He tugged away the tissue and examined her elbow. Her skin was torn and raw but no longer bleeding freely. Nix wiped her elbow with the antiseptic pad, and she hissed out a breath at the stinging pain.
She instinctively tried to pull away, but Nix gripped her forearm and held her still as he wiped the scrape again. He made a soothing sound under his breath as she hissed out another breath.
“Almost done, little dove,” he murmured.
Another flush of heat invaded her body, and the pain dimmed as she stared at Nix’s tattooed hands. They were big and rough looking, but he was infinitely gentle as he used another antiseptic wipe to clean the scrape near her wrist and the one on the palm of her hand.
“I think we should bandage your elbow, but the other ones are okay as is,” he said.
“All right.”
Her pulse was still skittering along at a pace that was too fast, and she tried to ignore the growing ache in her pelvis as Nix taped a small white bandage to her elbow. He smoothed down the final piece of tape before smiling at her. “There. All better.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He frowned. “For what?”
“For going out to a bar and getting drunk, and then you had to come to my rescue,” she said.
His scowl deepened. “One, you are allowed to get drunk, and two, I’m thankful I was there to rescue you.”
The warmth washing over her now had nothing to do with the alcohol. She was sure of it. She leaned forward, giggling when she nearly fell off the bed and had to brace her hands on Nix’s broad chest.
He cupped her arms lightly. “You okay?”
“I’m wonderful,” she said. She tilted her head, studying Nix intently, her gaze lingering on his mouth. “You’re so nice.”
He didn’t reply, and her gaze flickered to his gorgeous blue eyes. “You’re so nice and so… pretty.”
Her entire body aching with need for Nix, she slid her hands around the back of his neck and pressed her lips against his.
