Page 68 of Sweet Retribution

“It’s fine.”

“Not it’s not. You’re hurt.”

“You’rehurt.”

“I have scratches and bumps and bruises. What happened to your leg?” I scoot along the bottom of the tub so I can see his wound, and gasp at the row of stiches. “Stone?”

He lifts his leg out of the water, resting his ankle on the edge of the tub. “It’s no big deal. The stitches need to stay dry.”

“No big deal? Why didn’t you tell me before I forced you into the tub?”

“No one forces me to do anything I don’t want to do.”

“What happened?” I stroke his leg, careful not to touch any of the infected area.

“It’s nothing.”

There’s bruising all around the path of stitches, which have stretched. Blood seeps from the wound and drips down his leg. I dab it gently with the cloth, my own wounds forgotten. “Did a branch stab you?”

It had to have been a big piece of dried wood, or possibly a pointy, jagged rock.

Stone covers my hand with his, moving the cloth away. “It’s a bullet wound. Clean shot.”

“Bullet?” I spin around and the water sloshes over the tub, and on his elevated leg. “Shit. I’m sorry.” I glance at his leg, then his face. I cup his cheeks in my hands. “You got shot tonight?”

“Technically, last night.”

“My God.” I cover my mouth with my hand and touch his face again, running my hands through his hair as if searching for other injuries. “You got shot, Stone. Because of me. And Marco. Oh, God. Is he... dead?”

“Not because of you.” He drops his leg into the water and grips my shoulders. “Because of me. You were smart, running off. You saved your life all on your own. And Marco’s fine. Flesh wound, is all.”

“Stone.” I lean into him and kiss his lips.

I want to say more but he takes the kiss deeper, touching my tongue with his, cupping my breasts in his hands. I straddle his lap, wrapping my legs around his waist. His erection rubs against my stomach.

“Wait,” I say, coming up for air. “Your stitches.”

Stone reaches behind him and drains the tub. “Can you stand long enough to wash your hair in the shower?”

“Do I look that bad?” I tease.

“You’re fucking beautiful, but I thought you may want to get the dirt and leaves out.”

I reach up and attempt to run my fingers through my hair. My fingers get stuck in the tangles. Mortified, I scoot back on his lap.

“I can stand.” I grip the edge of the tub and push myself to my feet.

Stone is eye level with my pussy. He leans in and places a kiss to my inner thigh. “God, I want to taste you right now.”

“I definitely don’t have the energy to stand up while you do that.”

“I know.” He nudges my center with his nose and drags his tongue up my torso and he pushes to his feet. “Shower first. Then eat. Then... I’ll eat.”

He steps out of the tub and picks me up, setting me down next to him. Grabbing a towel with one hand, he reaches into the shower with the other and turns on nozzles.

“Let me know if you need help.” He drags his salacious gaze up and down my naked body.

I shiver in response and nod. I want him so desperately to hold me up in the shower, to do wicked things to my body while the jets spray us from every direction, but don’t want him to hurt himself anymore.

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