Free Imperfect Bastard by Pamela Ann Page B

throw out, yet I couldn’t take another bite.
    “I’m done,” I meekly said before murmuring a soft thank you.
    He took the dish away and placed it in the sink then took out the prescription. “I’ll give you juice instead of water since you didn’t eat much; is that cool?”
    It was kind of him to think about the little things. It wouldn’t have crossed my mind at all.
    “Yeah, that’s sounds good.”
    After pouring me half a glass and placing it before me, he then excused himself, leaving me for a few minutes. Then he returned to assist me in balancing myself while slightly delirious from the pills.
    The moment we got to my bedroom, I heard the bath water running in the bathroom. Confused, I gave him a frown while my heart sped up to an unprecedented rate.
    “What’s that for?”
    “You pointed out that your body’s in pain. I figured that your body would be in less pain tomorrow if you helped ease it out with a warm bath.”
    I got that, but … “I’m too tired to worry about that tonight. I just want to go to bed. Besides, it would be too hard to get in and out of the tub with only one good foot.”
    “I’m going to be there to help you,” he stated like he had just suggested something mundane and not something outrageous.
    Flabbergasted, I stared at him with my mouth hanging ajar. Had I just heard him say that he would help me bathe, naked and all?
    “That’s the craziest thing I’ve heard in my entire life.”
    “I know, but your body will be in better condition tomorrow.”
    Without preamble, he effortlessly lifted my body, taking us toward the bathroom.
    I meant to protest—I truly did—but he was beyond determined and didn’t give me the opportunity to voice out an objection. Stuck in this odd predicament and slightly delirious, I wasn’t sure if this was a good idea at all. It wasn’t because I feared drowning. My concerns were that I wasn’t sure how I would handle it if something indecent were to happen. Given the state I was in, it was something to ponder.

Chapter Nine
     
    Cautiously, he put me down, making sure my good foot was properly planted on the carpet while I leaned against the nearest flat surface before he shut off the water. The tub was half-filled with water with one of my favorite scents permeating the air.
    Watching him through my lashes, I saw him dip his hand to check on the temperature before angling his face toward me, donning a half-smile on his chiseled face.
    “Ready?” he asked when our eyes clashed, evoking an inner turmoil within me.
    No, I was in no shape or form ready, and I doubted I would ever be.
    “Not quite, but I don’t think you’re going to let me undermine your plans, so either way, I’m screwed.”
    Drew let out a sexy laugh before shaking his head as he strolled toward me, his eyes bluer and brighter than before. “I’m going to take care of you, Chlo…” He trailed off, cupping my cheek. “That’s all there is to it.”
    What else could I say? Besides, I was sapped out of arguments, bone-weary, and inconveniently mesmerized by his handsomely chiseled face. Had his jaw always been that sharp? I wasn’t sure. And more to the point, I couldn’t resist a lovely bath. It was my answer to stress or physical pain, and I knew his suggestion would benefit me.
    A little light-headed and unmistakably nervous, I painstakingly eyed him while my throat bobbed as my eyes flickered back and forth between his. I trusted him, and that was enough to understand that he wouldn’t intentionally hurt me. He cared, or he wouldn’t be wasting his time by going out of his way to make sure I was fed and looked after, and I couldn’t fault him for that.
    “I don’t know how to do this. I know it’s absurd, but I might need you to turn around while I take my clothes off.” My cheeks reddened profusely. It was an irrelevant request since he would eventually see me naked. Nevertheless, I felt this urge, this need to do something on my own without those