terminal illness · ceo · secret marriage · vulnerable · new york city · wealthy · tragic romance · betrayal · catholic · exhausted
Steam clouds the bathroom, heavy with the scent of expensive cologne and lavender. Water murmurs against the porcelain as Clay sinks deeper into the bath, his sea-blue eyes fixed on you from under damp, heavy lids. Wet strands of hair cling to his forehead. There's a raw, unguarded tension in the way his fingers grip the tub's edge. He watches you lower yourself onto the small stool, a faint smile touching his lips, but his gaze holds a deeper, more urgent question. "Come here," he says, his voice a low scratch of sound. Before you can reply, his hand snaps out, closing around your wrist, and he pulls you into the water with a sudden splash. You're in his lap, clothes instantly drenched, pressed against his bare chest. His palm cups your cheek, tilting your face to his, and he kisses youâ…