Limitless Love (Lotus House #4)(13)

The pain meds must have been making me loopy. Maybe my hormones were just all over the place. I closed my eyes to dissipate the image of his male strength and block out his suave demeanor so I could focus on the here and now. Food, sponge bath, snuggle time with Lily, and bed, in that order.

When I opened my eyes he was gone, but he’d left a steaming plate of spaghetti and meatballs and a bowl of salad in front of me.

He came back with a napkin. “I didn’t know how hungry you’d be, so I loaded you up. I made plenty, and enough sauce for extras, which I thought I’d put into a lasagna so there will be another meal you won’t have to make.”

What was going on? Why was he even here?

“Clayton, this is amazing, but I don’t understand…” Tears filled my eyes and fell down my cheeks, my emotions getting the best of me again. There I sat, a pain-filled, torn-up mess, and this handsome man was being so…

“You don’t understand what?” He kneeled down in front of me and placed his hand on my knee.

I winced and sucked in a breath through my teeth when his large palm landed on the abraded skin—still so sensitive, even covered by my pajamas and a bandage.

I gritted through the pain. “Why are you being so nice to me? You don’t even know me, and before…”

“Before I was an idiot. I’ve cured myself of that condition,” he murmured. With a delicate touch, Clayton focused on my loose pajama pants and inch by inch raised them up from the ankle until my knee was exposed. The bandages were soiled through.

Clayton groaned. “Jeez-us, Monet. I’m going to need to change these.”

“You?” I choked out.

He nodded. “Unless Mila or Atlas has medical training.”

“I have medical training,” I reminded him.

“Yes, but you can’t and shouldn’t bend right now. My degree is in sports medicine and fitness. I even did a stint as a paramedic before I found my calling on the fitness side of health.”

Now that I had not known. I wondered if Atlas or Mila knew that about him.

“I assure you, Clayton, I can take care of myself.” The last thing I needed was this man to think I was weak. I’d been taking care of myself without a man for years and would do it through this situation too.

His head shot up from where he was inspecting my wound. “That you’ve proven by coming out of this alive. You’re not alone. You’ve got a lot of people who want to help. Let us help you.”

“But why do you want to help me? I’m nobody to you.”

He pressed one of his hands high on my thigh and squeezed, a supportive, not sexual touch. “You, beautiful, are somebody. A somebody I’m very interested in getting to know more about.” He offered a sexy smile.

He thinks I’m beautiful. Did I hear him right or were the drugs way better than I thought?

Mila walked in with Hurricane Lily behind her. “Uh, yeah, so is everything okay?” She put her hands on her hips and smirked at the scene before her.

Clayton didn’t move his hand from my thigh. Instead, he rubbed it back and forth, reminding me it was there. “Just making sure our girl is all settled. You good?”

I swallowed and forced myself to stare into his eyes and nod. They were a dark blue that held a flash of excitement. I didn’t want to know what that meant. Not right now when I didn’t know which way was up, down, left, or right. He stood, winked again, and lifted Lily up into a fireman’s carry.

“Queen Lily, you ready for some pasta and meatballs?”

“Yes! King Clay!” she squealed and held on to his ribcage as best she could.

The only other man I’d seen her this free with was Atlas, and he’d had to earn her affection. Of course, he’d done so in spades with his silly shenanigans and free spirit, but after two days, which really was only a handful of hours, Clayton had done the impossible. He’d managed to get my girl to open up to him. Nicholas, our friend from the yoga studio, had made strides with Lily, and she liked him, but mostly she could take or leave the guy. Clayton came in and overnight had won her over. I didn’t know what that said about him as a man, but it didn’t hurt his appeal. Not that it mattered. He didn’t want me a year ago; he most certainly wouldn’t want the mess I was now. After he left today, I’d probably not see him again.

The second they were out of the room, Mila swooped in. “I see you’re our girl now. Hmmm, sounds intriguing.”

I rolled my eyes at her. “Don’t you start.”

She jutted her head back and raised her arms in a placating gesture. “Who, me? I would never!” she mocked dramatically.

“Mila, stop. It’s nothing. He’s just being nice. Helpful to a broken woman who was attacked. Good guys do that sort of thing.” I sighed knowing it was the truth. Clayton’s sudden interest in me would wane the second he left. As it should.

“If that’s nothing, then my ass is nothing, and we both know my ass is something. Something bangin’. What I just witnessed was a man falling over himself to take care of you. A sexy-as-fuck wall of muscle with insane blue eyes that didn’t leave your face for a second.”

I ignored her ramble and picked up my fork, cutting into a golf-ball-sized meatball. Steam puffed out of the center, sending a burst of garlic and oregano to my eager senses. I took a bite and moaned around the perfectly seasoned meat. It was soft, hot, and spiced to perfection.