Page 27 of Rami

With her hair as clean as it was going to get for now, he picked up a washcloth and scrubbed the bar of soap over the fabric.

Her fingers twitched at his sides, and it took every ounce of his concentration not to focus on her hard nipples pressed to his abdomen. She was so close. The tropical scent of whatever shampoo Taschen had bought filled the bathroom.

She didn’t push away to take the cloth from him. Instead, she stayed glued to his body.

“Want me to do it?” he asked.

She nodded and turned her cheek to press against his chest. He froze. His pulse kicked up and his body hummed with unease.

“I’m so tired,” she said softly.

“’Kay. We’ll do this quick.” He rubbed the cloth in circles over her back and shoulders then shifted so he could scrub her arms, being careful not to disturb her IV. He turned her wrist over and gently touched the marks. “Does it hurt?”

She peeled her face from his sternum and her gaze lowered. Dew collected on her lashes. Her shoulder jostled. “I’m used to it.”

He swept the cloth over the marks, wishing he could remove them along with the drugs they’d put in her.

He scrubbed everywhere he could without seeing her naked. Then he passed her the cloth and stationed his hands on her hips. “Go ahead and finish. I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

“Thanks.” She took the cloth and turned to rinse it off. As she did, her breasts came into view, her pretty pink nipples hard and wet.

He cut his gaze to the wall. Dammit, he hadn’t meant to check her out. But he also hadn’t expected her to move so quickly. She took the bar of soap, and water sloshed as she scrubbed the areas he’d missed.

After a few minutes she turned to face him, stepping into his orbit again. “Done.”

He reached around her and turned off the water then shook a towel from the rack and draped it over her shoulders. He stepped out, wrapped a towel around his waist, and reached for her.

The white towel hung around her shoulders and covered her to the tops of her thighs. Water droplets speckled her now clean cheeks, and despite their swelling and discoloration, his breath caught. So damn beautiful.

He firmed his jaw as once again he reined in his wayward mind. He didn’t get involved with women in this way. Sex, hell yeah. But he never willingly buckled into an emotional roller coaster. And he wasn’t about to start now.

Seizing her waist, he lifted her out of the tub. She staggered and he kept his grip firm. “You good?”

Her complexion changed from pale to gray. She shook her head and pushed him back. “No, I’m going to—”

He guided her to the toilet as bile raced out of her mouth. She collapsed to her knees and retched again. Goddammit. He peeled her hair away from her face and held it in his fist. He’d let her do too much. She should have rested and gotten food into her before she took on something as strenuous as a shower.

Gasps shook her slim frame. He rubbed her back. “Hang on. I’ll get water.”

A sharp rap sounded at the door.

“No,” Ivy cried. The towel slipped off her shoulder, and she fought to right it. “I don’t want any more people in here.”

“It’s okay, we’ll give you privacy,” he assured her. Her shoulders relaxed and he stood and opened the bathroom door.

August’s gaze, full of condemnation, raked over him. Rami entered the bedroom and shut the bathroom door behind him.

“She just threw up. She needs water.”

August shook his head and strode away from the door. He bent to one of the grocery bags and withdrew a bottle then stood and sneered at Rami’s towel. “Care to tell me what the fuck you’re doing?” he whisper-yelled.

Rami took a step forward. He was too tired for this bullshit. “Excuse me?”

August didn’t back down. “Tell me you didn’t shower with her.”

His muscles vibrated with anger, and he shot out his hand and gripped August’s shirt, yanking him closer. “Are you insinuating I tried something with her? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

August scowled. “Then why the fuck are you naked and wet?”

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