Free Rock Hard by LJ Vickery Page A

seen this done on one of his favorite television medical dramas, but he’d never witnessed it first-hand. He scootched as close as possible to see numbers flash across a monitor and watched the cuff inflate, as if by mind control, on Tess’s arm. The nurse caught her breath and gave him a warning glance that said “back off,” but Marduk ignored her and sat next to Tess on the bed.
    “That’s funny,” the nurse said after a minute. “The machine’s gone haywire.” She watched the numbers scrambling, unable to get a fix. “Not to worry. It’s probably just a bad cuff. I’ll go get another. Be right back.” She smiled reassuringly before heading around the curtain. “If you could just put that gown on while I’m gone. Ties in the back…” She breezed from the room.
    Tess looked at the offending gown. Marduk knew there was no way was she going to strip down in front of him, but she had to be realistic about her chances of removing the spandex top without creating havoc with her wound. The god heard her sigh, then saw the thoughts in her head, clear as day. She’d worn a sports bra today, and had just convinced herself that it didn’t reveal any more than a bikini top.
    “I’ll need your help getting my shirt off…” she paused as his eyebrows raised. “Not the bra,” she groused. “Just the shirt.”
    Marduk’s heart went crazy at the thought of removing clothing from Tess, being able to touch her soft skin. The blood pressure machine went nuts all on its own. Hmm. So he’d been responsible for the malfunction. He was going to have to move away from the contrary thing next time the nurse used it.
    Tess had begun struggling with her shirt. Marduk couldn’t help his sudden arousal. Blood pooled in his groin, hardening his cock at the inopportune moment when he stood and faced Tess. He could have sworn her face lost more color than it already had. Damn him for being a horny bastard. She was hurt. How could his mind even go there?
    He shifted the offending member by turning his hips away. Neither spoke as she placed her ice pack on the bed and pulled her arms from the sleeves, cocooning herself inside the shirt.
    “If you could just hold the neck open, I can probably slip out without too much damage.” Her wound oozed anew without pressure, and he acted fast.
    His cool fingers moved over the sides of her neck and down into the material. Did the room actually move? He caught a peek in and saw her nipples harden under the thin material of her chest covering. Cold, he thought, his cold hands must be responsible, but that wouldn’t explain her sudden shortness of breath.
    Keep your mind on the task at hand, Marduk admonished himself. With soft skin under his fingers, the blood pressure machine seemed in danger of flipping out again. Was it Tess setting it off this time? Could she be aroused?
    Her body signs would say yes and as much as he’d tried to avoid it, Tess had surely caught a look at what was in his shorts, up close and personal. Maybe she liked what she saw…at least she wasn’t quaking in her sneakers this time. That was good. He didn’t want her to be scared. He was richly endowed, even for a god.
    As he lifted the neck of the shirt and stretched it wide over her head, the smoothness of her flat stomach was revealed. He hadn’t seen anything that beautiful in…uhh…had he ever seen anything that beautiful? As the shirt continued its ascent, the small strip of lycra lying against her breasts was uncovered, showing hardened nubs straining at the material. Oh, to reach out and caress those tender buds. He had to force his eyes away as her face became visible, knowing she would not appreciate his….umm…appreciation.
    “The gown,” she rasped, pointing toward the bottom of the bed. “Could you hand me the gown?”
    He had to do that right away, or he’d have her back on that mattress before he could control himself. When in doubt, resort to humor. “Your caboose, my lady.” He