She had to admit, it was a valid point. And there was a pretty long length of cable between them. It wasn’t as if they’d be on top of each other in the shower. It wasn’t a ton of slack, but it would be enough.
“Okay,” she said reluctantly. “But don’t look.”
He shook his head but relented, turning the other way. “Rest assured, I have no interest in you beyond what you can do as my teammate.”
It was going to have to be good enough.
Ziana unfastened her clothes and tossed them in the hamper. Clean ones would be waiting for them when they finished bathing.
“Okay.”
“At last,” he grumbled, activating the water flow and stepping into the large shower area.
Ziana followed him in, the water instantly adjusting to the right temperature, raining down on them from above as well as all around. It was incredibly invigorating, just as her earlier shower had been, and her myriad scrapes and bruises were quickly soothed by the warm flow. She scrubbed carefully, making sure to get out any last bits of dirt and debris from her scabbed elbows and knees.
When she finished, she had almost forgotten the towering nude man standing nearby. He’d kept his word, his back still to her, providing her a clear view of his sculpted shoulders and back, not to mention an ass you could crack walnuts with. The man was in peak physical condition, and his hard work showed for it.
He sported quite a few scars, she noted, though the areas where they’d interrupted his connecting tattoo lines had been carefully re-inked in artistic workarounds. He turned slightly, sensing that she had finished as well, his rippling abs and Adonis belt making his waist look impossibly tight and fit. As for his girthy cock, the last rivulets of water were trickling down his body and off its length in a fascinating stream, the flow catching Ziana’s eye in spite of herself.
The guy was gruff and grumpy, but for a second there she felt her nipples harden and a warm throb blossom between her legs. She’d been living in a stressful situation for so long that she’d all but forgotten that part of herself. But now, it seemed, her womanhood was reasserting its presence in a most distracting and inappropriate way. Fortunately, he wasn’t facing her lest he see her cheeks darken.
He handed her a soft and fluffy towel over his shoulder, still not looking as he dried himself off. She took the offering and marveled at how lightweight it was while being so absorbent.
Alien fabrics, she mused.Of course they’re better than plain old cotton.
She dried herself off and wrapped the towel around her body, then moved to head to their dressing area. A strong hand on her shoulder stopped her dead in her tracks.
“Wait.”
A flush of adrenaline surged through her, but not fear. For whatever reason, she knew deep down that this man would not hurt her. He could be a total dick, but that just wasn’t in his nature. He proved her right only a moment later.
“Come here,” he said, opening a small tin of clear gel.
“What is that?”
“Healing salve. Competitors are given several varieties to help keep our bodies functional. They spare no expense ensuring we are properly entertaining for the masses. This one heals broken skin. It will notlookhealed, but it will form a barrier layer and prevent infection while speeding your own healing process. Here, apply it to your elbows and knees. I will handle the scrapes on your back.”
“My what, now?”
He reached out and turned her until her back was facing him then with a quick flick of his long fingers he sent her towel to the floor. Facing the other direction, her straining nipples weren’t visible to him, but she worried he’d sense her body temperature spike with a strange mix of annoyance, fear, and arousal.
What is wrong with me?she wondered, applying the salve to her aching elbows.
She felt his hands, hot and firm, gently apply dabs to her back just between her shoulder blades. She’d fallen hard out there, and that area was definitely bruised, but she hadn’t realized she’d broken any skin until he touched it.
“Ow!”
“Apologies. It will be done shortly.”
Ziana took it for what it was and continued her own application, coating her elbows and a spot on her ribs before bending over to address her knees.
She inadvertently brushed his exposed cock with her ass as she did, the heat of it a shock to her sensitive skin. She felt his length jerk slightly at the contact, stiffening slightly before he quickly shifted away from her. Annoyance or not, apparently the human woman still elicited some response from him whether he wanted it or not.
His hands moved faster, and in a moment he was done. He picked up her towel and held it out for her.
“When you are finished.”
“Thanks,” she said, accepting it from him a moment later. “Now what?”
