I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 73

Hayden stayed in the bathroom for a solid hour and a half.

When he finally emerged, he was surrounded by steam, shirtless, with a towel slung low around his hips and water dripping from his damp hair.

The mist clung to his bare chest, highlighting his carved abs and the sharp v-lines disappearing beneath the towel. He was pure, unadulterated temptation.

Zoe was still sound asleep on the bed. He walked over and pressed the back of his hand against her forehead.

Thank God, no fever.

Hayden dried himself off, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the woman.

She was sleeping so peacefully, completely unaware of the absolute agony she was putting him through.

Beneath the thin sheets, Zoe shifted slightly, lost in some dream.

The moonlight streaming through the window bathed her in a soft, silvery glow, making her radiant complexion look almost ethereal.

Hayden froze, his breathing turning ragged.

He had just taken a cold shower, yet one tiny movement from her was enough to send a jolt of raw desire straight to his groin.

This woman was born to torture him.

He reached out and tapped her cheek gently, but Zoe didn't stir, showing zero signs of waking up.

His gaze darkened. He grabbed the glass of water from the nightstand and downed it in one gulp. The thick veins in his arms popped against his skin, barely containing the raging heat inside him as he tried to temper his lust.

Throwing back the covers, Hayden hesitated for a moment before pulling one of his white T-shirts out and carefully maneuvering it onto Zoe.

Hayden felt a sudden rush of warmth in his nose. Wiping it with his right hand, he saw a smear of dark crimson on his palm.

"Little witch."

He cursed under his breath, exasperated, and trudged right back into the bathroom.

When he came out again, Hayden turned off the lights entirely.

Ignoring how angelic she looked in the pale moonlight, he dragged her firmly against his chest.

In that split second of hesitation, Hayden seized the opportunity and pinned her flat against the mattress.

"You're injured, yet you still have the energy to assault me?"

When she had collapsed in the rain, she hadn't dared to watch the fight between Hayden and Hunter.

She had no idea Hunter was skilled enough to dislocate Hayden's joint. Clearly, her worries were misplaced.

"Hmph."

A cold snort escaped Hayden.

He shackled her wrists and pinned them above her head.

Just as Zoe raised her knee to kick, her eyes caught his bandaged arm. A fleeting surge of sympathy slowed her down, giving Hayden the edge he needed to lock her completely in place.

Finally snapping back to reality, Zoe spat out, her face burning crimson.