Free Can't Touch This by Pepper Winters, Tess Hunter Page A

Chiweenies. Could he already be sick? Was the flu contagious at the very start of symptoms or after a few days?
    I don’t know.
    I was a vet not a doctor.
    Ryder never stopped staring, making me uncomfortable and hotter than I could stand. “Don’t worry about why. Just let me do it.” Turning around, he fumbled with the taps in the bath, wrenching on hot water.
    He’s going to wash me like the Chiweenies .
    I dug my fingers into my eye sockets, trying to get a grip on how ill I felt. I didn’t want to miss this. Ryder Carson might never want to come near me again after seeing me at my worst. I wanted to remember this, dangnamit.
    Water splashing in the bath was suddenly followed by the sounds of bath salts being poured into the wet warmth.
    Wait, how did he—
    Did he just rummage through my cupboards? The vanilla bath salts were tucked beneath the sink—next to a super saver box of tampons and an unopened bottle of lube.
    Holy crap, kill me now .
    “Can you please just forget everything you’ve seen tonight?” I hung my head in my hands.
    Ryder laughed beneath his breath. “You mean the apocalypse worth of tampons and the dusty, out-of-date lubricant?”
    “Ugh, yes that. Also, please delete the sniffling, stuffed-up vet who would really like you to go home and leave her in peace.”
    “Leave?” He clutched his heart. “Man, you know how to hurt a guy.”
    I blinked. “You’re telling me you don’t want to run a mile after seeing my messy apartment and—”
    He came forward, a sultry but sweet smile on his face. “I’m not forgetting a thing about tonight. I have a feeling you like to be in control of everything in your life. This might be the only time I’m allowed to boss you around and do what I want without you calling the police.”
    Damn, he nailed me.
    His hands came up, cupping my cheeks with warm, soft fingers. “Vesper, you’re sick. You live alone. What sort of person would I be if I judged you on how many tampons you have?” He swallowed a smirk, his thumbs caressing my feverish cheekbones. “After all, you might use them for other hobbies such as flower arranging or cat toys.”
    He cocked his head. “You have to admit, the round cotton with its little string is the perfect mouse for whatever orange fluff ball that ran into your bedroom.”
    I couldn’t do it.
    Not only had he taken away my embarrassment, he’d made a joke that made my knees wobbly which had nothing to do with my shakes.
    “God, what are we doing?” I swayed forward. “Why are you being nice to me?”
    “Why?” Ryder let go of my face, guiding me to his chest where I rested my heavy forehead for a moment. His delicate breathing tickled my scalp as he ran his hands down my sides, lingering on my hipbones before pushing me away. “I thought it was obvious.”
    My throat scratched painfully as he whispered, “I like you, Vesper.”
    Is it possible for a heart to self-implode?
    Because I think mine just did.
    Clearing his throat from the build-up of wanton lust, he murmured, “And what we’re doing is getting you better so we can argue and flirt and get on each other’s nerves some more. You still owe me that date—I’ll let you get out of it tonight, but then it’s time to pay up.”
    It took a Hulk sized effort not to ask him just how much he liked me or go all shy like the school girl inside me wanted to do. I forced a laugh. “When you put it that way…I might stay sick for a while.”
    He pinched my thigh. “Not allowed. Now, get your ass into the bath.” He bent closer, bringing rich scents of wood and sunshine. “Unless…you need help?” His gaze dropped to my chest. “I’m happy to get you naked.”
    He blatantly checked me out, his jaw clenching as he swallowed. “It wouldn’t be a hardship to peel you out of those scrubs, unhook your bra, pull down your—” He cut himself off, his eyes blazing with desire. “Let’s just say, I’d fucking love to see you naked. I’d even keep my