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I stood up straight again, and Cade was right next to me, setting his cup of cafeteria coffee on the floor as he came to offer me a supportive arm. “You should be in bed.”
“And you should be in Nevada. Or in New York City crashing the stock exchange. Neither of us should be here, yet here we are.”
“I didn’t mean it in a broad-strokes sense. I meant you’re seriously hurt and you should be in bed. The doctor can’t have sanctioned this.” He started looking around as if hoping he would spot Dr. Shea and they could both talk some sense into me.
“He didn’t try to wrestle me back down.”
“Would that work?”
“No.” I slipped on one leg of my jeans, cursing whoever invented skinny denim, then rested my head against the wall before attempting the second leg.
After a long, tense pause, he asked, “Would you like some help getting dressed?”
I stared at the white paint on the wall, practicing slow breathing through my nostrils. My pride was already in tatters given the fact I couldn’t get my pants on all at once like a grown adult. What harm could it do to get some assistance at this point?
“Okay.”
Cade knelt on the floor in front of me and turned me to face him, placing his face roughly level with my crotch.
I was wrong. This could get less dignified.
His hands trailed down my leg haltingly, almost like he was hesitating with every gesture. He eased his fingers behind my knee and lifted, letting it bend reflexively as he pressed lightly at the joint.
Suddenly the wave of awkwardness was gone, replaced with an altogether unexpected sensation. Lust.
He stared up at me as he guided my toes into the pant leg and tugged the cuff past my heel. When he looped his thumbs into the waistband of my pants and began to pull them up, my breath hitched.
“Are you okay?” He paused, his brow tighteni
ng in concern. I wanted to press my thumb on the place between his eyes where a permanent scowl line had formed. I wanted to scrape my fingernails across the fresh stubble on his jaw.
More than anything I wanted us to be in a situation where he could be taking my pants off instead of helping me put them back on.
With a quavering sigh I said, “I’m fine.” I braced one hand on his shoulder, nails gripping the firm muscle. It was the one touch I’d allow myself, since I could play it off as merely needing the balance. The truth of the matter was I was just that desperate to put my hands on him.
He rose slowly, so slowly he had to be doing it to torture me, pulling my pants up one inch at a time. When he got to my hips, he needed to step closer, his arms coming around my waist, fingertips tracing the elastic band of my underwear, then he pulled the pants over my ass and his hands returned to the front.
Cade’s gaze never left mine as he fastened the zipper of my jeans and deftly buttoned them. His face was inches from mine, and my heart was thrumming. I was having such a hard time breathing I thought I might collapse my damn lung from desire alone.
Sexy.
Resting my hands on his chest, I hesitated, then pushed him away, scared to trust myself if I was breathing the same air as him. I’d never been dressed so erotically before, and I could barely stand long enough to enjoy it.
“Where’s Leo?” I asked again, coming back to the most important topic.
“Downstairs. Flirting with nurses. I think he’s also stealing money from the vending machines somehow?” He offered me his hand and guided me to the bed, where I leaned against the frame, wincing.
I was glad he didn’t suggest I get in bed again, because I’d have seriously considered it right then.
“Watch your wallet around him.” I motioned for him to hand me my boots. He grabbed them and set his chair in front of me, quietly setting about putting them on for me without being asked.
“He’s an interesting guy.” Cade cradled my calf as he slipped the boot onto my left foot. I looked up at the ceiling, trying to pretend the situation was different in so many ways. The only thing I wouldn’t change was the lingering way he touched me, like he was taking a tiny bit of pleasure with each motion.
“Tell me about it.” I fought the urge to close my eyes and lie down. I could sleep for ten years and it wouldn’t be enough. Needless to say if I got through this, I was going to tell Sido I needed a vacation.
I snorted out loud at the thought.
“What’s so funny?” He’d set my left foot down and was putting my right boot on, but paused when I laughed.
