Page 30 of Call Sign: Thunder
What the fuck was he doing? He was acting exactly like her fucking father, but damned if he couldn't turn off the protective urges he had when around her. It was more than protectiveness. It was possessiveness. Like she belonged with him. He'd never felt the emotion before and it freaked him out.
Well, you've never killed men to protect a woman before either. Of course you feel possessive.
Zach ordered up a variety of foods for them to munch on, unsure what she'd be able to eat. He changed into a pair of sweats and a fresh T-shirt. When the food arrived thirty minutes later and Allison had yet to appear, he went to the door of the bathroom to knock.
"Food is here, Allie. You about done?"
No response.
He knocked lightly, but she didn't call to him. He started to worry. Was she okay in there?
He pounded louder. "Allison!"
Fuck. She'd been frail. And half drunk. He shouldn't have left her alone. He pressed open the door, rushing in and stopping frozen a few feet into the room.
She was asleep in the tub, her head propped back on the soft bath pillow the hotel supplied. She'd lit several of the candles on the back ledge of the whirlpool and the flames danced, casting shadows across her naked body.
He felt like a peeping tom inching closer, stopping when he got to the edge of the steps, close enough now to see her entire body stretched out in the swirling water. Her arms were resting on the edges of the tub, spread open as if to invite him to admire her.
And admire her he did.
He'd thought of her every single day since the rescue and he hated to admit how many times those memories included recalling watching her body in the throes of passion induced by the experimental drugs she'd been given. Seeing her body now, peaceful and relaxed, helped push down the harsh memories. It also made him want to strip and crawl in behind her so he could pull her back against his chest while his hands roamed, palming her ample breasts. Despite her weight loss, her globes were still heavy enough that he knew they would fill his palms perfectly.
Fuck. His erection tented his thin sweats, jutting straight out as if it was pointing in the direction it wanted to go. Considering it hadn't been out to play with anything other than his left hand since the rescue mission, he couldn't blame his appendage. Still, he needed to stay true to his current mission and that was being Allison's friend. The person she could confide in. The person who would help drive the demons out of her nightmares. His dick had no role to play in that mission.
Zach kneeled on the steps next to the tub and reached for a washcloth and bar of scented soap. After he lathered it, he lifted Allie's leg from the water and set to washing her. She stirred slightly as he moved to her right leg, but didn't awake until he moved higher to soap her tummy. Only when his cloth swept across her breasts did she moan, her nipples expanding to hard nubs as the water sluiced across her creamy skin.
Her drowsy lids opened. Their eyes met as he moved the cloth higher, slowly stroking her body, intimately connected.
Her voice was husky with sleep. "I'm sorry. I must have dozed off. The water felt amazing."
He smiled. "It's okay. I was worried when you didn't come out. The food is here so I thought I'd give you a hand. Let's get you sitting up so I can get your hair."
She looks surprised. "You're going to wash my hair?"
"This is a full-service bathing experience, Miss Benson. Of course I'm going to wash your hair."
A shy smile played at her lips as she let him pull her up from her reclined position. Self-conscious now that she was awake, Allison crossed her arms to cover her chest as Zach reached for a glass from the bathroom shelf, using it to pour warm water over Allison's head. She moaned, her eyes closed, as he lathered her long locks and spent several minutes gently massaging her scalp and letting his hands roam lower to massage her neck, shoulders and back. She was practically purring by the time he'd rinsed her and pulled the plug of the tub.
She was exhausted. He'd washed away all traces of her make-up, exposing dark circles under her large blue eyes.
Zach reached for the top bath sheet in the nearby stack before helping her to her feet. He wrapped her, happy the towel swallowed her up as it helped hold off the chills. Goose bumps sprung up all over her smooth skin as he rushed to dry her. Her teeth chattered until he wrapped her in his arms, hugging her tight enough to transfer his body heat to her.
Once she'd stopped shivering, he led her to the door and pulled the one-size-fits-all robe from the hook. "I think we could fit three of you in this damn thing it's so big."
He had to wrestle her into the robe because she was fading fast. He could see she barely held her eyes open so he carried her to the head of the table, gently sitting her into the too-large chair.
"No… I'm not hungry." She tried to push away from the table, but she didn't have enough energy to escape.
"Just a few bites," he encouraged. When she didn't look like she was going to eat, he added a pitiful, "For me."
Zach picked up the soupspoon and quickly shoveled a spoonful of potato soup to her mouth. She hesitated, but finally opened wide. He followed with three more spoons as fast as she'd eat them and then unwrapped a small pack of saltines.
The cracker met closed lips until he added a firm, "Open up, Allie."
He considered it a successful mission when he'd got her to down half the soup, three more crackers and a full glass of ice water.
When she looked like she was going to puke again, he cautioned her. "Enough with the turning to alcohol, Allie. I know you've been in pain, but we're gonna work through this shit. Together." When she looked skeptical, he prodded. "Can you do that? Stop the destructive behavior at least long enough to spend the weekend with me talking through everything?”
