Be With Me(9)

She glanced down at the brace on her wrist, the IV

lock in her other hand and then the shower. How she was going to manage this she wasn’t sure, but she had an unholy compulsion to be clean again, to remove the taint of the kil er from her flesh.

With her good hand, she reached in to turn on the water and then started shrugging out of her hospital gown. The IV would just have to get wet. Leaving the material in a wad on the floor, she stepped beyond the curtain and extended her left arm out of the shower to keep it dry.

Water pelted her chest, and she winced as it struck her tender ribs. She turned her face into the spray for a moment then wiped her eyes and looked around for the soap. Too late she realized that wasn’t something the hospital supplied.

With an aggravated sigh, she backed out of the shower, dripping water al over the floor. How the hel she was going to manage soaping her hair one-handed while keeping the other dry was a mystery anyway.

She bumped against the toilet and lost her footing, fal ing with a thump onto the toilet seat. A hiss of pain escaped her when she automatical y put out both hands to catch herself.

The bathroom door burst open, and Cam and Sawyer stood in the doorway staring at her in concern. Before she could protest, blush or succumb to embarrassment, Cam rushed forward and cupped his hands around her shoulders.

“Are you al right? What the hel happened?”

“I told you she shouldn’t be doing this alone,” Sawyer said tersely.

She held up a hand. “I’m fine. Damn it, guys, get the hel out of here.” She reached for a towel and tried to cover herself.

“We’ve seen you naked, Reggie,” Cam said patiently.

She glared up at him.

He shrugged. “Just sayin’.”

She closed her eyes and sighed. “I need soap.

Shampoo would be nice. Only I don’t know how the hel I’m going to wash my hair,” she muttered.

Sawyer backed out of the bathroom and returned with a smal bottle of shampoo. Then he eyed Cam.

“You gonna do it, or am I?”

Cam’s gaze flickered briefly to Regina then back to Sawyer. “I’l help her. When Hutch gets back with her clothes, lay them on the counter.” Sawyer nodded, and then his stare found Regina again. She clutched the towel to her chest, but she stil felt frighteningly naked and vulnerable under the force of his scrutiny.

“I’l be outside if you need anything,” he said softly.

He retreated from the bathroom and closed the door.

“Cam, I don’t need your help,” she said as soon as he turned to her.

“Reggie, shut up,” he said mildly. “You’re going to end up fal ing and hurting yourself. Now get your ass in the shower so I can wash your hair. If it makes you feel any better to have a towel around you then knock yourself out, but I’ve seen you naked, and I’m certainly not going to jump your bones in a hospital bathroom. If you can control yourself, I guarantee you that I can too.”

She laughed then groaned as she took his hand and pulled herself upright. Just as she stepped into the shower, she hesitated then slowly pulled the towel away and handed it back to him.

He tossed it aside then slipped in behind her and retrieved the shower head from its perch above her head.

“I’m going to get you al wet,” she muttered.

“I’l survive.”

A gentle hand gathered her hair while the other directed the spray over the tresses. He was careful to keep the nozzle pointed away from her injured hand.

“This would be easier if you turn around,” he said.

She closed her eyes but did as he suggested.

When she opened them again, she found herself staring up into his eyes.

“Put your arm up on my shoulder.”

She careful y raised the brace and rested it on his right shoulder.

He poured some of the shampoo over her head then careful y set the shower head back on its mount, pointing the spray away from them both. Then he delved his fingers into her hair, working the soap into a lather.

She closed her eyes and swayed a little unsteadily as his fingers worked their magic.

“Want me to get the rest?” he asked.

She wanted to die of mortification. How could she possibly let him touch her when they both knew she’d react like an adolescent crushing on her first boyfriend?

Her ni**les were already tight and aching, her br**sts heavy with need. He’d had the decency not to comment on that little tidbit, but he knew. He damn wel knew.

“Reggie, you’re hurt and you’re tired,” he said gently. “For once let me take care of you without worrying about what comes next, okay?” Without waiting for her to respond, he took a washcloth, lathered it with soap and began a slow sweep of her body. Each brush across her ni**les yielded needle-like twinges. He worked slowly and with great care across her rib cage, barely touching the bruised area.

His hand slid around back and up and down her spine then over the swel of her bu**ocks. He knelt and did a quick swipe of both legs before straightening back up again.

He frowned as he tilted her chin upward to expose her neck. Anger glinted hard, like diamonds in his eyes. He ran a single finger over the bruised expanse of her throat. The washcloth fol owed behind, leaving a soapy trail in its wake.

“Okay, turn around so I can rinse,” he directed.

He cupped her elbow to steady her as she swiveled around. He made quick work of rinsing the soap from her hair and body then reached up to turn the water off.