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He interrupts me by pressing his fingers against my lips. “Shhh...” He shakes his head. “No ...you’re not a skank. I know for a fact you’re a classy lady, and right now, you’re feeling alone, vulnerable, groggy, and sore.” His large frame begins backing up, taking me with him. He sits down on the edge of the tub, pulling me onto his lap as he holds me tight. As he leans over the tub, he turns the faucet on, and the sound of bath water splashing against the porcelain tub fills the quiet of the room. I watch the muscles in his arm flex as he places a stopper in the drain, and as the tub fills, we stay silent as I continue to take refuge in this man’s arms. He gently begins rubbing the back of my neck, causing my eyes to close from the warmth of his caress. “There’s no need to feel embarrassed either. I promise you—I’ll be the perfect gentleman.”
When the tub is filled, he pulls back with a look of concern etched across his face, but he stays silent. I bite my lower lip with nervousness. What am I thinking? It’s one thing to say I don’t want to be alone, but it’s another to actually strip bare before someone I don’t remember. He shuts off the water then pulls me to my feet, and my pulse begins to accelerate as I start second-guessing myself. Travis doesn’t give me a chance to chicken out, however, because he’s already started lifting my scrub top over my head. His eyes stay locked on mine, all the while my heart pounds hard in my chest. His touch is light and gentle, as he makes silent work of removing my clothes.
Hooking his fingers in the elastic waistband of my scrub bottoms, he slowly removes them, scooting them over my thighs and down to my feet. When I step out of the scrubs, Travis silently guides me to the edge of the tub. I’m thankful he’s not ogling me, and I notice he’s keeping his eyes averted from my body as much as possible. He doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable, and it makes being naked in front of him bearable. With Travis not making my nakedness an issue, I release a breath and relax a little more. It’s an oddly comfortable feeling really, almost as if he’s seen me this way before.
Carefully, I step into the tub with one foot, testing the heat of the water first. A relaxed sigh escapes me; the warmth of the water feels so good. “How’s the temperature?”
“Perfect.” I grin, and feel his light touch on my lower back, just enough to send shivers and goose bumps racing over my body. Looking over my shoulder at Travis, he’s busy taking stock of the injuries on my back. His eyes are roaming, but not with lust. My brows furrow, because for some reason, he looks upset. “Travis...are you okay?”
He snaps out of his thoughts as he lifts his head, meeting my gaze. The muscles in his jaw clench, but then he steals a deep breath as he forces himself to relax. “Yeah, sorry, those bastards really did a number on you. It just sends my blood boiling all over again.”
“I can’t see it...is it that bad?”
The worried look I must have on my face suddenly has him schooling his features. He shakes his head, his eyes turning soft. “No, it’s not as bad as you think. You’re going to be fine,” he assures me. “I just get upset when I think of finding you the way I did.” He then changes the subject, taking me by the hand as he says, “C’mon, let me get you cleaned up. He helps me keep steady as I step the rest of the way into the warm water.
I sit down gently, immersing myself in the water, only to grimace when the warmth of it makes the wounds on my back sting. “Ohh...” I groan, and then suck in a breath of air.
“Are you okay?” he asks with concern. He crouches down as his knees come to rest on the tiled floor.
I nod. “The water feels good, but it’s stinging the skin on my back; it’s very sensitive.”
His eyes turn sorrowful as he leans forward and places a chaste kiss on my cheek. “I’ll be gentle. You’ll feel better after your bath.” He reaches over me to grab the soap and a washcloth, and I am eye level with his broad chest. He fills out every inch of his t-shirt, his muscles so thick the fabric strains to accommodate his size he’s so huge.
He glances at me out of the corner of his eye as he lathers up the washcloth. “What are you thinking about?” he asks softly.
My mouth just happens to blurt out what’s running through my brain without a filter. “How big your muscles are.” Embarrassed now, I avert my gaze to the tiled wall as I hear him chuckle. To his credit, he doesn’t poke fun at me. He stays quiet as he gently washes my body, and when he reaches my backside, he’s careful to avoid the tender abrasions.
