“I don’t see why not, you got something different in mind?”One of his severe eyebrows arched in question at her.
Smiling, she shook her head. "No, Whiskers soundsperfect," getting up from the table, she paused as she thought ofsomething. "There is an empty crate on the porch; we can use that tonightfor a bed.”
Once the words were spoken, Alessia realized her mistake.Since getting into the truck with him, there had been no mention of the statusof her temporary stay. It felt odd even bringing it up, like a reminder neitherone wanted to hear.
But if Jax was affected by the reminder she would neverknow; his face was expressionless as he stood up. “I will get the crate, you goshower.”
“I can do it,” she walked to the door just as a loud crackof thunder shook the entire house, making her heart jump.
Whisker's meows started again with a frantic pace, andAlessia couldn't blame him.
"It's okay Whiskers, I got you," Jax deep voicesoothed at the kitten as he stroked its tiny neck. "If someone would hurryup and take a shower before lightning decides to hit my tin roof, we can allget warm and cozy in front of the heater and watch a movie." Though he wasobviously talking to her, he kept his black gaze focused on the kitten in frontof him.
“Fine, fine,” she grumbled, though picking up the pace thistime as she grabbed her bag and darted to the bathroom. She never thought ofthe fact that the roof was metal. The idea of getting electrocuted was enoughto send her obediently scurrying.
Alessia was turning off the shower when the short knocksounded at the door.
“Alessia,” Jax’s deep voice called out.
Wrapping the towel with suddenly nervous hands aroundherself, she stepped over the tile lip of the shower. "Yes?" Shecalled back.
“When you come out, I’ll reapply your bandages.” The edictwas given with such resolute authority, Alessia knew that trying to convincehim she could do it herself was pointless.
Rolling her eyes, she swallowed the heavy sigh she wanted togive and replied, “thank you.”
Pulling out her clothes from her bag, Alessia paused whenshe pulled out her pajama pants. For a few seconds, she debated whether or notshe should put them on. If she did, he was only going to make her pull themright back down to get to her thigh and hip. Although leaving them off would bebeyond embarrassing.
Settling for leaving them off, she held the pants in frontof her as a shield before grabbing the doorknob. Sticking her head out of thebathroom, she saw Jax sitting on the couch with his back towards her. He hadboth arms spread across the length of the sofa’s back. The cabin was quiet,there was no radio or TV on, just the heavy muted sound of the rain against themetal roof. Nervously, she walked forward her feet, barely making a soundacross the wooden floorboards. Since the lights were off, the kitchen shadowssurrounded the perimeter around the tiny island of light from the lamp next tothe sofa. Coming around the sofa, she stopped near the armrest.
Too embarrassed by her bare legs to meet his eyes, shestared at the space above his head. "Did you want me to sit or…"
“No,” his voice sounded thicker than normal. “Just stand infront of me.”
Summoning the courage, she looked down at his face, but itdidn’t help. Alessia couldn’t tell what he was thinking as she stepped closer,his eyes were hooded and his face was unreadable. Stopping just a few stepsahead of him, she remembered Whiskers.
Turning her head, she scanned the room. “Where is Whiskers?”
"Come closer," the warm hand on the back of herbare knee nearly caused her to rip the fabric of her pants; she was stillgripping as a makeshift shield. Pulling her closer into the space between histhighs, Jax tugged at the flannel fabric of her pants until she reluctantlyreleased them. "The cat is sleeping in a box behind you."
Alessia wanted to turn and look, but she didn't dare move.If she moved, the already too short hem of her pajama top would ride up, and hewould be face-to-face with her underwear.
Alessia’s chest tightened as she felt the flat of his palmslide down to the rising curve of her calf and stop. Gently he lifted her legas he grabbed her hand with his other hand. Silently, he guided her hand to hisshoulder for support as he sat her barefoot on the bit of couch between hislegs. Alessia forced herself to focus on the radiating heat between his jeanedlegs instead of his face leaning closer to her naked thigh. Slowly,methodically, he tended to the cut. Dabbing the cotton swab into peroxide, Jaxran the cold, wet cotton across the wound. Slowly, each gentle pass of the swabbrushed the tips of his fingers along her skin. Blessedly, his fingers finallystopped, and Alessia thought for a brief second, she was going to just deflatewith exhaled relief.
“Now for the ointment,” the rock-salt burn to his voice sentshivers up her leg, unconsciously making her grip on his shoulder tighten.
As Jax leaned forward a bit to grab the ointment in themedicine box, Alessia could feel the soft hairs of his beard brush against her.Turning her head away from him, Alessia clenched her eyes closed while inwardlypraying this would end soon.
Rubbing the oily substance on, he eventually let her standback on to two feet. “Okay, and now for the one at your hip.”
Dear God! She wasn’t going to survive much more of this, herbody already felt overheated. Every muscle felt like it was wound so tight shewould soon burst.
“Jax,” she whispered, giving him a pleading look. “Can Iplease sit down?”
Finally, his eyes met hers for the first time since shestepped out of the bathroom. The dark twin pools pulsated with a lambent fireshe couldn’t identify.
“Here,” he clasped her hand on his shoulder and urged herforward as he stood up, trading spots with her until she was now sitting in hiswarm spot. “Lay down.”
She wanted to say there was no need, that she was fine, butshe allowed herself to be gently pushed down until she was laying across thecouch on her side just as she was the other night. Kneeling next to her, Jaxreached for her shirt, pulling it up to expose her hip.
