“I need a bath,” I muttered.
“I’ll run one for you.”
“Alexander, I can-
“No.” He was already moving toward the bathroom. “I’m not leaving you alone, remember? That includes when you’re bathing.”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “You can’t be serious.”
“Completely serious.” He turned on the water, adjusting the temperature. “You’re injured and drugged and traumatized. I’m not taking any chances.”
“But I can’t… You can’t just…” I struggled to find the words. The idea of Alexander seeing me naked and vulnerable in the bath-again-made my heart race for reasons that had nothing to do with fear.
“E.” He turned to face me, and there was something in his green eyes that made my breath catch. “I’ve seen you naked before, remember? We’re even.’
The reference to that night in the bathtub weeks ago made my face burn even hotter, but I couldn’t deny the logic. Still, this felt different. More intimate somehow.
“Fine,” I finally murmured, looking away as if that would somehow hide the crimson flush to my face. “But you have to promise not to look.”
“I promise to be a perfect gentleman.”
That didn’t make me feel any better.
But when I tried to stand up to undress, my legs gave outpletely. Alexander caught me before I could hit the floor, his strong arms wrapping around my waist.
“Okay,” I breathed, suddenly understanding just how much I needed his help. “Okay.”
Alexander was true to his word about being a gentleman. He helped me out of my ruined dress and into the warm bath with his eyes carefully averted, then knelt beside the tub and picked up
the hairb.
The hot water felt like heaven against my battered skin. I sank into it with a sigh, letting it wash away the dirt and fear and the lingering scent of that horrible man
I shut my eyes and felt his gentle fingers in my hair, working out the twigs and leaves that had gotten tangled there during my desperate flight rough the forest. His touch was incredibly soft, and before I could stop it, a soft moan of enjoyment slipped out of me.
My eyes shot open, and I pped my hand over my mouth. “That wasn’t
“Shh,” Alexander cut me off, still working at my hair. “Just enjoy it.
My heart thrummed, but I did as he ordered. I shut my eyes and leaned back against the tub again. Warm water poured over my scalp, and the scent of cherry and vani washed over me as he began to gently wash my hair with shampoo.
For those moments, I forgot about everything else. The kidnapping, the fear, the fact that I was dying. There was only Alexander’s gentle touch and the warm water and the feeling of beingpletely, utterly safe for the first time in months.
My wolf remained frustratingly silent, but somehow I felt better anyway. Stronger. But surely that was just in my head.
When the water began to cool, Alexander helped me out and wrapped me in a fluffy towel. He’d brought me a clean nightgown from the dresser, and he turned away while I dried off and slipped it on.
“Better?” he asked once I was dressed and dry.
I nodded, suddenly exhausted. The adrenaline had worn offpletely now, leaving me feeling deted like a balloon that lost its air.
Alexander seemed to sense my fatigue. He guided me back to the bed and pulled back the covers, waiting while I climbed in. The sheets felt cool and soft against my skin, and I sank into the mattress with a soft groan of relief.
But when Alexander started to move toward the chair by the window, panic red in my chest. I couldn’t be alone right now. I couldn’t close my eyes and risk seeing that man’s face, feeling
his hands on me.
Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed Alexander’s wrist.
“Stay,” I whispered, “Please. Hold me.”
Alexander went very still, just staring down at our joined hands.
I suddenly felt foolish, and quickly dropped his wrist as my cheeks turned crimson again,” Never mind. You don’t have to-”
But before I could finish, Alexander gently lifted the covers and waved his hand, “Scooch over”
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