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Travis strokes my hair and places his lips to my forehead, giving me a gentle kiss. All too soon, he breaks our intimate embrace, and I feel bereft of his warmth and comfort. “Come on, let’s get our day started. Maybe a nice, warm bath will loosen your muscles, and then we’ll get you something to eat. You need to keep up your strength.”
He takes me by the hand, pulls me from the warmth of the bed, and walks with me to the bathroom, my achy muscles protesting the entire way. As we enter the bathroom, I’m taken aback; it’s huge. I wouldn’t have thought a cabin would hold such an expansive bathroom, but here it is, a whirlpool tub, separate shower, double sinks, and all of it decorated with class. Travis gestures around the room, explaining, “There is all kinds of girly stuff in the shower for you, and a new toothbrush here on the counter.”
I pivot around on my feet, locking my eyes with his, bewilderment written all over my face. “How...how did you do all this?”
A grin plays across his lips. “I wish I could say I waved a magic wand, but I didn’t. My best friend Stryker is here. I called him yesterday, had him pick up all the things you would need. Oh, and there’s new clothes for you; they’re already put away in the dresser drawers.”
I’m flabbergasted. “I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s all good, Jules. No need to say anything,” he assures me.
How is it all good? I place the palms of my hands tentatively on his chest. “Yes, I do need to say many things, first of which is a huge thank you.” I shake my head in disbelief. “How can I ever repay you?” I wave my hand around the room. “I will pay you both back for everything. The clothes, your time...” I trail off.
He looks stern as he places his hands on my shoulders, grabbing my attention, and he shakes his head. “No, no repaying.”
“I can’t in good conscience let you do this without recompense. This is above and beyond the call of duty, Travis, especially when you claim we’ve only had a few dates,” I argue.
He briefly closes his eyes and lets out a long-winded sigh. “Please, let it go, Jules. In this short time we’ve known each other; you’ve become something important to me. Let’s get you better first, then we can argue about it, okay?” He closes the subject, and I have a feeling he won’t allow the discussion to resurface.
“C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up. You’ll feel better.” He slowly spins me around, and I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and gasp. My hand flies to my mouth in alarm. I look as if I’ve been through a meat grinder.
Travis embraces me from behind, distracting my thoughts. “Shhh, darlin’, you’re going to be fine.”
I swallow hard, panic evident in my wide eyes as I whisper, “What happened to me, Travis?” I close my eyes tightly, not wanting to see myself anymore. I feel myself being gently spun around as the front of my body presses against Travis’ torso. His arms encircle me as he pulls me in tight as the faint hint of leather fills my next breath, and it soothes me.
He leans down to whisper in my ear, “It looks worse than it really is.” I shake my head against his hard chest. No, this looks pretty bad; I’m sure of it. My fingernails curl into his shirt as I anchor myself to him, needing stability. His hand pushes aside my long hair so he has access to caress the back of my neck with easy, tender strokes, and he begins to calm my nerves. How does this man always seem to soothe me?
My eyes flutter closed as I rest my forehead against the center of his broad chest, and I release a soft sigh. “Travis, I don’t want to be a clingy female, but for some reason, I don’t want to be alone right now.” He’s already done so much; I don’t want to come across extra needy, but I am. My emotions seem extra fragile, and he seems to know intuitively what to do with me to keep my nerves settled.
His soft-timbered voice washes over the top of my head. “Would you like some help with a bath?” I nod into his chest, too embarrassed to ask outright for his help. “Not a problem, sweetheart.”
I lift my chin, peer up from underneath my lashes, and gaze into his iridescent eyes. They illuminate from the morning sun coming through the skylight above, and he looks like a handsome angel in the light. “I’d like to think I’m not a skank, and I don’t want you to think differently of me, because of this—”
