jaw.
“Oh, honey, is the water too hot?” He shuffled down to the faucets and moved her legs out of the way, preparing to temper the heat with cold.
“No, that’s not it.” Hiccupping between every word, Myrt kicked at him with little grace, her soreness making it hard for her to aim or connect.
“Then what is it, baby?” He knelt next to the tub, gathering her into his arms without caring about a little water. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sore.” She rested her cheek against his chest, face hidden between the front panels of his vest.
“Yeah, I know you are. That’s why we’re doing the bath. And it’s the reason I’m going to see if the gas station across the street has some over-the-counter stuff for pain. Do you know what’s safe for you to take?” Myrt stared at him, not understanding. “No worries. I’ll ask whoever’s working what works best in the first trimester.” Bane stroked her skin as he shook his head. “I didn’t know it hurt that much, honey. I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have covered so much ground today.”
“That’s not it.” She was hiccupping again, tiny bursts of air between each word signaling a nearly silent sob.
“Then what is it, baby?” He let her lay back against the tub, trailing a finger across her cheek, wiping the tears away with the pad of his thumb.
“I’m too sore to…you know.”
Understanding hit him in an instant, and he again had to fight a smile.
“Yeah, I know. It’s okay. We’ve got all the time in the world.”
“No, it’s not okay. I wanted to…you know.”
This time, he gave up fighting, grinning at her in pleasure at what she’d just given him. “My baby wanted to make love to her ole man. I get it, darlin’. Oh, I surely get it. I want that, too. But tonight, it’s about making you comfortable, because tomorrow—” He winced, knowing how she’d feel in the morning. “—we’re back on the bike for nearly as long before we make it home to Truck and Vanna’s place.” He rocked back on his heels, her hand in his, playing with her graceful fingers, trailing a touch up and down the length of each one. “You soak some of the sore out, keep the water from getting too cool, and I’ll be back. I gotta run those couple of errands we talked about and grab us some grub.”
“You’re too good to me.”
“Naw, baby. You and me, we treat each other just right. Ain’t no competition here, nothin’ but us doin’ what feels important for us.” Pushing to his feet, he stared down at her naked form lying in the water, lines of her hips and breasts obscured by the wavering ripples from her movement. Plenty enough clarity for him to like what he saw, though. “Soak. Ease that ache. I’ll see if I can think of other ways to relax you when I get back.”
He turned and walked out, closing the bathroom behind him to her shout of his name. “Bane!”
Laughing, he grabbed his helmet and let himself out of the room. Outside, he straddled the bike and rested the helmet on one of the rearview mirrors, kicking back with his feet up on the highway bars as he dialed Gunny’s phone. They’d talked once yesterday to confirm the van had made the trip to Florida, and things had gone as expected locally with the sheriff. He’d made that call with a sleeping Myrt next to him, the conversation cut short when she’d roused, murmuring his name in the sexy, sleepy voice that got him hard instantly.
“Brother,” he heard, and smiled, liking how the respect felt coming from a man he admired as much as he did Gunny. “Things’re good here, man. How’re you holdin’ up?”
“I’m good. Real good. Few things better than a no-deadlines road trip with my woman ridin’ behind me.” He chuckled. “She’s less good. Road ass already caught up to her.”
“Sure it’s the road makin’ her sore?” The deep vein of humor in Gunny’s voice made him smile. “Could be bein’ rode makin’ that happen, doncha think?”
“Maybe a touch of both,” he admitted. “I’m in awe of her, man. She’s taken everything life’s thrown at her and then figures out how to keep goin’.”
“Woman like her deserves some sweet.” Laughter in the background underscored Gunny’s words, and Bane wished they were there watching whatever had Gunny’s girls and his boys being raucous and loud. “You the man gonna give it to her?”
“Yeah. You know it, man. She’s never