Page 63 of Love the Way You Lion
I flush bright red and curse under my breath again. “Damn it. Clothes! This is why I never wear shit like this.” Glaring at Rafe, I mutter, “Shut up, you romance novel-looking reject.” I trudge over to the bed, knowing my pale skin is now a rosy pink from head to toe.
“I’m sorry, guys. It’s nothing. There’s some torn cartilage, or a ripped muscle maybe,” Talia explains, looking as chagrined as me.
“As far as I saw, there wasn’t anything going on! I didn’t notice the clothes,” Rafe grumbles, throwing his hands up in defeat.
She glares at him again, and I feel he’ll be hearing about this later. I don’t envy that lecture. “I was working out and Long Hair is making an issue out of my minor injury. It’s nothing.”
Ignoring her apologies and the surprising lack of vitriol from my husband, I pad over to the bed. “No big deal.It won’t take long at all if you relax. A pulled muscle or small tear isn’t a hard job. This is nothing like last time.”
I tilt my head and study her, figuring out the best way to treat without having her scream the house down and setting off the overprotective clones we love. “Can you get the shirt off and lay on your tummy? That way, I can get at the part that’s hurt.”
“I made anissuebecause you can’t move your bloody arm, woman. I like your arms, so I figured getting it patched up might be a good plan,” Rafe grinds out, looking irritable.
Taurus steps closer, looking at Talia, and then turns to me. “Will you fix the shiner, too, love? Mottled black and blue isn’t her color, I’m afraid.”
“Excuse me?” Talia asks, looking at everyone in frustration.
“No worries, I can fix it,” I say. Turning to the crowd, I flick my hands. “Back off a bit, guys. Everyone talking about her instead of to her has to be annoying. She’s already in pain. Plus, you’re crowding the medicine woman. Skedaddle.”
“Um?” Talia raises her hand and waves at me with her good arm. I blink and she turns bright red. “I can’t get my shirt off because I can’t raise my arm. I tried to move it a little while ago, but it keeps getting worse. And don’t you say a word, Long Hair, but could someone hand me my blade?”
I smile, shaking my head. “Not a problem, dear.” Flicking out a claw, I slice up the sides of the shirt. “Swiss Army hands to the rescue.”
Her expression looks shocked, and I realize she’s never seen the claws up close. The night I healed her, I was further away when I sliced. Though Taurus and Rafe have felt the burn, she has not. Feeling self-conscious, I flick it back in. I’m not sure why I feel as though I’ve done something wrong.
What is it about her that flusters me so much?
“That works, I guess,” she murmurs as she grins a little. “I am sorry to interrupt whatever you two were doing.”
“It’s okay. It wasn’t anything serious. I’m sorry if I weirded you out with the claws. I forget that not everyone is used to the ‘kitty’ me. It’s off-putting for some and makes them uncomfortable.” I say the last part quietly because I’ve had many unpleasant experiences with people not accepting my furry half and I don’t need that kind of blow to my self-image again, thanks ever so.
“Speak for yourself, woman,” Taurus huffs. “That will teach me to sing the bloody King for you.”
Rafe chuckles under his breath, looking amused. “She’s always a sucker for the soft stuff, though she protests so much.”
I glare at my primary and then send my husband a gentle pinch.~I’m trying to make Talia feel better. Cut me some slack, you ninny. You know how much I liked it. ~
Talia grins at me, her eyes darting between the two and then back. Her face changes as soon as she attempts to move. She rolls onto her stomach as instructed, and I peel away the tatters so she can get comfortable. “You okay? If so, I’ll try not to jar you too much while I get a read on the problem.”
“Do whatever you need. I’m good now.”
I shoo Taurus and Rafe off the bed, crawling up and cursing as I get caught in the gown’s hem. I give in and hike the damned thing up over my knees, before I break my neck or hang myself. I lay a hand on her shoulder blade, closing my eyes as I delve inside to feel for the injury without putting pressure on it.
Talia’s voice is full of sardonic humor when she says, “You know,we need to stop meeting like this. One day, it might be nice to get a cup of coffee or something.”
“Very true. I’m sure we’d have plenty to discuss. Volumes, even.” My eyes flick to our mates and I grin a bit.
“Oxford tomes,” she says, then winces as her chuckles make her shoulder move.
“You’re all tense because this hurts and the pain is making everything tense. I’m going to need to get that to let up to heal the problems.” I float a bottle of massage oil over, having brought some supplies from home. I stop, waiting for her to decide.
Just out of range, but not far enough for my ears, I hear Rafe ask Taurus. “Does it make you nervous that they’re talking about us like we’re not here?”
“It’s always that way until the ‘here’ bit is naked stuff. Though, the thought of those two joining “forces over a cuppa is frightening.” He shudders. “It’s on your head, Sampson. You’re the one who keeps calling. Remind me to thank you for that.”
Having had enough of their nonsense and feeling put off since Talia hasn’t responded, I turn to glare at them both. Her head bobs against the bed and I let out a slow breath of relief. “Clones: you can’t live with them and you can’t drop them off a cliff,” I mutter, uncapping the bottle of jasmine scented oil. I stop for a moment, seeing my issue. “I might need to figure out leverage.”
“Actually,” Talia murmurs, “you’re wrong. Youcandrop them off a cliff. But they disapparate and show back up on your doorstep. I know because I tried.”
