started to speak and then hesitated. She put her good hand to her
forehead, as though she felt overwhelmed.
Spurs and Heels
37
“What, darlin’?” he asked quietly, stroking the backs of her calves
as he knelt there.
“I think I’m going to need some help tonight.”
“Sure, that’s why I came in. Whatever you need, I’ll help you
with.”
“I—um. I mean I need…shoot. I need help changing…into my
nightgown. I can’t believe this is happening. I should’ve asked Grace
or Teresa to come help me so I wouldn’t have to embarrass you like
this. The cast is on my right hand, and I have stitches on my left
middle finger from cutting it on the metal door. I can’t get my boots
off, or unbutton my jeans, or even take off my bra. I need help,
but…I’m sorry.” She burst into tears, sobbing like her heart was
breaking, her head bowing on her shoulders. He reached for her but
wound up putting his hands on her knees, feeling like it was the only
safe place he could touch her and not chance hurting her.
He leaned toward her on one knee, and she laid her cheek on his
shoulder and wept as her body grew more and more tense. Ash
became worried she’d tear her stitches, her sobs broke forth from her
with such force.
“Darlin’, you’re going to hurt yourself crying so hard. Please, it’s
breaking my heart that you’re hurting so much. If you need my help
changing, I don’t mind that. I’ll be a perfect gentleman, I promise.
Tell me what you need.”
“I need you to forgive me, Ash, for being such a bitch earlier. I
should have my mouth washed out with soap. I feel so ashamed. I
completely lost it with you, yelling at you like that in front of the
other men, again. I can’t believe I talked to you like that. I promise it’ll never happen again.”
“All cussed out?”
He saw her attempt to smile. “Yeah, I’m all cussed out. My
mother would be appalled at my mouth.”
“You were in pain and a little pissed off. We were both upset. Can
you forgive me for causing the accident? It was my fault.”
38
Heather Rainier
“Of course. It was an accident. I should’ve locked the door.”
“Then I can forgive you, too. Was that what you were crying
about? That was one hell of a dam bursting inside you over just a little
cussing.”
Juliana shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement. “I—I don’t
know. It—I think it was everything, and it wasn’t a little cussing.”
She wiped her eyes with her good hand. “I think it was the breakup
with Lawrence and the Christmas rush and the after-Christmas rush
and work and…us…and everything.” She laid her cheek against his
shoulder again as she huffed and snuffled.
“Us? Really?” That brightened his day a little bit, right there.
“Well, I mean, I like—I’m interested in you, but…we seem to
have the worst luck. I’ve picked a fight with you every time we’ve
shared a conversation. I’m not an argumentative, brawling type of
person. It sets me on edge to be around people who are like that.
But…”
“You’re attracted to me?” He stroked her back, careful to avoid
the dressing between her shoulder blades.
Sitting up, she nodded and reached for the box of tissue on the
nightstand. He handed it to her, and she began blotting her eyes.
“Okay,” he said and then was quiet for a few seconds. “Listen,
let’s get you changed into something more comfortable. I’ll help you
lie down, and then we can talk about it.”
He kept her talking while he helped her undress, to distract them
both. The diversion didn’t work so well as more and more of her
fragrant, satiny flesh was revealed. He was used to undressing a
woman for only one purpose, and lusting after her, when she was still
in pain, felt wrong.
She groaned when she lifted her arms slightly to slip her shirt off.
Studiously ignoring the lush cleavage cupped in her sexy bra, he
slipped her boots and socks off. He had her stand as his fingers slid
into the waistband of her jeans to unbutton and unzip the fly. He slid
the jeans down her hips and groaned quietly when he realized she was
Spurs and Heels
39
wearing a pink lace thong. One of his fingers had accidentally hung in
the waistband at her hip and drew it down with the jeans. His
overeager, obnoxious cock roared to life, and he hesitated, in agony.
“On or off?” he asked simply, not able to be more specific,
without diving in, injured or not.
“I need to…um, off, please. I need to use the restroom. It will pull