Man, he was as argumentative as Wes on a bad day. Beth went back into the tiny kitchen, poured what remained of the boiled water into a bowl, added soap and a towel, and brought it back to Conner.
“I’ll help you get comfortable first, okay?”
He opened his mouth, probably to disagree with her, and she held up one finger.
“Just stop and admit that you need help, dude. I promise I won’t tell anyone in the big manly man club.” She set the bowl down, dropped the washcloth in it and wrung it out. “I won’t hurt you. I do this for a living.”
He slowly shoved the rumpled covers down to reveal himself. Apart from his sweaty T-shirt he wore black boxers and nothing else. She persuaded him to take the T-shirt off.
“You wash men for a living?”
“Only if they ask nicely.” She gently pressed the cloth against his neck and let the water trickle down over his lightly haired chest. “I originally trained as a physical therapist, so I know my way around a human body.”
His faint sigh as she soaped his chest made her want to smile, but she quickly repressed it. She felt like she was taming a wild animal and she definitely didn’t want to scare him off.
She rinsed out the cloth and went for his armpits, which were definitely ripe. He lay back against the pillows, his eyes half-closed as she continued her work. She might be used to dealing with bodies, but she rarely saw such a ripped and splendid specimen of manhood. If she had any criticism it was that he was almost too thin and could do with a few hearty meals inside him.
She also noted the scars and nicks his previous career had left on his flesh. If he had served with the Navy SEALS alongside Jay Williams, he was one tough nut. The fact that even when he was exhausted and unable to get out of bed he couldn’t completely relax his guard, told her all she needed to know. She wondered what he looked like under his black beard and whether he ever smiled.
His hand closed over hers and, startled, she looked up at him. He had vivid blue eyes just like his dog.
“I can take it from here, thanks.”
She glanced down at her fingers, which were perilously close to the bulge in his boxers.
“Sure.” She eased her hand free, aware that she was blushing. “Let me fetch my medical kit and then I’ll get you something to eat.”
She helped him sit up against his pillows and set the bowl of water and towel on the bed where he could easily reach them.
“Do you have any fresh clothes?” she asked.
“In the top drawer.”
“Then I’ll get some out for you.” She glanced at the rumpled bed. “I know there are clean sheets in the closet because I brought them last time I was here. We’ll have you feeling much better in no time.”
He didn’t respond to her smile. They might be pretty, but he had the coldest blue eyes she had ever seen. She repressed a memory of her ex in a blind rage when it had been like staring into the black pits of hell. During her work at the women’s shelter she’d learned that the quiet ones were often the most violent. With Conner‘s elite military background, she would need to be extra vigilant. She reminded herself to stop obsessing. In his current state she’d easily be able to outrun him.
After locating the clean sheets, she turned her attention to his clothing. He had four T-shirts, two black and two green, and four pairs of black boxers. In the closet he had a camo hunting jacket and pants, a fleece, two pairs of jeans, and two plaid shirts. Seeing as he’d rented the cabin for three months, she could only admire his economic packing skills.
When she returned to the bed, he had his eyes closed and his head was back against the pillows. His skin was covered in a fine sweat and he was shivering.
“Okay, what do you want to do first?” she asked briskly. “Shall I take a look at your leg, or do you want to change the sheets?”
“I don’t want to do either of those things,” Conner murmured. “I just want you to go away and leave me alone.”
“For goodness’ sake. Don’t be such a baby.” She put her hands on her hips. “You’re on ranch property. If you die up here, I’m going