I turned on the shower faucet in Tommy's private bathroom full blast—watching the steam rising from the falling spray as I discarded my clothes and stepped into the cascade with a resolute and satisfied sigh—reveling in the feel of warm water as it swept over my skin and hair in a comforting caress. I almost melted against the wall—gasping as the steam opened up the irritated passages in my lungs, and I scrubbed incessantly at the gritty feel on my skin that lying on a couch all day can sometimes make you feel.

I must have stood there forever because my fingers and toes were starting to wrinkle when I heard a sudden persistent 'bang' downstairs, and I jumped in startled apprehension as I grabbed a huge terry cloth towel off the wrack outside—folding it around me like a protective blanket before tying it firmly into a knot on the side. The banging started again, and I felt my body grow cold with dread at the loud persistence of it—realizing that if it had been someone I knew, then they would have called my cell phone to either wake me up or find out what I was doing. I tip-toed out of the stall, brushing my hair off of my shoulder as I rounded the corner of Tommy's bedroom, staring wide-eyed at the closed bedroom door as I tried to figure out if I should go down and find out who was knocking down below. An abrupt movement behind me made me shriek in alarm as a hand suddenly closed over my mouth, and I kicked ruthlessly at my invisible assailant as he grunted and groaned before wrestling me into a more submissive position.

"Be still, Jude. My wife just drove up, and I'm trying my best to pretend no one's home." Tommy said in a whisper from over my right shoulder, and I shivered as his breath fanned over my ear making the water droplets still glistening on my skin move chillingly down into the folds of my towel—a towel that became only a pathetic barrier between my modesty and the desire to just fling it aside in abandon. Geez, what was wrong with me? I squirmed insistently again, very uncomfortable with Tom's proximity as I held the towel desperately to my skin as if it were in some kind of danger of falling.

"Jude, you are so going to have to quit moving, sweetheart, or there will be definite hell to pay." Tom said in a husky growl as I grew suddenly deathly still—feeling the blood in my body move like fire through my veins at the restraint that I heard seeping though Tommy's tone.

"I know you're in there, Tom!" Justine shouted from down below as Tommy's arms wrapped more firmly around me in aggravation. I don't think he even noticed the proximity his sudden movements brought us in, but I was instantly very alert to the feel of his blue jeans pressing against the back of my towel as my back came to rest resolutely against his chest before his hand quickly fell silently to his side as he realized I wasn't in any danger of screaming anymore. No, I was in danger of doing oh so much more than that. And that had me standing rigid in both fear and expectation.

I think it was then that it clicked in Tommy's brain because I felt his arms loosen considerably as one of his hands rested suddenly on the middle of my stomach while his other hand came up to brush my hair to one side of my neck before standing in awe, it seemed, at the intimate position we suddenly found ourselves in. Oh God! I needed him. The knocking downstairs continued, but Tommy and I had all but blocked it out as he quickly and delicately ran one of his fingertips over my bare shoulder causing me to shiver as he followed that with the warm, insistent press of his lips. It felt forbidden somehow knowing that he was touching me like this as his wife knocked at the barricade down below, and although the thought should have disgusted me, it seemed to inflame me instead and I turned around slowly—letting my gaze meet with Tommy's dilated pupils in nervous anticipation. Tom shook his head in frustration, and I could see a raging battle being fought behind the reflection of his eyes as he plunged both his hands into the mound of wet hair that fell like a curtain down my back so that he could maneuver my head as his lips met with mine in a furious game of 'how close can I get." I bit back a moan as he lifted me suddenly—carrying me over to the bed in a varied tangle of loose limbs and twisted fingers as his hand crept up my thigh, playing with the hem of the towel in a frantic dance while fighting to keep himself from unknotting it to allow him access to what lay beneath. I didn't fight him as the material started to lift slowly, bunching up against my side as a sudden grating noise from down below suddenly broke into our concentration causing me to stare up in horror as I realized his wife must have figured out a way to get his front door open. Shit! What was I doing? Tommy and I separated instantly although his hand still rested against my thigh and I shifted restlessly as he fought to pull away from me—pointing in silence to his bathroom as he headed for his bedroom door with a sigh. I could barely move as I looked at the steamy bathroom with a numb feeling spreading throughout my limbs before I finally found the strength to march over to the door—closing it behind me with a resolute 'click' before sliding down the bathroom wall in resounding frustration. Maybe it was time I let Tommy know exactly what he meant to me. Maybe it was time for me to take that last forbidden step. On my own. Maybe darkness would give me the courage to do so.