Page 63 of Savage Game
She pulled in a breath. He loves me and wants to keep me safe. His discomfort means nothing to him when it means preventing me from getting hurt.
Slowly he bobbed his head. “And now you understand, kitten? Finally, realize how much you mean to me?”
It was her turn to nod. “I do,” she said, her voice turning husky. “And I love you, too.” Her gaze dropped to the bruise.
Without a word, he handed her a tube of arnica salve and a small brown bottle from the first aid kit.
“I recognize the salve, but what’s in the bottle?”
“It’s Frankincense essential oil; add a drop to the salve.”
“Seriously?”
“Believe me, it’s the best.”
She squeezed a dollop of salve on her index finger and added a drop of the oil before carefully dabbing it on the bruise. Although the injury upset her and she was bone tired, she didn’t miss the broad expanse of his back and the rippling of muscles. He really was a beautiful man, inside and out.
“Done!” After she recapped the bottle and tube and washed her hands, Byron lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed where he arranged them with her leg propped up over his hip.
29
Day Twenty-Nine
“Hold on a second,” Byron said.
Charlotte had turned to question him on the order when she realized he was speaking on his phone as he returned to the office. He tossed the phone on top of his desk, and she squealed when she found herself being separated from the floor as her Master simply scooped her off her feet. The folder she’d been about to slide into its place in the file cabinet was plucked from her hand and tossed onto a nearby chair.
“What are you doing?” she asked as she slipped her arms around his neck.
“You’re still favoring your ankle.” He carried her around his desk. Settling her on his lap, he took her foot in his hand, easing off her shoe and gently wrapping his fingers around her ankle.
Her heart hitched at the thought of all she was going to miss when she left tomorrow. She couldn’t care less about the penthouse, drivers, five-star restaurants, designer clothing, or the balance of his bank account. This was all that mattered. A man who honestly cared about her, who saw things she didn’t even notice herself. A man whose simple touch could make her body heat whether he was massaging her ankle or stroking his fingers over her nakedness.
“How does it feel?”
His question jolted her back to the moment. “Fabulous,” she replied drowsily, and at his chuckle, realized he was asking about her ankle and not the massage. “It’s fine, really.” She rotated her foot as if to add to the veracity of her statement. “How’s your back?”
“It’s okay.”
She narrowed her eyes at his non-committal answer, doubting it was entirely true. She’d seen the discoloration of the bruising when he’d dressed that morning. Instead of calling him out though, she gestured to the phone that he seemed to have forgotten. “Who’s on the phone?”
“Your lawyer.”
She smacked his shoulder. “And you put her on hold? Are you crazy! Don’t lawyers charge like a zillion dollars a minute?”
Byron chuckled. “More like a hundred, but I wanted you to hear this. Ready?”
Not really. But what she said was, “I guess I’m going to have to become used to speaking with her, so I suppose I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Relax, everything is going to be fine.” He bent to brush his lips over hers. He proved he honestly didn’t care about the pending legal bill as he didn’t pull away for several minutes. When he finally released her, it was her turn to have forgotten the phone until he punched some buttons and Charlotte saw another desk come into view. This one had an attractive middle-aged woman sitting behind it.
“Okay, Daniella, Charlotte has joined us, so you can fill us both in.” Byron tightened his arm around her when she attempted to rise off his lap.
“Good evening, Charlotte.”
“Um… good evening,” Charlotte stuttered, a bit startled the call included video but when her lawyer didn’t appear the least bit fazed at seeing her sitting on Byron’s lap, Charlotte relaxed and settled more comfortably against Master’s broad chest.
“After yesterday’s altercation at the Nolan Building, this morning Byron suggested I have our investigator delve more deeply into your husband’s activities. It didn’t take him long to uncover some rather some serious allegations.”
