She arched an eyebrow at him and he said, “Not like that. God knows I’m willing to help you out with that any time you want. I meant that you can’t shower in your bandage and you’ll probably end up hurting yourself again.”
She smiled at him and said, “Thank you. I believe I’ll take you up on that offer.”
“But I’ll totally help you out with the other thing, too,” he repeated.
She reached up and tugged his T-shirt until he leaned down. His mouth was a breath away from hers when she said, “Damn right you will.”
After a brief, but highly pleasurable moment, she said, “I need to elevate this. It’s starting to throb.”
As he helped her stand, he asked, “You’re sure you don’t need help up the stairs?”
“I’ve got it. You’re working,” she said as she situated her crutches and moved toward the door.
He said, “When I close up shop, I’ll make dinner.”
He heard the slight clatter of her crutches as she turned back around to face him. “You’ll make dinner?”
“I don’t cook as well as you do, but I do cook some,” he said, mildly insulted.
“Considering I cook every night, I’m a little bit surprised,” she said, teasing him.
“For the next two weeks, I’m cooking,” he said. He thought back to the last time he’d cooked for her and realized that it had been the night they’d grilled steaks with Jamie and Cora.
He’d kind of taken the whole dinner thing for granted. Usually she had started on it by the time he made it upstairs. He didn’t want to take her for granted.
She rolled her eyes and said, “Hollow promise, Evan. I’m gonna be gone half that time.”
He frowned at her and said, “Don’t remind me.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “Sorry.”
“We’ll make it. It’s only a week, baby.”
“I know,” she said.
He opened the shop door and watched her hobble her way around the side of the building. “Be careful, please,” he called.
“I will,” he heard her voice trail off as she rounded the side of the building.
He walked back into the shop and finished cleaning up. He closed up a few minutes early and made a quick trip to the market down the street. He picked up some chicken breast, and a few other items. He’d throw together a quick casserole. That would give him time to help her in the shower.
Granted, he wasn’t as good as she was in the kitchen, but as he surveyed the contents of his basket, he figured he’d be able to make something edible. Plus, he’d grab some rosemary from the garden.
Twenty minutes later he let himself into her apartment and set the grocery bags down on the counter. He walked into the bedroom and found her sprawled out with her leg propped up on a pillow.
She said, “You’re here early.”
“Closed up shop a bit early, then ran to the store. Let me go throw dinner into the oven and I can help you wash up,” he said, leaning in to press his lips against hers.
“Thank you,” she said, smiling.
He gave her a slight smirk and said, “Wait until you’ve tried it before you thank me.”
She rolled her eyes at him and then settled back against her pillows again.
By the time he’d gotten the casserole in the oven and wandered into the bedroom, he thought she had fallen asleep. A moment later, her eyes flickered open. She said, “Hey you.”
He watched her tenderly for a minute before he asked, “Shower now? Or rest?”