Nicole takes a shower

Nicole stepped into the bathroom, the air smelling of damp towels and lemon bleach. She peeled off her blouse, the fabric clinging to her skin, then stepped out of her bra and panties.

Her slender frame shivered in the sudden draft before she slid behind the frosted glass of the shower. She twisted the handle, and a torrent of scalding water erupted, hammering against her shoulders. Steam billowed instantly, transforming the room into a white, humid blur that obscured the mirror.

She closed her eyes, letting the heat scrub away the Residue of Mr. Jefferson, the water tracing the curve of her spine.

The bathroom door creaked open, the sound cutting through the hiss of the spray.

"Hey, Nic, I couldn't find those—"

Nicole shrieked, her hands flying up to cover her breasts, though the water blurred the silhouette of her body against the glass. Daniel stood in the doorway, frozen. His gaze swept down her dripping curves, lingering on the dip of her waist and the swell of her hips before snapping back to her wide, panicked eyes.

"Daniel! What the hell are you doing?" she yelled over the roar of the shower.

"I thought you were brushing your Teeth!" he exclaimed, though he didn't move. "The door was unlocked."

"Get out! Now!"

Daniel blinked, a slow, crooked grin spreading across his face. He didn't turn around immediately. "I didn't know you were so... lean. The steam makes you look like a ghost."

"Is that your way of saying I'm naked? Get out!"

"I'm going, I'm going," he chuckled, finally stepping back into the hall. "But for the record, sis, you've definitely grown up."

The door clicked shut, leaving Nicole gasping. She leaned her forehead against the cold tile, her heart drumming a frantic rhythm. The water continued to pour over her, but the heat now felt like it was radiating from her own skin.