs. It was so embarrassing, being shot down like that. He turned his face away from the bathroom door.

The bathroom door opened and closed. He listened to the sound of Ash's feet padding on the floor going toward the bed. He squeezed his eyes shut, thinking to pretend that he was asleep. Ash sat down next to him on the bed. He felt her skin on the tips of his fingers and immediately whirled around to look at her.

She was sitting naked on his bed.