Lifting her chin with the side of his bent index finger, Cliff paused until she brought her eyes to meet his. “I would never put you in a position like that, Alexis, and I hate that you think that I would. I realize now that we knew very little about each other, but I can’t deny the reaction I have when I’m near you. I want to possess all of you, but only when you’re ready to give yourself to me.”
Her eyes flicked back and forth between Cliff’s, but he waited patiently for her response. It took just a few beats until she replied. “You’re right and I’m sorry. I want to know you better. I want to know all of you and I’ve never felt like this about anyone so quickly.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll take our time. I need to make sure that you’re safe first. And I may not be a saint, but believe me when I say that there isn’t a single woman that can hold a candle to you.”
“Wow,” she whispered, leaning closer to him. He wanted to kiss her, needed it more than his next breath, but took a retreating step back instead. She was not ready for him yet despite her words.
“Let’s get you in the shower, okay?” Cliff reached around his back and gripped the cotton of his T-shirt, tugging the material over his head without much effort. He tried not to smile at the surprised gasp he heard from Alexis. Despite the bullet scars and tattoos Cliff knew that his body was in peak shape. His shoes, socks, and pants quickly followed, the pile on the floor growing with each piece.
Moving back toward Alexis’s perch on the vanity, Cliff reached out and applied soft pressure on her ankles. Against his fingers, he could feel her pulse spike.
“Okay, sweetheart. Your turn.”
***
Alexis didn’t know what came over her. She was so used to being the strong independent type, living up to her nickname of ninja, that allowing herself to be vulnerable seemed foreign. It wasn’t that she never wanted to let someone else take care of her, it was more that she had never had the opportunity. But something about Cliff was different. With him, she wanted to let her hair down, she wanted to let him ease her pain. This man that she’d met only a few times but felt like he knew her darkest secrets before she even uttered her name.
Was this how it was supposed to be?
Alexis had so many questions, but they completely fell to the wayside as Cliff’s fingers inched up her legs. He delicately removed the brace around her thigh, doing the same with the support holding her injured arm. His hand gently brushed her hair to the side as he slipped the Velcro free from the latch.
She could feel his anger rise as she winced involuntarily at the movement.
“I’m, ugh, not sure I will be able to tolerate the water on my wounds.”
“That’s okay. You can sit on the bench and I’ll help you,” Cliff explained as he delicately maneuvered the shirt off her body. The movement had Alexis biting back a cry of pain. “Sorry,” he quickly apologized.
Gritting her teeth, she replied, “Not your fault,” but Cliff just shook his head.
Gently he lifted her hips up from the counter, his gaze trained to the task at hand and not her bare breasts a mere few inches away from his face. The pants pulled off her bottom easily but got caught on some of the tape surrounding the dressing of her leg wound.
“We should probably take these off and put on a clean set.”
“Cliff?” she prompted as he murmured to himself, his fingers lightly tugging away the adhesive of the dressing. “Cliff?” she said again and he finally looked up at her.
“Why are you doing this?”
Alexis couldn’t help herself from asking the question. It had been plaguing her since she felt lifted in his arms in the darkness of the night. He willingly brought her to his refuge and she wanted to understand why.
His eyes latched onto hers immediately. “Doing what?”
“This,” she gestured around with her good hand, not even caring that the sweatpants were dangling at her ankles. “Helping me, protecting me, taking care of me.”
Alexis needed to know his motives. Did he just want to get in her pants? Did he feel the same attraction to her that she felt toward him? Did he feel obligated?
And as the seconds ticked by, she felt the weight of his hesitancy on her shoulders.
“It was what anyone would do,” he replied, immediately crushing what little hope Alexis had left. She’d been let down her entire life, what made her think that this man was any different?
The room grew quiet again, the only sound was her heartbeat pounding in her ears as Cliff removed the gauze on her wounds. She didn’t feel the pull of her skin or the feel of Cliff’s touch. All Alexis felt was the overwhelming sting of rejection.
“Okay. I think we’re ready.” Cliff’s voice broke through and Alexis’ eyes followed his retreating backside over to the shower.
Defiantly she jumped down from the counter, wincing as she landed on her good leg. “I can handle this by myself. Thanks,” she told him, jumping on one leg until she reached the shower. Thank goodness for years of yoga improving her balance.
But her balance was nothing against the sneer Cliff sent her way as she bounced his way. “Don’t,” he growled.
“I’m very capable,” she retorted, wishing she could cross her arms against her chest, but she was already growing lightheaded from her movements. Alexis began rethinking her idea.