Their association was nothing more than a professional one. She was the woman he’d hired as a home help. But, oh, her cherry lips were sweet...
Reluctantly he came to his senses and hastily withdrew. But he couldn’t so easily escape the desire that burned in him as brightly and hotly as a flame that would not go out...
‘You—we—we shouldn’t have done that!’ With her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright Kit self-consciously smoothed her hand down over her hip and reached for the jug of clean water she’d left on the bath side. ‘I’d better rinse off your hair and then get those warm bathtowels for you.’
After rinsing the shampoo from his hair Kit grimly adhered to her task of helping Hal get out of the bath. She was careful not to meet his eyes so he wouldn’t see that she was desperately struggling to maintain her composure. There was no hiding the fact that his naked physical form had deluged her with an uncomfortably primal awareness. That brief but inflammatory kiss he’d delivered had effectively turned her previously ‘safe’ little world upside down, and she didn’t know how she was going to right it again.
Silently helping him into his bathrobe, Kit couldn’t disguise her need to escape for a while. ‘Will you be okay for a couple of minutes while I fetch those towels?’
‘Of course. But don’t be gone too long, will you? I might start to think you’re trying to pretend that chaste little kiss we just shared didn’t happen.’
Forcing herself to meet the undoubtedly mocking glance on Hal’s face, she lifted her chin and delivered a deliberately droll reply of her own.
‘I hate to dent your ego—I really do—but I’ve already forgotten about it. My focus is entirely on your welfare, just as it should be. When I return, I’ll stay and help you dress, if you’d like? I’m aware you’ve already expended quite a bit of energy today, and you need to rest that leg.’
Hal predictably scowled. ‘I don’t need help dressing. Just bring me the towels. After that, rather than have you stay and help me, I’d prefer it if you just went and made me a hot drink.’
‘Your wish is my command.’
‘I wouldn’t push your luck if I were you.’
‘I wouldn’t dare,’ Kit murmured softly, and quickly exited the room...
She came back soon afterwards with the promised towels, then disappeared again to make his drink. Hal couldn’t help feeling a little sombre. He’d told her that rather than staying to help him he’d prefer her to go and make him a hot drink, but it was a lie. He didn’t prefer that she’d done that at all. His assertion that he didn’t want her help because he hated being so reliant on her, and also because everything about her was arousing him...almost to the point of pain.
Hefting a heavy sigh, he glared down at his inanimate broken limb with a feeling that was very close to despair. Being left with too much time on his hands in which to berate himself for creating such a horrendous situation was hardly helpful. He hated being left alone with his thoughts. He’d rather go sky-diving or climb a glacial mountain without a guide rope any day. At least when he was doing that there wasn’t any time for painful brooding—not when his attention had to be absolutely focused on the exhilarating and dangerous task in hand if he wanted to stay alive.
Breaking his leg and being forced to take time out from his usual activities had made Hal realise just how alone and fearful of the future he’d become lately. Having woken up to the fact that he’d deluded himself for too long that money, a successful career and the extreme sports he favoured were enough to keep his loneliness and sense of emptiness at bay, he was now faced with the realisation that in truth he’d been hiding from the one thing that might help counteract that...having a genuinely intimate and meaningful relationship with a woman. He’d avoided the possibility like the plague thus far, due to his dread fear of commitment. In any case, he was hardly a good bet. Aside from his restless nature, he was far too selfish and self-obsessed, and sooner or later the woman he chose would discover that and leave...just as his mother had left his father when Hal and Sam were small...
Uncomfortably ill at ease with that particular train of thought, he stood up abruptly on his good leg and reached out a hand for one of the crutches Kit had left standing against the wall close to his chair. Intent on positioning the padded rest under his arm, he lost his balance. Shockingly, he pitched forward onto the marble floor. Grunting out a furious expletive, because the force of the fall had momentarily robbed him of his breath, he stayed there for several humiliating seconds before coming to his senses and shouting for Kit.