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“Ouch! Watch the head.”

“Don’t be a baby.”

“How can you not feel the giant egg there? I hit the floor hard earlier.”

I moved my hand over her head carefully. Shit. There was an egg.

On an indrawn hiss, Iris’s hand shot out, and she groped wildly.

“What now?”

“You got shampoo in my eyes.”

Fuck.

I quickly grabbed the washcloth I brought in with me, held it under the spray, and carefully pressed it to her eyes. “Hold it there while I rinse your hair.” Her eyes were already causing her pain and now I’d made it worse. “Sorry,” I muttered, feeling like an idiot.

“It’s fine. Let’s just get this over with.”

I unhooked the shower head, doing it that way instead. At least I had more control and could avoid her face and stitched arms more easily. “Better?”

She nodded.

I pumped out some conditioner, and this time was more careful, running my fingers through her long hair, making sure to avoid the bump on her head, then rinsed it out.

I took the washcloth from her eyes next and tilted her head back, inspecting them. She blinked up at me, and I had to fight not to kiss her. The kiss we’d shared was seared into my brain, onto my fucking lips. I thought about it constantly, and I wanted a taste of her again more than anything.

“How are your eyes now?”

She licked her lips, and there was no stopping the sound of hunger that escaped me.

“They’re okay,” she said.

I rinsed the washcloth before dragging it one-handed over the soap a few times, then carefully cleaned the remaining blood from her face, then rinsed again. Next up was her body, and I slid the cloth slowly over her shoulder.

“I can do that,” she said breathlessly.

I shook my head and ran it down her arm. “It’s my job,” I said, because that was what my wolf was projecting the loudest, and I couldn’t stop myself from saying it.

“Your job?” She looked up at me, all pink-cheeked and sexy and, goddammit, adorable.

My female was irresistible.

“I found you, I take care of you,” I said improvising.

“I don’t think that’s a thing.” She licked her lips again.

“It is to me.” And then I couldn’t hold back anymore. I dipped my head slowly, and when she didn’t pull away, I pressed my lips to hers and kissed her softly, so very softly.

She was no doubt sore from what had happened, but I couldn’t stop myself from tasting her mouth again. And just that soft, barely-there touch set me on fucking fire. I ignored the driving beat in my chest and the throb of my groin, though, and lifted my head, making myself stop, and looked down at her.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Kissing you.”

She blinked once, twice. “Well, yes, I worked that out for myself. I’m just not sure that’s a great idea.”

I shrugged and carried on with what I was doing, running the cloth down her chest and over one of her full breasts. “Don’t read too much into it. I’m a wolf, I’m affectionate.”