“I still think you should have a doctor look at your back,” I said for the fourth time.
“I’m fine,” he said, also for the fourth time. “It feels like a burn but not anything to worry about. This wasn’t my first explosion, Angel.”
I slipped out of his truck. My head hurt as badly as my ribs, but I was worried about him. “I want to see your back.”
We walked into the kitchen and Aiden moved to open the front door, where Saber, Drag, and Chelli waited with bags of chips and soda. They also held computer equipment as well as a bag of what I guessed were weapons.
“The rest of the team will be here in about ten minutes,” Chelli offered, moving inside. Her blonde hair was up, and a little soot dotted her chin.
The entire team had shown up at the fire to watch it burn, and then they’d all gone close to examine what remained when it had been safe enough to do so. I’d waited patiently with a police officer, as I didn’t know anything about explosives and really didn’t need to see what the fire had done to the two dead men. The discussion of ‘tissue samples’ between Saber and Drag when they’d returned had been enough to make me want to vomit.
Thank goodness nobody but the two dead men had been in the building when it blew.
“The control room is in there now,” Aiden said, pointing to the room that had his case board set up. “I’ll be a few minutes.” Then he took my hand and led me into the master bedroom and shut the door. “How’s your head?”
I gaped at him. In the light, burn marks showed on his neck. “I’m fine. Take off your shirt.” Without waiting for his agreement, I grasped the bottom of his shirt and started to pull. He ducked his head and let me remove it. “Wow.” There were light burns down his arm, and when he turned around, there were burns on his back. Not bad, but they looked painful from the raw bruising that accompanied the burns. “That has to hurt,” I murmured, gently touching the skin above the burn.
He shrugged and the bruises all danced. “A piece of wood landed on my back. Nothing is broken, and I just have a couple of bruises.” Turning around, he set his hands over my shoulders. “How’s your head? I tried to keep you from hitting it on the ground. You already had a concussion.”
“I have a little headache,” I admitted. Then soot rose from my shirt and I sneezed, turning away. Ouch. That hurt my head even more. “We might need a vacation.”
“Oh, we definitely need a vacation.” He took my hand and we moved into the bathroom, where he leaned into the shower and flicked on the water. “Let’s get all of this soot off of us, but I’ll need to use cold water on my back when we’re done with your hair.”
I balked. “We can’t shower together.”
He looked down at me and tilted his head. “Huh?”
I lowered my voice. “Your friends are here.”’
His eyes sparkled as amusement filtered through the various blues. “They know we’re dating,” he whispered back.
“Yeah, but…” I was being ridiculous, but it had been a tough couple of days, and I wasn’t at my best. “You’re right.” I pulled off my shirt and kicked off my flats.
He ditched his boots and clothing. “Tell you what. If they tease you, I’ll shoot them.” With that, he tugged me under the spray, careful to keep his back away from the warm water. Then he lathered up and washed me, paying careful attention to my hair. “You’re now soot-free,” he murmured, pinching my butt.
I slapped an unbruised part of his chest. “Let’s do you.”
“Yes, let’s,” he murmured, his voice dark.
I rolled my eyes and soaped him up, washing his thick hair. When I was finished, he was sporting an obvious erection. “No. There are people here,” I whispered.
“You sure?” He lifted me right up and pressed me against the side of the shower. His body felt incredible against mine, even with the bruises.
“Your back,” I protested. “The water is hot.”
He turned the knob and the water chilled. “There you go.” His fingers found me the same time his mouth descended on mine, and then there was only Aiden. No danger, no bomber, no burns. Just his mouth and his hands and the rest of him.
I was ready and alive, and when he pushed inside me, I felt safe for the first time all day. He went fast and hard. When I cried out his name, he kissed me, swallowing the sound. I hope.
My legs were rubbery as he let me slide and held me until I could stand. I shivered as my feet found purchase in the chilly water. “Cold.”
He turned the knob until warm water sprayed and then ducked me under it. My body was relaxed and mellow now, and all I wanted was to sleep. Maybe for a couple of weeks.
Warmth glided over me and I sighed as my muscles relaxed again. “I wasn’t loud, was I?” I whispered.
“Define loud.” His grin was so adorable I couldn’t take exception. The water had been on, and the new control room was on the other side of the laundry room, so hopefully nobody had heard me. Right now I was too satiated to worry about it.
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s put cold water on your back.”
