It had taken forever, but the hospital finally released Alejandro, and Ali had driven him home with her. Their moment of intimacy at the hospital had passed without either of them pursuing it. Ali didn’t know how to initiate that conversation again and wasn’t sure she wanted to when it was late and they were both exhausted. She didn’t know what she might say to make him see that she just wanted to be with him, in whatever way and for however long she could have him, the rest be damned.
In her dimly lit living room she handed him a glass of tea and went to prep the downstairs guest room. Her heart pounded as she made up the bed. She imagined sliding between the cool sheets, pressing herself against Alejandro’s naked flesh, begging him to take her. The man’s a battered mess and all you can think about is sex, she chastised herself. Get a grip, Ali. She viciously fluffed the pillows and smoothed the duvet back.
He balked when she offered to help him undress, but she’d been there when the nurse had dressed him and she knew he couldn’t do it on his own, at least not quickly. “Just let me,” she urged. “It’ll go quicker.”
Finally he agreed, closing his eyes and sitting on the bed as she pulled off his boots, one by one, and then removed his socks. He stood and she unbuttoned his jeans, tugging them down over his hips and then down to his ankles, offering him her shoulder to lean on so he could step out of them. In just his boxer briefs and tee shirt, Alejandro smiled stiffly and said, “I’ll just sleep in this. It’s okay.”
“You should take off your shirt. It’s filthy. I was going to wash your clothes for you. I know you like to sleep… um…” She blushed and bit her lip. “I figured I could wash everything since you usually sleep without any clothes on.” Buck naked, her brain taunted her. That’s what you meant. “I’ll get you a towel so you can…” She gestured and backed out of the room, leaving him standing in the moonlight with a bewildered look on his face.
Minutes later she helped him struggle out of his tee shirt, a towel wrapped around his waist for modesty. He had his back to her—so he could grip the nightstand for balance, he said—and she gasped as she saw the dragon. The vibrant colors started at his neck, blazed across his entire back, and disappeared just beneath the towel he clutched around himself.
Alejandro stood perfectly still and silent while she studied the tattoo. Her fingers skimmed across his shoulder blades and traced the line of the dragon breathing flames across his lower back. “It’s beautiful,” she murmured, examining the artistry of the scales, painfully aware of his heat under her fingertips. Like that fire’s burning right out of his skin. She had blocked that little detail out of her memory, how hot he always was, as if constantly consumed by fever. His breath hitched and she realized her entire hand was flat on his back, palm kissing his skin and fingers fanned out across the dragon’s twisted tail.
Her body remembered his. Whether it was from the dream or from ten years ago she couldn’t have said. Every touch she gave him echoed inside of herself. She stroked down his back, gentling him like she’d done to Tip a million times. “Your whole back is tight,” she murmured, knowing she should stop touching him but unable to pull her hands away. “Maybe tomorrow I can give you a massage.”
“That'd be good.” His voice was strangled. “Hey, uh, would you mind getting me another glass of tea? I need to take these pain pills.”
“Sure.” Pulling away from him, she instantly missed his warmth. “I’ll go get it right now.”
Her legs threatened to give out on her, and when she got in the kitchen she leaned against the refrigerator and took a deep breath. She pressed her cheek against the cool stainless steel surface and tried to steady her nerves. Between her legs her sopping panties bunched and rubbed, causing maddening friction. She wanted Alejandro, needed him to ease the ache she hadn’t lost all week.
She had felt him up at the Ridge. She’d writhed against his hardness until she thought she would come just from the delicious friction of their bodies rubbing, but she’d blown that chance. She was lucky to get a second opportunity in the garage. That time she’d almost gotten him out of his jeans, but they’d been interrupted by one of the guys. Now he was naked in her guest room, but from the way he’d just reacted to her offer of a massage, she didn’t know if she was getting a third chance. Maybe he was just tired. Maybe he was in too much pain. Or maybe he was tired of endless foreplay that never culminated in sex.
Whatever it was, she didn’t know if she could stand another minute of torture. His skin had felt amazing under her touch. She imagined raking her nails down his colorful skin as he pumped into her. She imagined his deep voice urging her to come and it was all she could do not to rub herself off right there in the kitchen while she was supposed to be getting his tea.
Instead she took the tea and the bottle of pills into the guest room. Alejandro was already on his back under the covers, his good arm thrown over his eyes. He looked up and thanked her in a hoarse voice and then took the pills, his eyes drooping closed almost immediately.
“Get a good night’s sleep,” she said softly, fighting the urge to kiss his forehead where the dark hair met brown skin. “I’ll see you in the morning.” She scooped up his dirty clothes and escaped the room before she did or said anything foolish.