Page 65 of Hot Damn
“I want to knock Kenneth on his ass.”
I chuckle. “You and me both. Plus everyone we left at Chase’s house.”
“Nat’s.”
“What?”
“It’s Nat’s house. I didn’t even realize she’d moved Chase and his siblings in.”
“Yeah, that’s an interesting situation.”
“Hmm…” Her face rubs against my shirt and I’m sure she sucks in a deep breath. “Do I hear water?”
“Yes. If you’re ready for that hot bath, the tub should be full enough now.”
“You left the water running?”
Her head tips back and the sight of her with mascara smudged under her eyes—trailing down her cheeks—spikes my anger at Kenneth once more.
“C’mon, let’s get you in the bath and see if you can soak some of the day away.”
“I’ll settle for easing the pain in my hip.”
“Your hip?” I ask as I move us off the bed.
“Yeah.”
“I thought you landed on your butt.” Which had me concerned about her spine but if she came down on her hip, she could have done damage to the joint, her pelvis, hell, she could have broken it.
“I think it was my hip and butt. Both hurt, but the hip is worse.”
“Can I take a look? I’ve got some cream you can put on it if it’s bruised. Once you’re out of the bath.”
“Thanks. If you’ve got some pain meds I can take before bed, that would be great too.”
“I do.”
I can tell how much pain she’s in by the fact she doesn’t protest me carrying her into the bathroom. When I lower her toher feet, she doesn’t hide the pain she’s in like she did earlier and I want to wrap my hands around that fucking reporter’s neck.
Reining in my anger, I focus on what Cami needs. “Do you need help getting in?”
I have no idea how I’m going to see Cami naked and not react. She’ll be the first naked woman I’ve seen up close in eighteen years.
Hell, who am I kidding. It’ll be the first time I’ve ever seen a naked woman in the flesh. The secrecy of my relationship with Whit’s mother meant rushed sex in places we could be discovered so the complete removal of clothes never happened.
I shouldn’t be thinking about Cami in a sexual way, not when she’s hurt and trusting me to take care of her, but I can’t help the arousal I feel around her. Up ’til now I’ve ignored it, denied it. Even when I tried to dislike her, I couldn’t hide from it.
I’d stuck my head in the sand with Whit’s mother and look where that got me. I can’t blame that debacle on Catrina in spite of how old I was, how old she was, I own up to my involvement. Plus the biggest mistake of my life gave me my greatest gift.
“Beckett?”
Pulled from my thoughts I meet Cami’s gaze. “Sorry. Do you need help?”
“I think so. I don’t think I can lift my leg high enough to get in the tub.”
“Okay…” How can we do this without me putting my hands all over her? “Tell me what you need.”
“Can you hold me still, take some of my weight off my left leg while I get my shirt off?”
