Page 23 of Captive Heart

He disentangled her from all but a single blanket. "Hold onto that towel," he reminded her as he carried her effortlessly down the hallway and into another area of the club.

They passed several large rooms with big windows and curiosity had her trying to see inside, but they were all in darkness. All except the one he walked into, which looked like a bathroom…but not.

For a start, it was the biggest bathroom she had ever seen and, on top of that, one whole wall was made of glass, so anybody could see inside. The shower stall was big enough to fit at least half a dozen people in it, and a marble bench stretched along one side, which Micah sat her down on before taking back the towel and hanging it on a handy hook.

"As much as I'd like to give you some privacy, I need to check these abrasions are cleaned properly and that you don't pass out while you're in here. I hope you're okay with that?"

Melody blinked at him, perplexed. He was her master, so she would do whatever he wished. Why was he asking her?

She remembered he kept telling her she had choices. She didn't really know what that meant. Did he mean this? Did it matter?

He had been more than nice to her and treated her kindly, so she didn't have a problem with him seeing or using her body for his pleasure. He seemed disinclined to beat her and he wasn't even forcing her.

Besides, she owed him more than she would ever be able to repay.

"It's not a problem," she told him honestly. Heck, she might even enjoy the feel of his body: He was pretty easy on the eyes after all.

Dutifully, she pulled the blanket from around her and passed it to Micah, so he could put it somewhere dry, then she waited quietly whilst he got undressed.

The muscles he uncovered as his clothes came off had her eyes widening. She had known he was well built; it was difficult to miss. But naked, except for a pair of body-hugging boxer shorts, he was something else again and she felt a shiver of some completely alien sensation shoot an arrow of heat into the pit of her belly.

Oh, damn! She hoped all that food she'd been given wasn't going to make her sick. She'd eaten far more than she was used to having.

Melody frowned. No, it wasn't nausea she was feeling.

She couldn't help staring as he stepped in front of her and started adjusting the many knobs and sprays in the almost futuristic, all singing, all dancing shower.

Micah's body was unlike any she had ever seen before. She wasn’t a good judge of age, but she thought Micah was probably a similar age as the brute, as she had decided to think of him. Somewhere around his mid-thirties. The brute had been broad but was lazy and had been developing the first signs of a paunch although it was possible he was a few years older than Micah. Daddy had been kind of saggy and cuddly, but then he'd also been much older than even her real father would have been. Even the boys at her co-ed foster home had been pale and skinny. Not that she'd ever seen this much of them, but they had liked to strut around with their shirts off like they were something.

Micah was naturally tanned despite his fair hair, and his muscles were so big, they bulged! His abdomen was rippled… Was that what people called a six pack?

Because there were definitely more than six! More like eight.

His thighs were thick in a way that was completely foreign even though his waist was narrow, and his butt was tight, and his pecs were so defined that Melody thought they were probably bigger than her own non-existent breasts!

If Micah was uncomfortable with her frank perusal, he didn't mention it, even though Melody felt her face heat a little at being caught staring. Still, the intrigue with his impressive musculature overrode her embarrassment, even when he raised a single amused eyebrow.

"Can you teach me how to get some muscles?" she blurted, squeezing her own skinny biceps.

"The first thing we need to do with you is get some meat on your bones, but once you've gained a decent amount of weight, I can help you improve your muscle tone. It wouldn't be safe to do that until we've managed to get you to a healthy body weight, though."

He grinned at her then and Melody felt her heart give an unexpected stutter. He was just so beautiful. Although she guessed boys—men—didn't like to be called beautiful. But so far, that was exactly how he seemed, beautiful on the inside as well as the outside.

She hoped that never changed. She really wanted to find some faith in mankind, and so far, Micah was helping her believe. She really hoped it wasn't all a lie.

As Melody shook herself out of her reverie, she realised he was still talking.

"Although, once we've fattened you up a bit…" he paused and grimaced, like he’d just realised how those words might sound. "Sorry, that didn't come out right!"

Melody giggled at his perceived predicament. Words didn’t hurt her. She’d heard a thousand times worse, and discovered years ago that anything people said was the least of her worries. But she knew Micah wasn’t trying to be mean. He was just adorably flustered, trying to say the right thing.

Giggling again in delight, she started in surprise. It was a sound foreign to her own ears. But oh, it was good to feel light and free enough to laugh.

"Umm, anyway," Micah continued. "Once we've, umm, done that, it would probably be beneficial to improve your musculature. I'd guess yours have wasted somewhat with such severe weight loss, but don't worry, I know where there's a good gym."

He winked then, and Melody felt that funny little kick in her stomach again.

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