Chapter 72

• Howard peeled the towel from his waist, the cool air immediately brushing his heated skin as he stepped beneath the roaring cascade of the shower.
• Howard closed his eyes, willing the steady rush of water to wash away the relentless image of Charlotte from his mind. But the moment he shut them, her face surfaced vividly—the way she had looked at him, the heat of her breath, the feel of her close beneath him. Every detail of that closeness ignited a fire deep inside, defying his efforts to push her away.
• The space between desire and restraint is tightening like a drawn wire. He fought to clear the thoughts swirling through his mind, but Charlotte's presence clung stubbornly, refusing to fade in the steam and spray.