The hot water ran down her body. Sluicing over the supple curves. She hummed as she worked the soap into her skin. It had been a cold day at work; she had almost frozen her fingers off walking around the park.
Her job was enjoyable enough despite the cold. She was a tour guide in New York, which made no sense as she wasn't a local. Having moved to the country on a whim from England, Amelia had tried numerous jobs: waitressing, check-out chick, nothing had stuck. But she had always been a good conversationalist and her memory for odd facts had helped her land her current job, showing other newbies around the city's most famous Central Park. She had also quickly learned that a few coy glances could help men part with a generous tip. She knew she was attractive and she used it to her best advantage, flirting and suggestive looks could get her a twenty from most men, some women too.
Today had been the coldest since she'd moved across the ocean, and the moment her last tour had finished she'd raced home and hopped in the shower. Her roommate said she'd be out for the night, so she'd have the whole apartment to herself, and she intended to make good use of the peace. First a long hot soaking shower, and then she planned to sit down in front of the tele and binge her favourite cable shows.
She squirted a large dollop of shampoo into her hand and started to work it into her thick dark hair, humming all the while.
"Damn," she cursed as the stinging soap got in her eyes. Squeezing them shut she pushed her head back into the water to rinse. Sometimes when she had her eyes closed for too long, she irrationally imagined she felt someone watching her. It was stupid, really, but the price of an overactive imagination. She told herself she should stop reading those gothic novels.
This time though when she opened her eyes and saw another pair watching her from the other side of the shower glass, she squealed.
"Casper!" she scolded her roommate's white cat. It mewled and pawed against the glass. The stupid thing had pushed open the bathroom door and jumped up on the counter on the other side of the shower glass.
"Go along! I can't do anything for you in here."
The cat mewled again before jumping down and running out the door. She should really close it again but the lock was gammy, and it would just keep creeping open again. She went back to washing her hair and ignored it. That was a big mistake.
She turned into the spray to wash the last of the conditioner out of her hair when she heard the door creak again. Bloody cat, she thought to herself and didn't turn to look. She'd probably used enough of the hot water anyway, so she turned the taps and cut her shower short, at least her roommate wouldn't grumble about having a cold shower.
She stood there for a moment and let the last of the water run off her body. She pushed her hair back and squeezed out the last of the water. She sighed and swiped at her closed eyes, she was tired. Perhaps she'd best have an early night?
Before the thought had even settled in her mind, the glass shower-screen door opened, letting in the shock of cool air. A pair of hands grasped her shoulders and turned her, pushing her against the tiled shower wall.
She squealed at the intrusion. Her feet slipped underneath her on the slick floor as she attempted to wriggle away. A large warm grip settled around her throat, and she felt someone make a fist in her hair.
"Calm down." The deeply spoken words were a command, but she didn't heed it. Slipping and sliding, whimpering and yelling, trying to claw the stranger's hand away from her neck.
"You best calm down, or something worse will happen than what is to come."
She froze. It was a man's voice, deep, and with an American accent. She thought she had heard it before but she couldn't be sure.
"Good girl." His praise made her heart thump louder in her chest, she was sure he could hear it.
"What do you want with me?" She spoke into the tiles in front of her. His grip around her throat wasn't painful but it prevented her from turning her head.
His other hand left her damp hair and curled around her waist. His skin was rough, his palms felt calloused against her delicate flesh. He raised his touch to her breast and squeezed. She yipped, trying to draw back, but she only managed to step back into a solid wall of warm muscle. She could tell he wasn't wearing a shirt. His skin was warm, and his chest had to be twice as broad as her back.
He pressed her wet naked body closer to him and she could feel coarse fabric rubbing against her ass. He moved closer and breathed in her ear. "What do you think?" he answered her.
"Please," she whimpered, her fear making her shake, "let me go."