Page 80 of Luck of the Draw

While there, he retrieved a new, white satin, floor-length robe out of the closet and returned to the room, where he laid it on the bed next to her.

Skye eyed it. “You bought me a robe, too?”

“Well…yeah, I mean…” Brennan gave a small, nervous laugh. Maybe this manner of southern hospitality was overwhelming her. It had been a very eventful week after all. “And again, I wasn’t going through your stuff.” He pointed at the armoire. “My housekeeper washed your things and put them in the top drawer there. While she was doing that, I noticed it was all kind of…uh…short. I didn’t want you to get cold. I also figured you probably wouldn’t feel like trying to sleep in fancy lingerie every night while you’re strapped into all these braces.” He absently drew his hand over her immobilized elbow. “I know we were just trying to have a fun, little fling, but again, all of that’s different now. You needed comfortable things to wear, so I got you some.”

Skye ran her fingertips over the robe and then looked at him through brimming eyes. “Thank you.”

He lowered himself to take a knee in front of her. “I’m not trying to overwhelm you, honey. I just want you to—”

“You’re not.” A smile tugged the corners of her mouth. “You’re really sweet, Brennan. Honestly. I appreciate it more than I can tell you.”

Brennan returned her smile and gestured at the arm brace and walking boot. “Can I help you with all this stuff, or should I get out of your hair for a bit?”

She shook her head. “I might need help.” She cut her eyes toward his. “Just don’t judge my hairy legs. I obviously haven’t been able to shave in a while.”

“I won’t. I got you a razor, too. A nice one. And some really good ladies’ shaving cream.”

A small, breathy laugh shook out of her. “Wow, you thought of everything.”

He internally cringed. It was clear his efforts were completely over the top, but oh well. Brennan didn’t exactly half-ass anything, and after all the shit she was dealing with, she deserved to be spoiled. “Well, if you think of anything else you need, just let me know.”

He stood up and went through the motions of removing all the braces, all the while Skye kept her chin turned low, and then he carefully slipped her arms out of the shirt. Once he’d removed it, he held her arm close to her side like the nurses had instructed them.

“Try to keep your hand here.” Brennan held her wrist between her bare breasts and kept his eyes glued to her face. Her tense posture practically screamed that she was all sorts of insecure about her bedraggled physical appearance. He draped the robe over her shoulders and helped her stand and balance while he slipped off her jeans. Once she was fully unclothed and wrapped in the robe, he scooped her up, and she didn’t protest while he carried her to the tub.

He set her down long enough to turn off the water and remove her robe. Just as he wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her in preparation for stepping into the tub, Skye held the nape of his neck and captured his mouth for a deep, delicious kiss. And then it was impossible for him to control the surge of blood that immediately rushed south to his neglected dick.

Skye’s tongue swept the inside of his mouth, and a quiet groan rumbled in his throat. His fingers pressed into the soft, naked skin on the small of her back, and he anchored her against his body. She ended the kiss by briefly catching his bottom lip between her teeth before releasing it. “Nobody’s ever been this kind to me.”

The quiet declaration flooded his mind with images of some asshole hurting her, and indignation rushed through his veins. “That’s positively fucking shameful.”

If you were mine,he wanted to add,you’d never have to worry about ever being treated like anything less than a fucking queen.

Brennan clenched his teeth to restrain the words. That wasn’t what they were. She was still hell-bent on leaving as soon as she could.

“Most people aren’t as nice as you, Brennan.”

“Again,” he said, holding her waist and while she stepped into the bath, “that’s a damn shame. This is just common decency.”

“Common decency isn’t as common as you might think.” She slowly sank into the bath and uttered an intensely satisfied moan. “This is justglorious.”

He smiled and opened his mouth to respond when she slipped under the water and disappeared below the piles of bubbles. Before he had a chance to panic, she reemerged, pushing her soaked hair away from her face as she reclined.

“I could fall asleep in here,” she mumbled, eyes closed, and chin tilted toward the ceiling.

Tiny droplets hung from her long eyelashes. Her clean, wet, fair skin showed off a scattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. The bubbles perfectly concealed everything from just below her shoulders, which displayed her swan-like neck and delicate shoulders.

Brennan lowered himself to kneel next to the tub. “I’m sure a nice, hot bath feels amazing, but I don’t know about sleeping in there. I’d guess the bed is more comfortable,” he said with a playful wink that belied the stress simmering inside his chest.

Skye opened her eyes and cast a quick glance at him. “I wonder if I should move into one of your guest rooms.”

His brow pulled low. “Why?”

“Because. Like you said, this isn’t a fling anymore. If I’m staying here until all this heals, I don’t think I should act like I live here. I don’t want to invade your space.”

“You’re not invading my space. I’m looking after you. You’re my guest.”

“Hence,guestroom.”

---