“Ex?”
“According to the staff.”
A bit too friendly for exes, Brooke huffed to herself, but when she put on a new pair of shoes, Alfreda protested that Brooke wasn’t waiting for the bathwater.
“I’m just going to make sure the wolf didn’t make his injury worse by rescuing me.”
“Definitely more kindly—”
“Stop.” Brooke rolled her eyes. “I could have survived the night and found my own way home this morning.”
“Intentions speak for themselves. He made sure you got home safely.”
And might have injured himself doing it, so Brooke wasn’t going to argue about it. Alfreda didn’t need to know what else had happened in that ruined-castle cubbyhole. If she were more optimistic, she might think Dominic’s kisses were a promising sign, a step toward breaking down his defenses—and animosity. But not after the excuse he’d used! Yet one thing she’d been trying not to think about was seeing him unclothed in his bed again and touching him in an intimate way, even if only to treat his wound, after they’d practically slept in each other’s arms last night and he’d given her those ardent kisses this morning....
She flushed, thinking of it anyway, and turned away so Alfreda wouldn’t notice. Seeing the carrot on the bed, she put it in her pocket.
Alfreda noticed that. “Your breakfast will arrive with the bathwater. Are you too hungry to wait?”
“This is for his dog.”
The maid snorted. “That mutt will laugh at you. Dogs only like meat.”
Brooke made a face as she left the room. Likely an accurate statement, but she hoped not. She’d feel bad if she’d left the white dog a carrot it didn’t want. The sack she’d emptied for it hadn’t held much meat. Maybe she could take some meat to the dog the next time she rode out. She owed it something for helping her last night.
A different footman opened Dominic’s door when she knocked, but he was on his way out and closed it behind her. As usual, Dominic’s eyes were on her before she glanced his way. He was sitting on the edge of his bed unbuttoning his shirt. He’d already put on those altered trousers again, though it didn’t look as if he’d unwrapped the wound yet to check it.
“Don’t worry”—she moved toward his bed—“I know you’ve already seen quite enough of me for one day.” And night. “I just want to check—”
“You prattle too much,Doctor,” he said sarcastically. “Do what you will, then go.”
She gritted her teeth until she realized he was probably in pain again. Pain and testiness seemed to go hand in hand for him.
“If you wouldn’t mind?” she said neutrally, indicating his bandage.
“You may.”
He’d always unwrapped the bandage himself—until now. Contrariness just got added to the mix. And he was pretty much sitting on the bandage. How was she supposed to unwrap it?
That question was answered when he stood up on his right foot, putting no weight on his injured leg. She quickly bent down and unwrapped the cloth before he changed his mind and made the task more difficult for her. The bandage only stuck a tiny bit to the wound before the last strip fell away.
After examining the wound and the stitches, she was pleased. “Good. There’s no redness or swelling. It appears that last night’s adventure didn’t hurt you.”
“That’s debatable. My shoulder is extremely sore from sleeping on the stone floor.”
Brooke ignored that. “Unless you’re going to dress again, you can leave the bandage off. The air will allow the scab to harden.”
She stood and picked up the red pouch of herbs she’d left on his night table and put it in her pocket. He no longer needed it. Then she picked up the blue pouch.
“I advise you to still rest your wounded leg a few hours each day.” She handed him the blue pouch. “And you can sprinkle these ground herbs over the scab when you do. They will help you mend more quickly. If you’re going to dress in your normal trousers, though, you should bandage the area first. And don’t submerge your wound in bathwater just yet. Partial baths will do.”
“You’re implying I stink again?”
He didn’t. She knew because she’d spent the night beside him. To avoid an argument she decided not to say another word. She turned, about to leave.
“You can do it.”
She glanced back to see him sitting on the edge of the bed again and shrugging out of his shirt. “Do what?”
