“You’ve been laying in a bed for weeks. You have to give yourself time to get your strength back, and you will. For right now, just let me carry you.”
He postured in preparation to scoop her up, and she grabbed his wrist with her good arm to stop him. “But Brennan, if I get used to you carrying me every time it’s a little challenging, I’ll never be able to do it myself.”
Brennan paused and then stood upright again. “Okay. But there’s no shame in letting me help you.”
Skye gripped his arm, which he bent at the elbow to brace her, and she hoisted herself up the step. “Look, you’re helping me, and I’m still doing it myself.” She took another slow, wobbly step. “Sometimes helping someone is just standing there by them.”
He tilted his head as he absorbed her statement. “True.”
She slowly got up the steps and hobbled through the door but misjudged the height of the threshold, and the boot smacked against it. She pitched forward, and he grabbed her waist to catch her before she hit the hardwood floor.
She uttered a pained groan. “See?” She gave a nervous laugh as he steadied her. “That was helpful.”
“Right,” he said, scooping her up.
She let out an exasperated sigh but wrapped her good arm around his neck anyway as he carried her inside. Brennan set her down just on the inside of the foyer, closing the door.
“No stress, baby girl. You have all the time in the world to practice walking into the house.”
“Thank you for your help.”
“Don’t sweat it.” He gestured at the living room. “Welcome back, honey.”
“Thanks.” Skye stood still in the doorway as if she were nervous about being there.
“So,” Brennan went on, “are you hungry? I could order some food. Or we could go out. I’d obviously get us a cab or something because I know you probably don’t feel like walk—”
“Could I maybe take a bath?” Her eyes were trained on the floor.
The innocent question unearthed the memories of being deliciously tangled up with her, and a surge of heat unfurled below his belt, his dick threatening to stiffen. He abruptly took a step sideways away from her. That had never happened before. At least not since he was about twelve years old. He’d long since been able to keep his erection under control because he wasn’t a hormone-driven douchebag. But then it dawned on him that he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d gone this long without sex.
Five weeks.
JesusChrist. That may as well have been fiveyears. Apparently, Brennan was basically monogamous now. My,my. His parents would’ve been so proud.
The idea was funny for a second. But the only reason he’d gone this long without sex and became pseudo-monogamous was because Skye had been the victim of a violent attack while attempting to flee from a life-threatening situation—and all of that only underscored his feelings that were suddenly as out of control as his overly-eager cock.
“Of course,” Brennan said, hand on her back again. “You don’t need to ask to do something like that. You don’t need permission from me for anything, Skye. I want you to feel at home while you’re here, okay?”
Skye nodded, but kept her gaze on the floor.
Brennan helped her to the bedroom and held onto her waist as she sat on the edge of the bed, and then he went into the en suite to start the bath. Reaching into a cabinet, he retrieved two fancy glass bottles of bubble bath he’d picked up along with all sorts of other ladies’ toiletries in preparation for her extended stay, and he returned to the room.
Brennan held the bottles in front of her. “Lavender or jasmine?”
She peered at him below a knitted brow. “You got me bubble bath?”
“Yeah, I noticed you didn’t have much in the way of stuff to take a shower.” He paused. “I mean, your stuff was in the bathroom, and my housekeeper cleaned around it, so she organized it. I didn’t snoop through your bag or anything.”
A tiny crinkle formed between her brows, and the tip of her nose turned pink. “That was really thoughtful of you.”
It didn’t seem thoughtful at all to him. It was just part of being a good host. His mother was a proper southern woman who always had guest suites set up with all manner of comforts and necessities. That’s just what you did when you were having guests for a period of time. But, once again, it was clear Skye had come from a very different situation, and her emotional response to something so commonplace in his world made him a little sad.
Brennan offered her an easy smile. “It’s no sweat.” He shook the bottles at her. “What’s it gonna be?”
She glanced at him again before lifting her good arm and tapping the lavender bottle.
“Good choice. Lavender is good for relaxation and calming and all that good stuff.” He strode back into the en suite and poured a generous amount into the water as the large tub continued to fill.
