large and
small crepe bandage, as well as an elasticised bandage. Taking that out, he
placed one hand beneath her calf, lifting her leg so he could nudge the chair
further under, leaving her foot sitting out over the edge. Kneeling down, he
shifted the packet of corn to the other side of her foot, watching her
reaction. “How’s it feeling?”
“Better.” Slowly she lifted her
gaze to meet his. “Thank you.”
“No worries.”
She hesitated before saying
quietly, “I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful out there, I just…” When he did
nothing but watch her patiently, she sighed and dropped her gaze to her foot.
“Anyway, thank you.”
Studying her, Matt suddenly
realised that Lori was wearing a nightgown and dressing gown. A summer
nightie, not really suited to the cooler weather. The long-sleeved dressing
gown was open down the front as though she’d just thrown it on, and the worn
material of the summer nightie gave him tantalising hints of what lay beneath.
Only hints, true, but very welcome hints.
Was that a hint of a creamy curve
of breast? A hint of a pink nipple pressing against the material? His gaze
dropped to her leg. Rounded limbs and soft, smooth skin. Neat little feet,
neat little toes with short nails and - whoa, hot pink nail polish. He’d
somehow expected light pink nail polish, not hot pink. Unexpected and fascinating.
That was a glimpse of her hidden self.
Lifting his gaze, he studied her
face. Were those plump lips hinting at a more passionate nature? Did those shy
glances hide a little more fire than she presented to the outer world?
Unashamedly trailing his fingers
across the top of her ankle, he shifted the corn, using it as a pretence to
observe her reaction.
Yep, there it was. His heart
leaped. A small shiver went through her and he’d bet it had nothing to do with
the frozen corn. Especially when accompanied by a little peep of her tongue as
she moistened her lips. To be sure, he let his fingers caress against the top
of her foot again as he shifted his other hand to get the bandage off the table.
There was no mistaking the sudden
rise of her breasts as she inhaled quickly, nor the slight flutter of her
eyelashes as she peeked up.
That look hit him like a hammer
blow. Christ, the green of her eyes - surely he wasn’t imagining it? - had a
shimmer of heat, as quickly there as it vanished when she glanced away towards
where Minx was sitting.
Lori Mackay wasn’t as immune to
him as he’d believed. And didn’t that just make his day? Unconsciously his
hand tightened around her ankle, only her swift intake of breath bringing him
back to the task at hand.
Loosening his grip, he lightly
rubbed his hand above her ankle. “Sorry, Lori.”
Pain and pleasure combined in her
eyes and that was a hell of a mix. Not the pain so much as that she found pleasure
in his touch regardless of the pain. Except as soon as she noticed him
watching, she flushed and looked away. He didn’t miss the flash of
mortification that flared in her eyes.
Huh.
Trying to understand her
reactions, Matt started to gently but firmly bandage her ankle. “Are you
working tonight?”
“Hmm?” She looked back at him.
“No.”
“Good. You’re going to need a
couple of days taking it easy, keeping your foot elevated and icing it.”
“I can’t. Ghost’s cats need
feeding.”
“I can do that.”
“Their trays need cleaning at least
twice a day and changing once.”
“Got it.”
“They need feeding twice a day.”
“I’ll just break open one big bag
of cat biscuits a day.” At her horrified expression, he grinned reassuringly.
“Twice a day, and not all cat biscuits. Got it.”
“Look, Matt, I appreciate the
offer, but they can be a handful and-”
“I’ve already been over there this
morning and sorted them out, love. I can handle them twice a day.” At her
dubious look, he smiled winningly. “Trust me,
small crepe bandage, as well as an elasticised bandage. Taking that out, he
placed one hand beneath her calf, lifting her leg so he could nudge the chair
further under, leaving her foot sitting out over the edge. Kneeling down, he
shifted the packet of corn to the other side of her foot, watching her
reaction. “How’s it feeling?”
“Better.” Slowly she lifted her
gaze to meet his. “Thank you.”
“No worries.”
She hesitated before saying
quietly, “I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful out there, I just…” When he did
nothing but watch her patiently, she sighed and dropped her gaze to her foot.
“Anyway, thank you.”
Studying her, Matt suddenly
realised that Lori was wearing a nightgown and dressing gown. A summer
nightie, not really suited to the cooler weather. The long-sleeved dressing
gown was open down the front as though she’d just thrown it on, and the worn
material of the summer nightie gave him tantalising hints of what lay beneath.
Only hints, true, but very welcome hints.
Was that a hint of a creamy curve
of breast? A hint of a pink nipple pressing against the material? His gaze
dropped to her leg. Rounded limbs and soft, smooth skin. Neat little feet,
neat little toes with short nails and - whoa, hot pink nail polish. He’d
somehow expected light pink nail polish, not hot pink. Unexpected and fascinating.
That was a glimpse of her hidden self.
Lifting his gaze, he studied her
face. Were those plump lips hinting at a more passionate nature? Did those shy
glances hide a little more fire than she presented to the outer world?
Unashamedly trailing his fingers
across the top of her ankle, he shifted the corn, using it as a pretence to
observe her reaction.
Yep, there it was. His heart
leaped. A small shiver went through her and he’d bet it had nothing to do with
the frozen corn. Especially when accompanied by a little peep of her tongue as
she moistened her lips. To be sure, he let his fingers caress against the top
of her foot again as he shifted his other hand to get the bandage off the table.
There was no mistaking the sudden
rise of her breasts as she inhaled quickly, nor the slight flutter of her
eyelashes as she peeked up.
That look hit him like a hammer
blow. Christ, the green of her eyes - surely he wasn’t imagining it? - had a
shimmer of heat, as quickly there as it vanished when she glanced away towards
where Minx was sitting.
Lori Mackay wasn’t as immune to
him as he’d believed. And didn’t that just make his day? Unconsciously his
hand tightened around her ankle, only her swift intake of breath bringing him
back to the task at hand.
Loosening his grip, he lightly
rubbed his hand above her ankle. “Sorry, Lori.”
Pain and pleasure combined in her
eyes and that was a hell of a mix. Not the pain so much as that she found pleasure
in his touch regardless of the pain. Except as soon as she noticed him
watching, she flushed and looked away. He didn’t miss the flash of
mortification that flared in her eyes.
Huh.
Trying to understand her
reactions, Matt started to gently but firmly bandage her ankle. “Are you
working tonight?”
“Hmm?” She looked back at him.
“No.”
“Good. You’re going to need a
couple of days taking it easy, keeping your foot elevated and icing it.”
“I can’t. Ghost’s cats need
feeding.”
“I can do that.”
“Their trays need cleaning at least
twice a day and changing once.”
“Got it.”
“They need feeding twice a day.”
“I’ll just break open one big bag
of cat biscuits a day.” At her horrified expression, he grinned reassuringly.
“Twice a day, and not all cat biscuits. Got it.”
“Look, Matt, I appreciate the
offer, but they can be a handful and-”
“I’ve already been over there this
morning and sorted them out, love. I can handle them twice a day.” At her
dubious look, he smiled winningly. “Trust me,
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