Do you think you could help me with a new bandage after I take a
shower?”
“Sure, darlin’. I made bacon and eggs, and there’s coffee, too.”
“It was sweet of you to cook breakfast. Most of the time I pick up
a taco on the way to work or eat cereal.”
“Come eat while it’s still warm, and then I’ll take the dressing off
and help you wrap your cast for your shower.”
Juliana groaned, looked up at him, and said, “Shoot. This is going
to be interesting. How am I supposed to—”
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53
Ash smiled good-naturedly. “How in the world are you going to
shower? Stitches on one hand, cast on the other, stitches on your
back.” She noted the lack of worry on his face.
Juliana sighed as she sat down at the table, watching Ash fix her a
plate and put a piece of bread in her toaster. She was even clumsy
trying to fix her coffee the way she liked it after he poured it for her.
Solution oriented, she said, “I’ll unwrap my bandaged finger. It’ll
be okay. In a few days, those stitches come out. If you can help me a
little this morning, then I’ll call Grace or Teresa and ask them to help
me tomorrow and the next day. It won’t be so bad.”
When she was ready to take her shower, he closed his eyes like a
true gentleman and helped her out of her gown then removed the
dressing and waited while she wrapped herself in a bath sheet. He
wrapped her cast so it wouldn’t get wet in the shower. She got
through her shower without too much difficulty—until it was time to
wash her hair. Standing there with the water running, Juliana
examined her options. There were none.
“Ash?”
“Yeah, darlin’?” he called, opening the bathroom door a crack.
“I need to wash my hair. I’ve gotten it wet, but I’m…having
difficulty. I hate to ask. I know it’s not fair to you, but I need your
help.”
“By the time you’re healed, we’re going to be very intimately
acquainted, aren’t we?”
Much more intimately acquainted if her throbbing pussy had its
way in the matter. “I think so, yes. Do you mind?”
Juliana heard a faint chuckle. “Do I mind? Hmmm, let me think.
Do I mind seeing a beautiful woman I’m interested in naked? What
do you think, silly?”
“But the circumstances, it can’t be easy.”
“What’s another cold shower? All right, I’m coming in. Are you
expecting me to close my eyes?”
54
Heather Rainier
“Well, the shower curtain will help. No, you don’t have to close
your eyes, just no ogling my goodies.” She scoffed, wondering if that
statement sounded as asinine to him as it did to her.
“You know, this is not how I envisioned seeing you naked the first
time.”
“Ash, the first time was last night.”
“Yeah, but the lights were down low, and I was trying to not look.
I can’t help it this morning if I’m going to wash your hair for you.”
He grinned at her as she peeked out from behind the yellow shower
curtain.
“How did you envision the first time you saw me naked?”
Oh, sure, let’s just go for full-on torture.
“Well, certainly under more romantic circumstances, and the
possibility of me getting naked with you also came up in my
fantasies.”
Ooh, fantasies! Juliana giggled as she handed him the shampoo. “I
can’t believe we’re having this conversation.” She turned and held the
shower curtain around her hips while he lathered her hair, allowed her
to rinse, and then repeated the process with her.
“I’m honored that you trust me like this, darlin’.”
She smiled back at him and said, “I really do, you know.”
“How does this feel?” he asked, gently brushing her injured
shoulder blade with his fingertip.
“It stung like crazy when the warm water first touched it, but it
feels better now.”
“You’ll need to let it dry completely before we can dress it. It
might’ve been a good idea to not get it wet until later today.”
“I forgot to check the doctor’s instructions. I wanted a shower so
bad.”
“We’ll make sure it’s dry before we cover it. Okay, you’re all
done. Need anything else washed?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows
at her.
“Maybe on another occasion, Ash. Thank you.”
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55
“Want more coffee?”
“I’d love it. Milk and two sugars.”
“You got it, darlin’.”
He helped her dress and held the blow-dryer for her while she