tad self-conscious in it in front of him.
“Me, too,” he murmured, his eyes twinkling as he smiled.
“Sorry, I probably should have chosen a more modest gown last night, for your sake.”
“Don’t be sorry, darlin’. I think you look beautiful in satin and lace, and if you like it, you shouldn’t have chosen any differently.”
Her cheeks warmed as he replaced the dressing. “Thank you, Ash.
Do you think you could help me with a new bandage after I take a shower?”
“Sure, darlin’. I made bacon and eggs, and there’s coffee, too.”
“It was sweet of you to cook breakfast. Most of the time I pick up a taco on the way to work or eat cereal.”
“Come eat while it’s still warm, and then I’ll take the dressing off and help you wrap your cast for your shower.”
Juliana groaned, looked up at him, and said, “Shoot. This is going to be interesting. How am I supposed to—”
53
Ash smiled good-naturedly. “How in the world are you going to shower? Stitches on one hand, cast on the other, stitches on your back.” She noted the lack of worry on his face.
Juliana sighed as she sat down at the table, watching Ash fix her a plate and put a piece of bread in her toaster. She was even clumsy trying to fix her coffee the way she liked it after he poured it for her.
Solution oriented, she said, “I’ll unwrap my bandaged finger. It’ll be okay. In a few days, those stitches come out. If you can help me a little this morning, then I’ll call Grace or Teresa and ask them to help me tomorrow and the next day. It won’t be so bad.”
When she was ready to take her shower, he closed his eyes like a true gentleman and helped her out of her gown then removed the dressing and waited while she wrapped herself in a bath sheet. He wrapped her cast so it wouldn’t get wet in the shower. She got through her shower without too much difficulty—until it was time to wash her hair. Standing there with the water running, Juliana examined her options. There were none.
“Ash?”
“Yeah, darlin’?” he called, opening the bathroom door a crack.
“I need to wash my hair. I’ve gotten it wet, but I’m…having difficulty. I hate to ask. I know it’s not fair to you, but I need your help.”
“By the time you’re healed, we’re going to be very intimately acquainted, aren’t we?”
Much more intimately acquainted if her throbbing pussy had its way in the matter. “I think so, yes. Do you mind?”
Juliana heard a faint chuckle. “Do I mind? Hmmm, let me think.
Do I mind seeing a beautiful woman I’m interested in naked? What do you think, silly?”
“But the circumstances, it can’t be easy.”
“What’s another cold shower? All right, I’m coming in. Are you expecting me to close my eyes?”
54
“Well, the shower curtain will help. No, you don’t have to close your eyes, just no ogling my goodies.” She scoffed, wondering if that statement sounded as asinine to him as it did to her.
“You know, this is not how I envisioned seeing you naked the first time.”
“Ash, the first time was last night.”
“Yeah, but the lights were down low, and I was trying to not look.
I can’t help it this morning if I’m going to wash your hair for you.”
He grinned at her as she peeked out from behind the yellow shower curtain.
“How did you envision the first time you saw me naked?”
Oh, sure, let’s just go for full-on torture.
“Well, certainly under more romantic circumstances, and the possibility of me getting naked with you also came up in my fantasies.”
Ooh, fantasies! Juliana giggled as she handed him the shampoo. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.” She turned and held the shower curtain around her hips while he lathered her hair, allowed her to rinse, and then repeated the process with her.
“I’m honored that you trust me like this, darlin’.”
She smiled back at him and said, “I really do, you know.”
“How does this feel?” he asked,
“Me, too,” he murmured, his eyes twinkling as he smiled.
“Sorry, I probably should have chosen a more modest gown last night, for your sake.”
“Don’t be sorry, darlin’. I think you look beautiful in satin and lace, and if you like it, you shouldn’t have chosen any differently.”
Her cheeks warmed as he replaced the dressing. “Thank you, Ash.
Do you think you could help me with a new bandage after I take a shower?”
“Sure, darlin’. I made bacon and eggs, and there’s coffee, too.”
“It was sweet of you to cook breakfast. Most of the time I pick up a taco on the way to work or eat cereal.”
“Come eat while it’s still warm, and then I’ll take the dressing off and help you wrap your cast for your shower.”
Juliana groaned, looked up at him, and said, “Shoot. This is going to be interesting. How am I supposed to—”
53
Ash smiled good-naturedly. “How in the world are you going to shower? Stitches on one hand, cast on the other, stitches on your back.” She noted the lack of worry on his face.
Juliana sighed as she sat down at the table, watching Ash fix her a plate and put a piece of bread in her toaster. She was even clumsy trying to fix her coffee the way she liked it after he poured it for her.
Solution oriented, she said, “I’ll unwrap my bandaged finger. It’ll be okay. In a few days, those stitches come out. If you can help me a little this morning, then I’ll call Grace or Teresa and ask them to help me tomorrow and the next day. It won’t be so bad.”
When she was ready to take her shower, he closed his eyes like a true gentleman and helped her out of her gown then removed the dressing and waited while she wrapped herself in a bath sheet. He wrapped her cast so it wouldn’t get wet in the shower. She got through her shower without too much difficulty—until it was time to wash her hair. Standing there with the water running, Juliana examined her options. There were none.
“Ash?”
“Yeah, darlin’?” he called, opening the bathroom door a crack.
“I need to wash my hair. I’ve gotten it wet, but I’m…having difficulty. I hate to ask. I know it’s not fair to you, but I need your help.”
“By the time you’re healed, we’re going to be very intimately acquainted, aren’t we?”
Much more intimately acquainted if her throbbing pussy had its way in the matter. “I think so, yes. Do you mind?”
Juliana heard a faint chuckle. “Do I mind? Hmmm, let me think.
Do I mind seeing a beautiful woman I’m interested in naked? What do you think, silly?”
“But the circumstances, it can’t be easy.”
“What’s another cold shower? All right, I’m coming in. Are you expecting me to close my eyes?”
54
“Well, the shower curtain will help. No, you don’t have to close your eyes, just no ogling my goodies.” She scoffed, wondering if that statement sounded as asinine to him as it did to her.
“You know, this is not how I envisioned seeing you naked the first time.”
“Ash, the first time was last night.”
“Yeah, but the lights were down low, and I was trying to not look.
I can’t help it this morning if I’m going to wash your hair for you.”
He grinned at her as she peeked out from behind the yellow shower curtain.
“How did you envision the first time you saw me naked?”
Oh, sure, let’s just go for full-on torture.
“Well, certainly under more romantic circumstances, and the possibility of me getting naked with you also came up in my fantasies.”
Ooh, fantasies! Juliana giggled as she handed him the shampoo. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.” She turned and held the shower curtain around her hips while he lathered her hair, allowed her to rinse, and then repeated the process with her.
“I’m honored that you trust me like this, darlin’.”
She smiled back at him and said, “I really do, you know.”
“How does this feel?” he asked,
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