Unforgettable by Shanna Vollentine

muscles slacken and I let out a deep breath. A second later I jolted upright as I heard a pounding on the door.
      “Jules, are you okay in there?” I sat up and covered my breasts instinctively.
      “Yeah, I’m fine I’m just going to lie here a while.”
      “You’ve been in there for over an hour, babe.” An hour?   I had just sat down. I then noticed the water was barely tepid. It had been scorching hot just a moment ago. Crap, am I passing out now, too?
      “I’m getting out in a second. Thanks, I didn’t realize how long I’d been in here.”
      “Okay, call me if you need anything.”
      “Okay.” I waited until I heard him walk away before standing up and grabbing a towel off of the rack. I wrapped it around myself and stepped out and onto the rug as I looked at myself in the big mirror over the vanity. I still had the bruise on my cheek, of course, but my eyes seemed clearer than they had at the hospital. I started drying myself off and caught a glimpse of something on my back. There was a drawing of a flower on my shoulder. I turned in towards the mirror and looked closer. It was a tattoo.
      “Oh my god!” I must have been out of my mind or drunk or something. I rubbed at it, but it didn’t budge.
      “What’s wrong? What happened?” Ethan’s voice carried through the door a second later. What was he doing, skulking around in the hallway?
      “I’ve got a tattoo,” I told him in some outrage.
      “I know. I was there when you got it. I think it looks nice.”
      “I’ve never wanted a tattoo. What made me get this?” Perhaps it had been a dare; I never could pass up a dare.
      “You got it after you quit the restaurant. It was your symbol of a new beginning. That’s why the bud is still opening. You thought about it a long time before I drew it for you.”   I stood there, thinking about that for a moment. I turned more fully to look at the design. It was nice. Beautiful really, now that the shock was starting to wear off.
      I suddenly remembered I was standing there in a towel and that I hadn’t brought any clothes in with me. I searched through my bag but everything in there was dirty. Sanity returned and I opened up the cupboard where my robe was hanging. Thankfully, I still kept it there.
      “Are you okay?” In my nakedness panic, I had forgotten that I hadn’t said anything in response to him. Again.
      “Yeah, I was just trying to get dressed. I’ll be right out.” I hurriedly pulled on my robe. I knew it was mine because it was silky and had flowers on it, but it wasn’t the same one I remembered from a couple of days ago. Again, I was just rolling with the punches. It was like staying in someone else’s house when you weren’t planning on it and having to borrow their things. It felt foreign. I tied it around my waist and opened the door. Ethan was still standing there, looking concerned, so I just gave him a weak smile and pushed past him to go to my bedroom.
      I opened the closet and stopped dead. It was stuffed. All my clothes were pushed to one side and the other side was taken up by men’s clothing. Stacks of jeans were on the shelves, and shoes were lined up along the entire floor area. My heart thumped hard against my breastbone. Everywhere I turned I was faced with the knowledge that I shared my life with Ethan. My mind just refused to accept it.  

Chapter Six

      I grabbed a pair of black yoga pants off the shelf and snatched a red tee shirt before walking over to my dresser to grab a fresh pair of panties. I pulled open my underwear drawer only to encounter stacks of folded boxer briefs in various colors. I reached down to touch them but jerked my hand back at the last second. That was just wrong. Clearly I am the pervert. Who runs their fingers over someone’s underwear?
      I opened the drawer that used to be for my night wear. Bingo. Panties were staring back at me this time. I grabbed the first pair I saw and put them on. I