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I nod. “Like in your sleep.”
Katya takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, her muscles finally drained of the last of their tension. “And talking about it will help?” Again, I nod. “Well, shit.”
This startles a laugh out of me. Katya’s face instantly lights up, the most adorable smile gracing her lips. What did I do to earn such a precious gift?
“I like your laugh,” she says, her eyes twinkling as she beams up at me.
It’s not often I’m at a loss for words. Right now, however, I’ve got nothing.
“I need to change your bandage,” I say, changing the subject before I do something stupid like kiss her and tell her to stay with me forever.
Katya’s smile drops as she looks down at her side. “Sorry,” she murmurs, holding her hand over the blood stain as though that would make it disappear.
It kills me that she’s apologizing for her pain. It speaks volumes about what she’s been through in her short life.
“Nothing to be sorry about, Katya,” I tell her softly. “You did nothing wrong.”
Golden eyes blink up at me in confusion and disbelief, but beneath the layers of insecurities and distrust, I see a tentative hope. I want to bring that out in her, to give her hope and joy and all the other shit I never thought I cared about. I may not deserve any of it, but Katya does. She deserves every good thing in this world, and for some reason I still can’t comprehend, I need to be the one to give it to her.
“None of this is your fault,” I whisper, running my fingertips up and down her arm in a calming gesture. “Now, let’s get you cleaned up and back to bed, yeah?”
Katya nods, her eyes never leaving mine. It’s intense, the way she looks at me. Like she’s burrowing down into my very soul and making space for herself. She doesn’t need to try so hard. I already know I’ll never forget this woman.
I help her off the bed and half-carry her to the bathroom across the hall, sitting her down on the edge of the tub. After grabbing the first aid kit from the drawer next to the sink, I kneel down in front of Katya and begin to lift the hem of her shirt.
She immediately crosses her arms over her chest, and I look up, lifting an eyebrow in question. “I have to see it so I know how to patch you up.”
“I know, I just…” She trails off, looking to the side to avoid my gaze. Finally, Katya sighs and drops her arms to her sides. “I’m not wearing a bra,” she whispers.
“Oh.” At first, I’m not sure why that information is relevant. I didn’t think about it, but it makes sense that she wouldn’t sleep in a bra. “Oh,” I say again once I realize what the issue is. She has to take off her shirt for me to have access, which means…
“It’s fine, I mean, I know it’s not a big deal,” she rushes to say, her cheeks glowing red. “I just haven’t ever shown anyone… I mean, it’s not like I’ve even had… Oh mygod, never mind.” Katya finishes her outburst by covering her face with her hands.
What the hell just happened? What is she talking about?
Then it hits me. More like bludgeons me.I’ve never shown anyone… I’ve never even had…
Jesus. This woman is killing me. Never thought I had a possessive bone in my body until now, but hearing her admit she’s never been with anyone? No one has touched her, kissed her, seen her naked curves…
“It’s okay,” I manage to say, hopefully not sounding as feral as I feel. “Nothing to be ashamed of.”In fact, I love it. More than I should.“I’ll turn around while you take the shirt off. You can, uh, cover what you need to cover as long as I have access to the cut.”
I turn, giving her my back so she can undress in private. I’d much rather insist she goes topless, but no way in hell will I ever pressure her or disrespect her boundaries. This girl has had enough people trample all over her wants and needs, and I refuse to be another one.
“Valentino?” comes her soft voice. “I, um, I need help with the shirt. I think some of the blood dried, and… I trust you.” The last part is barely above a whisper, but I hear it as if it were a gunshot next to my ear.She trusts me.
I grab a washcloth and dampen it slightly before turning to face Katya. She’s nibbling on her bottom lip, looking up at me with those wide, vulnerable eyes. Without saying a word, I gently press the damp cloth to her side, loosening the dried blood so it releases the bond between her skin and the fabric.
Tugging on the shirt slightly, I manage to lift it off of the wound fairly easily, thank God. I hate the thought of putting her through any more pain. Curling my fingers under the hem of the shirt, I slowly lift the fabric up, up, up her body, revealing creamy skin and round, firm breasts I don’t allow myself to stare at.
Once the shirt is over her head, Katya captures my eyes. She’s stunning but now isn’t the time.
“You’re beautiful, Katya,” I find myself saying. “Now, let’s get you cleaned up and back to bed.”
I kneel once more, focusing all of my attention on cleaning her wound. Luckily, none of the butterfly bandages ripped off, just the large Band-Aid covering everything up. The skin around the cut is red, but the wound itself is actually healing up better than I hoped. With another few days of rest, it’ll close and heal on its own.
For now, I put on another layer of antibiotic cream to help speed the process along. After covering the area with another bandage, I lightly trace my fingertips along the outside to make sure everything is secure.
Looking up at Katya, she gives me a tiny smile that lights up my world.
