“We’ll go slow, but drink it all up,” Walker says. “You’ve got another pill to take this evening, but that’s not until dinnertime. You’ll need to take that one with food.”
“Does she need food for this one?” I ask as I turn back around when I believe I have myself under control.
Walker just shakes his head. “Nope. Doc said the tea’s fine enough for this one.”
I sigh. “Good, good. That’s good.”
Walker looks over at me with an expression that can only be described as perplexed. I feel as if I’m on display, as if all of my emotions and insecurities can be seen flitting across my face.
Is this how Lia feels? On display, whether she wants to be or not?
I have to swallow down a growl. I have to swallow down the desperate need to kick everyone out so that Lia can have privacy.
Lia grimaces as she takes another sip of the tea. “This is stronger than the other stuff.”
Walker just nods. “It’s double the recipe. Dr. Quinn doesn’t want you spiraling into an early heat. He says if you’re not due to start for a few days, then we need to do our best to put it off.”
“ARS makes early heats more painful,” Lia croaks out.
“We can’t have that,” I say as I finally find the courage stuffed down inside of me to walk back over to where they are. “Nice, even sips. You don’t have to rush, okay?”
Lia shivers despite the bathwater. Walker has to take the to-go cup from her and help her with her sipping.
Minutes pass painfully slow, one after another, almost as if its taunting us. Like we’re in a race between time and Lia’s body.
“There’s a good girl,” Walker says as he sets the empty cup to the side. “How are you feeling?”
Her skin flushes as a sheen appears across her face. “I… I want…”
“What is it?” I ask as I rush to where her head is and crouch down. “Whatever you need, it’s yours.”
She lobs her head in my direction. Her bloodshot eyes make me reach out and push the hair away from her forehead. I don’t know if she’s sweating or if this is water from the bath, but it makes me want to put her in a shower and wash her from head to toe.
Would she like something like that?
“My hair feels gross,” she finally croaks out.
I nod softly as I brush my thumb along her flushed cheek. “We could get you in a shower. I could wash it, if you’d like.”
“We could wash you from head to toe, if you’re feeling gross all over,” Knox says.
Lia’s eyes line with tears. “Please.”
Walker’s on his feet immediately. “I’ll get the shower going.”
“Will it fit all four of us?” Knox asks.
“We can try. I’m not sure, though.”
Walker dips his head into the shower. “We’ll have to take turns. Unless you want to take her back to my place at the vineyard. I’ve got a walk-in that would fit all of us.”
“I don’t know if we should move her,” Knox says.
My attention falls back to Lia. “Which would you rather do, Alley Cat? You want to use the shower here? Or do you want all of us piled into Walker’s shower at his place?”
She looks so dazed, it almost hurts to suggest to move her anywhere. She needs rest. She needs an orgasm or two. She needs smoothies that are easy to drink so she can keep up her caloric intake, preferably with protein powder mixed in.
“I… I don’t know, I’m sorry,” she whimpers out.
