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It only took a few seconds for it to open, and Aubree’s breath stuck in her throat seeing not only the annoyed frustration fall from his face, but also his bare chest. Her heart started to race, and she glanced away from all of the thick, tempting muscles bare in front of her.
“Is everything alright, little doe?” Heath asked, making her heart skip a few beats at the nickname. She refused to think of it as an endearment because that would likely make her explode.
“I…I noticed earlier that you only had guest towels,” she rushed out, holding up the thick pile of the extra-large bath sheets she’d pulled from the laundry. “I thought you might need something a little bit…”
“Larger?” he offered when she paused, his finger tilting her face up to meet his gaze as the words stuck in her throat. There was a smile on his lips, but his eyes didn’t hold it, making her berate herself for doing this.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have interrupted you again…”
“No, little doe, don’t run,” Heath whispered softly, pulling her eyes she’d closed in her rush of words open to his as his hand slid onto hers over the towels. “I’m glad you’re back. I was about to take a shower as it was to try and rid myself of the headache that woman earlier gave me.”
“She wears a lot of scents that don’t settle well with people,” Aubree said, glad he didn’t like the Danielle, hadn’t taken her up on her obvious offer.
“It was more her touch that caused it,” he said, making her brows furl a bit. “I don’t enjoy people randomly touching me.”
Aubree tried to slip her hands out from under his, but his fingers slid around hers, drawing her into his room with him.
“I didn’t mean you, little doe. I touched you first,” he said, putting a hint of a blush in her cheeks. It grew as he added, “But you can touch me whenever you want. I don’t find your touch repulsive. Anything but in fact.”
“Let me run you a bath. That will help your headache more than a shower might,” she suggested fighting to control the color from deepening.
“You don’t have to do that, Aubree,” he said, and for some reason, she hated her name from his lips, wanted him to call her that silly nickname again.
“I know, but a bath always helps me to relax whenever I’m really anxious. The pack’s doctor gave me some oils to use, and it always calms me,” she said, giving him a smile as she headed for the bathroom and the huge tub there.
“You have anxiety that bad, little doe?” Heath asked as she began to fill the tub with hot water, adding some bath milk they kept on hand for everyone to make the water silkier.
“I…it started after I lost my mom. I was only fourteen,” she said, not adding in the rest of what caused it, unable to because of Alpha Josh’s commands.
“And your father couldn’t help you through it because of his own grief?”
“No, he died when I was eight, in an attack,” she said drawing a deep breath from him. “It’s just been me since then. The pack’s taken care of me, but there’s no one I was really close to.”
“I’m sorry, little doe,” Heath said, drawing closer to her and she fought to control her heartrate. It was impossible when he slid his arms around her, wrapping her in a tight hug. Tears burnt at her eyes, and she shut them tight, turning her face into his chest.
He smelled like heaven. She couldn’t quite place it, but it was woodsy, yet earthy, with a hint of dew, and she enjoyed it far more than she should.
Heath stepped back after a minute and she blinked away her tears, her cheeks entirely flushed now. She knew he said she could touch him, but that wasn’t what he meant, she was certain.
“Let me run to get some of the oils. There’s some in the storage cabinet just down the hall,” she explained when he began to tell her it wasn’t necessary. “I…I hide some there so I can use the tub up here to stay away from the others.”
“Which tub?” Heath questioned, pulling her gaze up to his again, the gruffness in his tone making her flush further.
“This one actually,” she admitted. “It’s safest as no one ever uses it, but I keep the oils in the cabinet so none of the others cleaning see someone’s been using it.”
“Alright, but be careful doing it,” he said, and she nodded, moving from the space to not only get the oil but also to calm herself. Being pressed against his hard body had woken parts of her she’d never known existed.
She slid back into the room, the bottle in her hands, and breathed in relief seeing Heath already in the tub. The milky water covered him fully, keeping her from reaching out to touch those hard muscles again. His eyes opened when she hesitated at the door, but he beckoned her on in with a smile, and she opened the cap of the oil bottle, letting a few droplets merge with the still running water.
The scents filled the air and she smiled, watching his nose twitch slightly. “It has peppermint, cedarwood, neroli, lemon balm, and a hint of lavender.”
“Smells good and thankfully, not all flowery,” he said with a grin at her, but she could tell just how much his head hurt as it didn’t fully reach his eyes. “Thank you, little doe.”
“Close your eyes,” she said softly, knowing he was telling her she could leave, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to be here, and she slid to the cabinet, grabbing out some small towels, before moving back over to him. His eyes were still on her, and she smiled, as she folded one of the towels up, making a little pillow for his neck.
He lifted his head letting her slip it in, then took the washcloth and wetted it before turning off the running tap. She moved back to his head, meeting his gaze and told him again, “Close your eyes.”
They slid shut after a moment and she rested the washcloth over them, before grabbing the little stool from the vanity meant for a mate to use to do their makeup. It put her at the perfect height behind Heath’s head and she lifted her fingers to his temples, massaging them after dipping her fingers into the fragrant water.
