Page 39 of Rumor Has It

I stuff a pillow under my head and move a blonde lock of her hair that’s blocking me from seeing her entire face.

“My mama is a health nut. She talked a blue streak to my sister and me about loving your body. I’m not sure if Mama was always like that, but she was also my daddy’s physical therapist after he lost his leg. She taught us you are whole exactly the way you are, bodies come in different shapes and sizes, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. So, I’m not.”

“Hmm.”I hum, satisfied with her concise answer.

Still unable to get comfortable, I roll onto my back. It doesn’t help, so I flip to my stomach, mirroring her position. The whimper-like groan I let out surprises even me.

Cassidy moves on to her elbows, concern etches her brow. Her eyes grow wide. “Isaiah, your back is bruised.”

“You’re just noticing you’ve clawed the crap out of it? I saw the divots you left last night.”

For her short nails, Cassidy has powerful hands. Maybe it’s from kneading bread.

She’s unconvinced. “No, I mean you have a black and blue and scrapes I didn’t put there. Waiting to rip each other’s clothes off until after you saw a doctor probably would’ve been better. You took a decent fall.”

“And the bed broke it. And you did the kind of job of nursing me back to health a man would die a thousand deaths for. Although, I wouldn’t turn down a sponge bath.”

She taps my bicep. “Stop joking. I’m serious.”

“I’ll grab some pain reliever on my way to the shower. Care to join me?” I am sore, but my words are meant to assuage her.

Falling was my own damn fault. I got triggered and went too far into my head. In spite of the merciful way Cassidy understood I needed to be inside of her hot little body to recover, I’m still messed up over allowing the stress I left behind in Nashville to take over.

I want to regain the headspace I’ve had the past two days, able to forget my problems. The idea of hot water on my weary muscles feels as sensational as the sight of Cassidy under the spray could.

She fingers a tuft of my hair. “I’ll wait my turn. You need to scrub to get all this white stuff off. I’llget dressed, check out the mess, and let my sister know there’s damage to the suite’s ceiling. We didn’t bring down the last of the boxes, either.”

“Don’t go back up to the attic without anyone around,” I caution, sitting up. I’d prefer she not climb the ladder at all. I guess that makes her concern about my bruising make sense. “Promise me.” I cup her cheek.

“I won’t.” Cassidy leans into my palm.

“Do you mind if I use this shower?”

“Nope. I like you in my shower.”

I press my lips to hers before getting out of the bed and walking toward the door in my birthday suit. Twisting the knob, I give a quick glance around as not to surprise anyone. Then I grab my suitcases, phone, and notebook from the hallway. Scampering back into the bedroom, my back is screaming as I place the bags near her dresser and bend to unzip them.

“Needed my clothes,” I explain to a smirking Cassidy.

“Oh!So, you don’t go falling through ceilings and prancing around naked in the halls at bed-and-breakfasts all over the country?”

“Only this one.”

“Lucky me.”

Nah, lucky me,I think.

With tented knees, Cassidy continues watching what I’m doing. I have to admit I enjoy having her attention. And since she seems as comfortable around me as she’d be around a normal guy, I don’t feel like I’m pulling out the stops to prove the glitz and glamor of celebrity life. It’s more the mundane she’s impressed with.

For instance, I don’t think Cassidy expects me to repair the hole in the ceiling. But if I couldn’t wield a hammer and drive a nail into a board, her respect for me would slip.

“Do you have a vacuum? I can work it. It has a button.” I try sounding like I’m adept at cleaning a rug. How hard can it be?

“Vacuums have switches… And why?”

I point to the faded white footprints on her carpet. The steps I took carrying her from the suite and into the hallway are a breadcrumb trail to Cassidy’s bedroom.

“We’re so screwed.” She shakes her head, her palm covers her face. “I’ll get it from housekeeping while I’m downstairs. Are you hungry at all?”

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