N. Walters - Alexandra's Legacy

Joshua scrubbed his hand over his face. All he wanted to do was to take care of her and get her to safety. Instead, she had been battered and bruised and was running for her life. Some protector he was. Disgusted with himself, he got to his feet. “Can you stand?”

“Of course.”

“Of course,” he muttered.

“Look,” she snapped, her hands on her hips. “I don’t know what’s sticking in your paw buddy, but don’t take it out on me. All I want is a bath and some sleep. No one is forcing you to stay.”

He stood there amazed and amused by her feistiness. Only a few moments before she’d looked like she would collapse any moment and now she was giving him hell.

“I’m definitely staying.” Reaching out, he unbuttoned her jeans and tugged down the zipper while she batted ineffectually at his hands. “And I’m certainly helping.” He whisked her jeans down around her ankles and had her step out one foot at a time.

“I can do it by myself,” she muttered, taking a step back when he reached for the clasp of her bra.

“Surely you can’t be shy.” But he realized that she was. “Not after this morning.”

Her scowl deepened as her cheeks got redder. “It might be no big deal for you to run around naked, but it’s not something I’m used to, okay.”

Shaking his head, he scooped her up into his arms and waded out into the stream, aiming for a rock right in the center of the slow-running water. He settled her on the rock so that only her legs from the knees down were actually in the stream, and waded back to the shore for the makeshift washcloth. The water barely touched his thighs, but it was cool and wet and that was good enough for him.

He tossed her the cloth as he lay down in the stream, submerging himself totally. He heard her protest and knew he was going to catch hell for getting his bandaged shoulder wet. She didn’t understand it wasn’t that big a deal to him. He’d been hurt worse so many times before that today’s injuries barely qualified as scratches.

Raising his head out of the water, he barely had time to snag the wet rag out of the air before it struck him.

“Now I’ll have to bandage your shoulder again.”

Shaking out the cloth, he rubbed it over his neck and chest, working his way lower. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she watched his every move. Her scantily clad breasts shifted up and down with every breath. Her nipples were visible beneath the thin fabric. She shifted, parting her legs slightly.

He swallowed a groan.

He continued to wash his body, paying particular attention to his groin and thighs. She licked her lips as he stroked the cloth over his erection. The sac between his legs was heavy even as it pulled closer to his body. Damn, but he wanted her.

Knowing he was playing with fire, he took the two steps necessary to bring him to her side. “Your turn.” He handed her the cloth, took a step away and waited.

Alex could barely breathe. Her lungs didn’t seem to want to function properly at all. Joshua was like something out of the perfect female fantasy as he washed himself, totally unabashed by his nudity and his obvious arousal. Sculpted muscles rippled and flexed with every movement he made, showcasing his sleek, hard body. He was the quintessential male predator preening for the female of his choice.

She had no doubt Joshua could have any woman he chose. There was an animal magnetism, a latent sensuality, about him that would draw any woman’s attention. Just watching him wash himself had liquid arousal flowing between her thighs. She knew that should probably embarrass her, but she was too turned on to care. Her nipples were hard buds, completely outlined against the tight cotton fabric of her bra.

She knew they still weren’t safe, couldn’t linger here any longer than necessary, but she couldn’t summon the energy to move. After all the death of today, a part of her simply wanted to experience the sensation of being alive.

Laying the cloth down beside her, she reached for the clasp of her bra, but Joshua stopped her. “I think it might be better for you to leave that on.”

She stared almost unbelieving at him, but he was deadly serious. “All right.” She dropped her hands away from her bra and picked up the cloth. As best as she could, she washed her hands, arms, torso and legs, at all times aware of Joshua’s eyes on her, watching every single stroke of the cloth as she moved it over her skin. She might still be wearing her bra and panties, but his hot gaze made her feel as if she were totally naked.

It felt like heaven to have the cool water rushing around her feet as she kept them submerged in the water. As the dust and dirt and sweat began to vanish beneath her scrubbing, she felt almost human again.

She grimaced at the thought. She wasn’t really human was she? Being part werewolf definitely made her something more than human. Alex shoved that thought to the back of her mind. She’d deal with it later. When they were finally safe in Wolf Creek.

Dipping the cloth into the water, she then twisted it until almost all the water was gone and then held it out to Joshua. “Can you do my back?”

His expression was totally unreadable as he took the thin strip of fabric and stepped behind her. There was no hiding the fact he was still turned on. His cock was at full attention as he’d watched her rubbing the cloth over her body. Intense heat rolled off him as he shifted closer to her.

She leaned forward to give him better access and groaned when his large hands covered her shoulders, kneading the tense, stiff muscles. “That feels good,” she moaned when his thumbs found a particularly sore muscle. He used just enough pressure to work the kinks out the stiffness, but not enough to hurt her. The man had magic hands.

He continued down her back, sweeping his hands down her spine, easing aches she didn’t even know she had. She slumped further forward until her head was almost touching her knees. With her eyes closed, she relaxed, allowing his caressing fingers to lull her.

She muttered a protest when he finally stopped, and shivered when she felt the damp coolness of the cloth being dragged over her back. The sun was sinking behind the mountains and the temperature was dropping rapidly. Goose bumps broke out on her arms and legs and she wrapped her arms around herself, flinching when she accidentally hit her bad arm.

Joshua quickly finished washing her back and handed her the cloth. Without a word, he scooped her up into his arms and waded back to the shoreline, setting her on her feet long enough to gather their clothing. He handed her the bundle and then picked her up again, carrying her through the woods and back to the cave. Alex was much too tired to protest, and Joshua didn’t seem to even notice his injuries. At this point she didn’t mind the ride at all.

Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his chest, conscious of the deep, steady beat of his heart. She must have dozed because one second she was being carried through the woods and the next her feet were being lowered to the floor. She swayed, but he kept his arm around her until she was steady.

“You need to put your jeans on,” he murmured. “And your socks.” She made a small sound of protest and he smoothed his hand over her hair and down her back. “I know they’re grungy, but it’s going to get cold tonight.”

Knowing he was right didn’t make it any easier. She stepped away and set the bundle of clothing on the ground, fishing through it until she found her jeans and blood-stained socks. The light was almost negligible inside their hideaway now and she hurried before she lost what little there was.

Once she had her jeans on she sat on the hard dirt floor and carefully eased her socks over her sore feet. The cold water of the stream had helped soothe them somewhat, but Alex knew tomorrow would be no picnic. She shrugged. She’d deal with that when she had to. There was no point worrying about it now.