Page 31 of Freedom to Love

“Am I hurting you?”

“Hmm?” It was becoming difficult for Kat to pay attention to words. All her other senses were on overload.

Brynn helped her out of the sling and set it aside. Then she spoke again, gently.

“Hold up your arms as best you can.”

Kat did so and remembered at the last second that she wasn’t wearing a bra. She’d never been ashamed of her body or shy about it before, but with Brynn she felt different. She knew if Brynn looked at her, that her own feelings of desire would be evident. Her chest was already heaving with excitement, and though she quickly covered herself with her T-shirt, she could feel her nipples tightening, yearning to be stroked.

“You okay?” Brynn asked, glancing at the T-shirt clutched to her bare chest. Brynn sounded breathless, as if she could hardly speak. “We don’t have to do this.”

“No, it’s fine. I just—I’m just…” She rolled her eyes at herself. “I’m fine.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Brynn said, washing her hands thoroughly in the sink. “I understand feeling a little weird about someone you don’t know very well seeing you nude.” She dried her hands and turned to her and smiled. “Like when you’re bathing in a creek for instance?”

Kat flushed and looked away from eyes flashing dangerously. “I’m sorry about that. I just had to make sure you were in no position to run.”

“Sure.” Brynn laughed and knelt in front of her again. Carefully, she pulled off the sticky bandage cover. “Was this infected?” She tugged at the gauze.

“Yes. But it should be looking better.”

Brynn pulled the gauze away, her beautiful eyes focused on the wound. Kat shivered at her close proximity. She could feel her warm breath on her bare skin, and she swore she could feel a finger lightly running up her spine.

“You bled a little,” she said, disposing of the used gauze. “But the wound looks okay. No pus or redness.”

“Good.” She would give almost anything to not have to return to the hospital. “Just wash it a little with the Dove soap and warm water. Washcloths are under the sink.”

“Right.”

Brynn retrieved the cloth and soap and lathered them in the sink. Then, very gently, she washed the wound. Kat winced a little but soon grew used to the sensation. She closed her eyes as Brynn finished, rinsing her with warm water and then patting her dry with a clean towel.

“Now the Polysporin,” Kat said, drying her breast with the T-shirt. Brynn knelt with the tube of antibiotic ointment and a Q-tip. “Put it in the wound as best you can.”

Brynn focused. “Okay.”

Kat jerked a little at the contact.

“Did they remove the bullet?”

“No,” she winced. “The entry was clean and the bullet was small with no spread.”

“Done,” Brynn said. She returned the ointment to the counter, discarded the Q-tip, and covered the wound with fresh gauze.

“Hold this here if you can,” she said to Kat, taking her hand and leading her to the gauze. Kat held it, and Brynn applied the sticky bandage cover.

“All finished,” she said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Kat said.

Brynn eyed the T-shirt. “I take it you want to dress on your own? You’re gripping that T-shirt pretty tight.”

Kat realized how ridiculous she was being.

“I’m not dangerous,” Brynn said with a crooked grin. “Not really.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” Kat said under her breath.

Brynn cocked her head as she washed her hands again. “What?”

---