her shoulders ―the heat from his hands burned through her nightgown branding her―and turned her around to face him. "You're a mess." He led her over to a chair and pushed her into it.
Please don 't let his towel come undone. She stared hard at the floor. What was happening to her? She wasn't repulsed, or disgusted by his half-naked body. How would his strong arms feel wrapped around her? She closed her eyes, and slowly shook her head. She didn't understand the way her body responded to his near naked one. Her eyes watered from the pressure in her nose, and she was glad her hand covered her pink cheeks.
He glanced at his dirty bath water then went outside to dunk a cloth in the rain trough. He lowered her hand and placed the cool cloth gently on her nose. She pulled back from the pain that seemed to encompass her whole face.
" Easy now," he whispered. His dark hair was wet and draped down his forehead, as droplets of water dripped onto his face. "Have to be more careful."
She didn't need a lecture right now. Her face hurt like hell, and her nose felt as large as a clown's.
" What'd ya go runnin' into that wall for anyway?"
" I didn't do it on purpose." She spoke from behind the cloth.
He glanced down at her nightgown. "Well, looks like that'll have to go in the trash."
" I don't have another one." She inched backward, away from him, and the soapy smell invading her senses.
" We'll just have to fix that."
" How?"
" I'll take you shopping." He thought on it a moment. "Yup, we'll head in to town on Saturday. I need to get a few things anyway, and I figure we should get hitched then too."
She straightened. She didn't want to marry him yet. He thought she was a virgin, and if they were wed, he'd expect her to consummate their marriage. How was she going to explain that one? The awful night had been her first time, and it had been brutal. The bruises between her legs had taken weeks to fade. Since then she had never been with another man, nor had she wanted to.
" You don't have to."
" Yes, I do."
" No really, it's fine."
He took the cloth from her face, and examined her nose . "Nope it's my fault your nightgown is ruined."
" Please, don't bother with a new one."
H is finger tenderly traced the length of her red and swelling nose. He was too close, and she inched back.
Could he se e how his touch affected her? How her body reluctantly yielded to his slow and gentle caress? Unfamiliar feelings began to stir inside of her. Feelings better left alone. She pulled away from him.
" I will buy you two nightgowns."
" I'll simply wash it in the morning."
" I didn't give you a choice, Livy." He pulled her back toward him, and continued dabbing the blood from her lips and cheeks.
He was careful on her tender skin, and her shoulders sagged, her body relaxed. Do not let this happen, Livy. You can't trust any man. But, his smooth fluent motions mesmerized her. Eyes closed, she relished in the slow movements.
" You're so beautiful," he whispered.
His delicate brush of the cloth hypnotized her and she could fee l herself falling under his spell. Ignoring all her warnings, she opened her eyes, and found him watching her.
He leaned closer. "Does it still hurt?"
She couldn 't speak, so she nodded instead.
He bent and lightly kissed the tip of her nose, his mouth hovering above her own.
Her hand let go of the cloth, and she leaned forward.
He stood, breaking the spell. "There, that should make it feel better."
Her face grew hot, and she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. What had she been thinking? She wanted him to kiss her, wanted to feel his arms around her. Why? Why now? She vowed to never let another man touch her. Why had s he let him? Her eyes simmering with tears, she got up, muttered a polite thank you and ran upstairs.
" Don't you want me to tuck you in?" he called after her, his usual arrogance lacing his words.
She didn't answer him, and sought the solace of her bedroom. Once inside her room she
Please don 't let his towel come undone. She stared hard at the floor. What was happening to her? She wasn't repulsed, or disgusted by his half-naked body. How would his strong arms feel wrapped around her? She closed her eyes, and slowly shook her head. She didn't understand the way her body responded to his near naked one. Her eyes watered from the pressure in her nose, and she was glad her hand covered her pink cheeks.
He glanced at his dirty bath water then went outside to dunk a cloth in the rain trough. He lowered her hand and placed the cool cloth gently on her nose. She pulled back from the pain that seemed to encompass her whole face.
" Easy now," he whispered. His dark hair was wet and draped down his forehead, as droplets of water dripped onto his face. "Have to be more careful."
She didn't need a lecture right now. Her face hurt like hell, and her nose felt as large as a clown's.
" What'd ya go runnin' into that wall for anyway?"
" I didn't do it on purpose." She spoke from behind the cloth.
He glanced down at her nightgown. "Well, looks like that'll have to go in the trash."
" I don't have another one." She inched backward, away from him, and the soapy smell invading her senses.
" We'll just have to fix that."
" How?"
" I'll take you shopping." He thought on it a moment. "Yup, we'll head in to town on Saturday. I need to get a few things anyway, and I figure we should get hitched then too."
She straightened. She didn't want to marry him yet. He thought she was a virgin, and if they were wed, he'd expect her to consummate their marriage. How was she going to explain that one? The awful night had been her first time, and it had been brutal. The bruises between her legs had taken weeks to fade. Since then she had never been with another man, nor had she wanted to.
" You don't have to."
" Yes, I do."
" No really, it's fine."
He took the cloth from her face, and examined her nose . "Nope it's my fault your nightgown is ruined."
" Please, don't bother with a new one."
H is finger tenderly traced the length of her red and swelling nose. He was too close, and she inched back.
Could he se e how his touch affected her? How her body reluctantly yielded to his slow and gentle caress? Unfamiliar feelings began to stir inside of her. Feelings better left alone. She pulled away from him.
" I will buy you two nightgowns."
" I'll simply wash it in the morning."
" I didn't give you a choice, Livy." He pulled her back toward him, and continued dabbing the blood from her lips and cheeks.
He was careful on her tender skin, and her shoulders sagged, her body relaxed. Do not let this happen, Livy. You can't trust any man. But, his smooth fluent motions mesmerized her. Eyes closed, she relished in the slow movements.
" You're so beautiful," he whispered.
His delicate brush of the cloth hypnotized her and she could fee l herself falling under his spell. Ignoring all her warnings, she opened her eyes, and found him watching her.
He leaned closer. "Does it still hurt?"
She couldn 't speak, so she nodded instead.
He bent and lightly kissed the tip of her nose, his mouth hovering above her own.
Her hand let go of the cloth, and she leaned forward.
He stood, breaking the spell. "There, that should make it feel better."
Her face grew hot, and she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. What had she been thinking? She wanted him to kiss her, wanted to feel his arms around her. Why? Why now? She vowed to never let another man touch her. Why had s he let him? Her eyes simmering with tears, she got up, muttered a polite thank you and ran upstairs.
" Don't you want me to tuck you in?" he called after her, his usual arrogance lacing his words.
She didn't answer him, and sought the solace of her bedroom. Once inside her room she
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