Maybe if I got it wet it would come off? But I couldn’t go across the hall half naked. I heaved a sigh and got dressed, pulling my pants to just below the wound and leaving them undone. I slipped on my bra and a t-shirt, pulling it down to cover me up. The shirt wasn’t big enough to do the job, so I put my sleep shirt back on.
I really didn’t want Stone to see me with my pants undone. Hopefully I could make it to the bathroom before he noticed. I hurried to the door, just as he knocked.
“Is everything okay in there?”
Damn! What lousy timing. I pulled the door open a crack. Stone stood in the hall holding a cup of coffee. “Coffee’s ready.”
It smelled amazing, and I realized there was nothing for it. I needed his help. “I’m having trouble with my burn. I think the gauze is stuck, and I can’t see what’s going on.”
“Oh… that’s too bad.” He glanced down at my unbuttoned pants and nodded. “That’s gotta hurt. Let’s go in the bathroom, and I’ll take a look at it.” Instead of waiting, he stepped to the bathroom.
Heaving out a breath, I followed, holding my pants up with one hand, and letting my t-shirt hang down. I waited while he got the crate with the supplies out of the cupboard and set everything on the counter. After washing his hands, he turned my way. “Okay. I’m ready. Let me take a look at thatring of fireburn.”
My brows rose. “You’re really calling it that?”
He shrugged. “Why not?”
Shaking my head, I turned to face the sink and pulled my shirt up with one hand, holding my pants up with theother. He had to squat down to see it, and I squeezed my eyes shut, my face impossibly hot.
“Yeah… it looks like a blister broke. That’s why the gauze is stuck. Let me get it wet and see if it’ll come off.” He wet down a washcloth and gently placed it over the gauze. While he held it there, I dropped my head, letting my hair cover my face.
Sexy Stone was holding a wet washcloth to my butt. He was probably examining every inch of bare skin while he did it, and all I wanted to do was hide. “I think it’s probably wet enough now.”
“Okay. I’ll try pulling it off.”
The bandage came off, and I let out a sigh. He took out the ointment and began to slather it on before setting the tube back down. He looked through the crate for a bandage, and my patience was getting the best of me. “It’s right there.” I pointed. I knew, because I’d gotten it out last night. “Or are you just being slow to see if I’ll die of embarrassment?”
He huffed a laugh. “No, I’m almost done. I was looking for a different pad. And, just so you know, the worst of the burn is only a little bigger than a nickel.”
“Oh, that’s good.” It felt a lot bigger than that, so it was nice to know it probably wouldn’t take too long to heal. “How blistered is it?”
“It’s mostly just red, though there are a few small blisters. And here is the non-stick pad I was looking for. It’s a lot better than the gauze you put on it last night.”
“Get blown up often?” I asked. He really knew his medical supplies.
He stiffened, but instead of answering, he tore a couple of strips of medical tape and set it on the counter before laying the pad over my wound. Grabbing the tape, he gentlyplaced them over the pad onto my skin. I couldn’t get a look at his face.
“Stone?” Had I said something wrong?
“There. All done. That wasn’t so bad, right?” He gave me a tight smile.
I straightened and yanked my shirt down. “I guess not.”
He concentrated on putting the supplies back in the crate.
“Are you… okay?”
“I’m fine.” He tried to smile again, but his face held a gravity that hadn’t been there before.
My stomach twisted, and I almost pushed him to tell me what I’d done wrong. Instead, I hurried back to my bedroom to finish dressing, and shut my door. I’d only been joking about getting blown up… why had that struck a nerve?
He’d talked about it yesterday like it was nothing. So what was it? Icouldn’thave made him feel bad. Maybe it was having him so close that was unsettling. Maybe our fun last night was a fluke? I’d just have to keep my distance, concentrate on doing my job, and forget about how much I wanted to touch him.
Sighing, I managed to pull up my pants and fasten them with hardly any pain. Taking off my night shirt, I rummaged through my suitcase for a cute top, and found a white tee with a colorful sunflower on the front. I loved this shirt, since sunflowers were my favorite, and I hoped wearing it would put me in a sunny mood.
Needing to put on my shoes and socks, I sat on the edge of the chair. Leaning over, I felt only a twinge of pain, and relief washed over me. I could do this. I quickly slipped on my shoes and opened the door to head into the bathroom.
After combing my hair and applying a touch of makeup, I grabbed my purse, leather jacket, and gloves, and hurried into the kitchenfor some of that coffee.
