Naturally Naughty - Leslie Kelly [39]
Her brown eyes widened in her creamy pale face as their stares met in the mirror. Her lips were parted, droplets of moisture falling down her cheeks toward them. She slowly licked one away. He had to clutch the doorknob for balance.
Swallowing and taking in a deep, shaky breath, he lowered his eyes, staring at the long, wet hair that hung over her shoulders. Jack couldn’t have prevented his gaze from shifting even lower if someone held a gun to his head. So he looked, seeing a few strands of hair draping her breasts, though not completely covering them. Her dark, puckered nipples were easily visible. His mouth went dry as his pulse sped up.
She said nothing, didn’t make a move, just watched him watch her. He kept looking, at the curve of her waist, that wet thatch of brown curls between her slim thighs.
Then his stare shifted to her hip where a purplish bruise marred the pale perfection of her skin. “What happened to you?”
She seemed to awaken from her daze. Snatching the edge of the curtain, she pulled it over herself, until only her face was visible. He wondered what she’d do if she knew he had a perfect view of one breast and puckered nipple peeking between the leaves of two roses on the plastic curtain. He thought it wise not to point it out. “Tell me.”
“You can leave now.”
“I mean it, Kate, what happened to your hip? You’ve got a horrible bruise.” He clenched his fists. “Did someone hurt you?”
Obviously seeing he wasn’t going to go away until she explained, she said, “You did, you big jerk. When you tackled me earlier.”
“Oh, God, I’m so sorry.” Pushing the door farther, he stepped inside and turned to face her. “I didn’t realize I’d injured you. Let me see it.”
She didn’t answer. Her attention was firmly fixed low on his body. Her lips parted as she saw the erection he couldn’t hide. “I think you should go.” Her voice was thin and reedy.
Seeing her injury had nearly made him forget the almost painful urge between his own legs. He could only imagine what she thought. He thrust the concern away, not caring right now if she wondered what he’d been doing in her old bedroom while she’d showered. “Let me see your hip.”
She shook her head, slowly, not saying anything. But she didn’t resist as he gently pulled the edge of the shower curtain from her fingers and tugged it over a few inches so he could see the side of her body. She still said nothing as he dropped to his knees to examine the reddish-purple bruise on her hipbone.
The size of his palm, it must have hurt like hell. “I’m so sorry. Can I get you some ice for it?”
“No,” she whispered. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for the towel.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“It’s not a big deal, Jack. I’m fair-skinned, I bruise easily.” Her voice still sounded shaky. “I can barely feel it.”
He touched the bruise with the tip of his index finger. When she winced, he yanked his finger away. “Liar.”
Then, almost unable to resist, he leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on the bruise. When she moaned, he pulled back. “Did I hurt you again?”
“No. You didn’t…hurt me.”
He leaned forward again to gently kiss her skin. He avoided the tender bruised area. Instead he kissed her all around it, caressing her waist, her upper thigh. Unable to resist, he moved to that vulnerable hollow of flesh between her pelvic bone and the still-concealed dark thatch of curls hiding her feminine secrets. The curtain shifted slightly, as if she’d let go of it. When he glanced up, he saw her eyes closed, her head tipped back and her hand on her throat.
“Better?”
She groaned. “You’re trying to kiss it and make it better?”
He nodded, his lips still brushing her skin as he inhaled her, breathing in the smell of her clean skin. And the unmistakable, musky scent of aroused woman. “Is it working?”
“I can’t tell yet.”
He chuckled, knowing she wanted more. He gave it to her, now kissing her more deeply, flicking