One Night Before Christmas. Susan Carlisle

clothes were not right for the weather, he was hurt and now he needed her help to undress. He had to get a handle on the situation.

      He turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. Melanie opened the door and entered just as he pulled a towel off the rack.

      He stood motionless. “What’re you doing here?”

      She met his gaze with determination. “I’m going to help you dry off. There’s no way you can handle that by yourself. If you’re afraid I’ll look, keep that bath sheet and I’ll use one of the others.”

      Their standoff lasted seconds before he handed her his towel. He wouldn’t be intimidated. Standing proudly in front of her, he didn’t blink as she took the rectangular terry cloth. She circled behind him and ran the fabric across his shoulders then down his back.

      His manhood twitched.

      Melanie continued down his legs and up the front before she stepped around to face him. “Lean your head down.”

      Her voice sounded brisk and businesslike, as if she dried men off all the time. He rather liked having a woman dry him. Despite the pain he experienced with each breath, his body was reacting to the attention. Melanie briskly rubbed his hair, then went over his shoulders and down his chest. When she passed over his ribs, he hissed.

      She gave him a sad look. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to be careful.”

      Going further south, her hands jerked to a stop and it was her turn to release a rush of air.

      “I guess you weren’t careful enough,” he smirked.

      Her wide-eyed gaze met his.

      “I think I can finish from here.” He didn’t miss her gulp.

      With a shaking hand she handed him the towel and left with the parting words, “There’s a robe hanging on the back of the door.”

      Well, he’d won that standoff. Melanie wasn’t as unaffected as she would like to make out. He let the towel drop to the floor. No way was he going to make the effort to put a robe on when he was just going to crawl into bed.

      Melanie wasn’t in the bedroom when he came out and he didn’t pause on his way to the bed. The effort alone had his side aching. He managed to cover his lower half before there was a light knock on the door. He was in so much pain he didn’t even make an effort to answer.

      She pushed the door open enough to stick her head in. “You need help?”

      He hated to admit again that he did. “Would you put some pillows behind me?”

      Melanie hurried to him. She went around the bed, gathered the extra pillows and returned, placing the pillows within arm’s reach.

      Dalton groaned as he tried to sit up.

      “Let me help you.” Melanie didn’t meet his look as she ran her left arm around his shoulders to support him. With her other hand, she stuffed a couple of pillows behind his back. The awkward process put them close. Too close for his comfort. His face was almost in her breasts. She smelled sweet. Nothing like the aroma of disinfectant their profession was known for. Too soon she guided him back against the pillows so that he was now in a half-sitting position. “Is that better?”

      He nodded and made an effort to adjust the covers so that his reaction to her assistance wasn’t obvious. Why was his body reacting to her so?

      “Good. I’ll get you that pain reliever.” She stepped out of the room and soon returned with a bottle of tablets and a glass of water. Shaking out a couple of pills, she handed them to him, then offered him the glass of water.

      Gladly he took the medicine and swallowed all the water. Closing his eyes, he was almost asleep when the covers were pulled up over his chest. He was being tucked in for the first time in his life...and he liked it!