“Maybe.” I shrug and change the subject. “So how’s Olivia enjoying day camp?”
Cassia’s face brightens as she talks about her daughter, who’s the sweetest kid around; that’s all Cassia’s doing, since her immature ex-husband lacks basic parenting skills. Cassia helps me clean up before she heads home, and I walk back to the cottage.
I desperately want to shower after stripping wallpaper all day, but then I recall the eel and realize I need to clean out the tub first. Ugh! Where’s that fastidious werewolf when I need him? Teddy would probably douse it with bleach and then scour it three times.
Grumbling under my breath, I grab my cleaning supplies, pull aside the white plastic shower liner, and kneel down on the tiled floor. “Gross!” I mutter; the eel left a sandy bath ring around the tub and a disgusting fishy smell. I scrub and rinse, but I can still feel a gritty residue in places, so I repeat the process.
I’m listening to music through my earbuds while rinsing out the tub for the second time when I detect movement at my back. “Zosia?” I call out. The little kit didn’t greet me when I came in, probably because she was fast asleep somewhere she shouldn’t be, like Teddy’s room.
“It’s me,” murmurs Teddy from behind me. “I could use… um… do you have, er…”
Of course it’s Teddy, and of course he needs something, but his voice trails off before he tells me what he needs. I remove my earbuds, stuff them in my pocket,and pivot around on my knees, which are starting to ache from kneeling for so long. I’m scowling at the interruption, but all my grumpiness flees when I see blood running down both of Teddy’s legs.
“What happened to you?” I cry, leaping up from the floor. I grab Teddy’s arm, drag him to the kitchen, and push him down into one of the chairs over his objections.
“I took a tumble while I was running and skinned my knees.” Teddy lifts his massive shoulders. “But if you just get me your first aid kit, I can bandage myself up.”
“Really? How are you going to bandage yourself with these?” I grab his large hands and turn over his palms, both of which are scraped raw and bleeding.
“I… I can manage,” he mumbles, his eyes downcast.
I squint at him and grumble, “Humph.”
Then it dawns on me, I’m standing over a huge, ridiculously handsome werewolf with bulging, sweaty muscles, and I’m holding both his hands in mine. I’m so close I notice the blond hairs on his strong forearms, and the rise and fall of his broad chest beneath the fabric of his performance tee.
My face heats up; clearing my throat, I place Teddy’s hands back in his lap. “Just sit there while I get a clean washcloth and some bandages.”
Teddy nods but doesn’t reply; maybe he feels as self-conscious right now as I do.
Grateful for the distraction, I gather what I need from the hall closet. Then I take a few stabilizing breaths before re-entering the kitchen, reminding myself this is Leslie T. Barker, my annoying employee. I blame Cassiaand her chatter about Teddy’s hotness for this awkwardness I’m feeling.
I fill a pot with warm, soapy water and carry it over to the table, which is piled high with cookbooks, pads of paper filled with my ideas for the bakery, pens, highlighters, and sticky notes; this kitchen functions as my office, at least for now.
Teddy clears a space so I can set down the water, and then I start by cleaning his hands. After I’ve washed and dried them, I apply antibiotic ointment and stick a large bandage on each palm. Then I change out the water and return to work on his knees, which look even worse than his hands. Stooping over, I wash the scrapes, which have a lot of sand and grime ground into them. Teddy tenses, probably because it stings, but I continue cleaning his wounds and neither of us speaks. Once I’m satisfied, I apply ointment and bandages to each leg.
As I straighten, I glance at Teddy and our eyes lock. The flecks of gold around his irises darken, and he gives me a look so tender it takes my breath away and makes my knees go wobbly.
This isnotgood… not at all! Teddy is affecting me in ways he shouldn’t.
I carry the pot over to the sink, dump out the dirty water, and start scrubbing like my life depends on it; my sanity certainly does. Despite the heat swirling around inside me, I have absolutely no intention of encouraging Teddy.
I hear the chair scrape the floor behind me and sense him approaching. “Sophie.”
His voice rumbles low and soft, and my stomachdrops to my knees. I know it would be a mistake to turn around and look him in the face, so I don’t. But then Teddy leans past me, his arm brushing mine, and turns off the water. “The pot’s clean, Sophie.” His breath is warm on my neck.
Then I hear his footsteps retreating; when he reaches the kitchen doorway, he says to my back, “Thank you.” I hear the front door open and close, and then the soft purr of his car’s engine as he backs down the driveway.
I can only hope when Teddy returns I can look him in the face without melting into a puddle.
My date with Rafe can’t come soon enough, but now I’m worried whether even Rafe is a strong enough distraction from Teddy Freaking Barker.
Chapter 14
Just Drive
TEDDY
Later, June 23
