Page 73 of A Simple Love

“He try anything?” I growled before I could stop myself.

She laughed as she sat next to the tub, handing me a tall glass of iced coffee. I took it eagerly, having learned she made awesome iced coffees. “He has called me twice. Once, to order some extra pies, and then calling me today to tell me you’d been hurt. He hasn’t tried a thing or been anything but friendly and professional. So relax, caveman.”

“Good,” I grumped into the glass as I took a long, appreciative sip.

“Unless you mean when he asked me to dinner.”

I choked. “What?”

She grinned. “Actually, he asked if we would like to have dinner with him. Together.”

“Brat,” I muttered.

She chuckled. “I told him I would ask, but I think we’ll wait a bit until you feel better.”

I waved my hand. “I’ll be fine. The heat is helping. If you let me soak a couple more times today and I use the ice packs, I’ll be right as rain tomorrow.” I frowned. “Why does he want to have dinner with both of us?”

She shrugged, looking toward the backyard. Her hand landed on my shoulder, massaging the muscle in a soothing manner. “I didn’t ask. I was busy when he called, then worried over the news.”

I caught her hand and kissed it. “I’m sorry you were upset.”

She looked down, her eyes troubled. “You were injured. Of course I was upset. Concerned. Furious they didn’t take you to the hospital. I might have torn a strip off him for not doing so.”

I chuckled, imagining her inflicting her wrath on Davis. Chastising him. No doubt, he was taken aback since few ever argued with him. “My fault,” I explained. “I refused to go. Nothing they could do that I can’t do here.”

“What if something is broken you don’t know about?” she asked, worrying her lip.

“I can walk. Move. I got undressed myself. Everything is in working order.” I winked. “I can show you if you want.”

“Stop it.”

I tugged on her arm. “Join me. I’ll prove to you I’m fine. Maybe a bit slow, but I can make that work to your benefit.”

“Never mind your raging hard-on. That’s second nature to you anyhow. It probably pops up on its own all the time.”

“Raging?” I questioned with a wry grin. “Reading your smut books again?”

She frowned and I kept going. “Pops up? Like a jack-in-the-box? But in this case, dick-in-the-tub?”

She tried not to laugh. I tugged a little harder, so she was bent over the edge. I lifted my head, our mouths close together. “Come and rub my…back, baby. Make me feel good.”

“Stop it.”

She yelped as I tugged harder, dragging her into the tub with me. Water splashed and she sputtered, her shirt now soaked against her skin. I pulled her to my chest, grinning into her indignant face. “Oops.”

“You bastard,” she muttered. “Now I’m all wet.”

“My plan exactly.”

“You’re supposed to be relaxing.”

“Oh, I’ll be relaxed all right. Gimme ten minutes, and we’ll both be really relaxed.”

I expected her to mouth off more. Push off me and climb out of the tub, scold me and stomp away. Instead, she pressed her mouth to mine, and with a groan, I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her until she was breathless. Until we were both breathless. Hungry. She pushed back, pulling off her shirt and sitting on my thighs. “Let me do the work.”

I was good with that.

We lay in the water, wrapped around each other, not talking much. The heat had worked its magic, although I knew the aches would return soon. Our lovemaking had soothed the rough edges of my mind, making everything quieter. Holding her completed the cycle. I liked her close.