Cursing the persistent knocking, she limped to the door. “Go away.
I don’t want anything, and I’m in no mood for company.” She peered through the peephole and into the concerned eyes of Caroline.
“I’m not going away, so you might as well let me in,” came the muffled reply.
Shannon couldn’t see Caroline’s body language, but her tone definitely said she was not taking no for an answer. Sighing, she slid open the safety chain and turned the knob.
• 115 •
JuliE CaNNoN
Caroline held back a sob at the sight of Shannon’s face peeking out from behind the door. She was pale, her face clearly showing the pain she must be in. “I came to check on you.”
“You did, I’m alive, now go away and leave me alone.”
She started to shut the door but Caroline refused to be dismissed.
Shannon had taken a nasty spill on the last run and, along with the crowd, Caroline had held her breath until Shannon gave them a thumbs up while being carried to the first aid tent.
“Not a chance. Let me in or I’ll knock you over, and you know I can.” She watched as Shannon debated with herself as to whether or not to obey. When she stepped aside Caroline knew she had won—this round.What she wasn’t prepared for was that Shannon was totally naked and not even trying to cover herself. Her lustful thoughts were quickly replaced by concern and horror at the sight of her injuries.
“My God, Shannon. How are you even able to walk? Let me help you.” Caroline dropped her bag on the floor, hurried over, and froze when she didn’t know how to help or where to touch her where it wouldn’t hurt.
“I was just getting into the tub,” Shannon said, indicating the open door to what Caroline guessed was the bathroom.
“Good idea.” She stood with her hands up trying to find a place on Shannon’s body that wasn’t bruised or scraped. She settled on taking her hand and wrapping her arm around her waist. Slowly, they walked the short distance to the tub.
The water was about three-quarters full and Caroline turned off the spigots. The last of the water dripped into the tub with a drip, drip, drip. “Can you get in?”
Shannon lifted her injured leg and banged her ankle on the side of the tall tub. “Ouch, shit. The goddamned tub is too high. I can’t even lift my leg over the edge.”
Still holding Shannon, Caroline surveyed the situation. The tub was on a pedestal of sorts. It was designed more for sensuality than functionality and she knew there was no way Shannon would be able to get in or out on her own. There was only one thing to do.
“Okay, hang on.” She kicked off her shoes, pulled her shirt over her head, and started pulling down her shorts.
• 116 •
Descent
“What are you doing?” Shannon watched her in the mirror on the wall adjacent to the tub.
“Getting in with you,” Caroline answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “You can’t do it yourself and I don’t feel like falling in when I’m helping you.” She was now as naked as Shannon.
“Is there a problem?”
Caroline watched as Shannon’s eyes roamed over her body.
They had seen each other naked hundreds of times but never as grown women. Time and hard work had transformed her body from girlish to all woman, and by the look on Shannon’s face, she had done a fine job of it. She knew the look of desire in Shannon’s eyes and her body heated under the intense approval.
“Stop it, Shannon. You can barely stand on your own two feet and you’re getting into this tub right now.” Caroline stepped into the warm water first then helped Shannon in. Caroline lowered herself and Shannon into the frothy water, her back sliding down the porcelain side. Shannon moaned as her raw skin came in contact with the warm water. Caroline knew the sound wasn’t from ecstasy but agony and she ached for the pain Shannon must be in. “I know it hurts,” she said stupidly. This time Shannon hissed and cursed.
“Just try to relax.” That was the second stupid thing she said.
“Easy for you to say,” Shannon snapped.
Caroline didn’t know what to do with her hands so she cupped them with water and poured it down Shannon’s back.
“Thanks. I think that’s the only place on my body that doesn’t hurt. At least right now. Tomorrow, however, will be a totally different story.”Caroline repeated the motion several times and on the last handful followed the trail of water with the palms of her hands massaging the tight muscles in Shannon’s back.
Her heart raced and her pulse beat loudly in her head each time she touched Shannon. Her skin was soft and slick from the water, her fingers gliding over the firm, tan flesh. The patch of skin that was much lighter than the rest of her back was just where she remembered it—just below her right shoulder blade. Caroline remembered when she first discovered the birthmark and how she had traced the shape with her
• 117 •
JuliE CaNNoN
fingertip first, then with her tongue. She shuddered at the memory and the water suddenly got much hotter.
“Caroline?” Shannon asked, piercing her haze of arousal. “I don’t feel too good.”
Shannon’s comment and the weakness of her voice jolted Caroline out of her trip down memory lane. “Lean back against me for a minute.”
It was the only thing she could think of. She surely couldn’t lift Shannon out of the tub if she passed out. Maybe if she sat back for a few minutes she would feel good enough to at least help Caroline get her out.
All medicinal thought flew out of her head when Shannon’s back made contact with her breasts. Her nipples were already hard and had excellent recall of Shannon’s body and tightened even harder. When Shannon’s head dropped back on her shoulder, Caroline swallowed hard and forced herself to maintain her composure.
Shannon’s hair was just under her nose, the scent not an unpleasant combination of strawberry and dirt. Her arms rested on the side of the tub and her nipples peeked out from the water with each rise and fall from her breathing. Caroline’s legs were on either side of Shannon, her left one bent at the knee so as not to come in contact with Shannon’s injured leg.
Any other time Caroline would be taking advantage of their position, and on more than one occasion in the past, she had. But this time Shannon was hurt, seriously hurt, but the way her body was reacting to Shannon’s closeness—her familiarity, her nakedness pressed against her—it didn’t seem to know that. Caroline had thought Shannon had fallen asleep and jerked when she spoke.
“I think I should get out. The drugs they gave me at the clinic are putting me to sleep and I’d hate to slide down and drown. However nice it would be to die in your arms.”
Shannon was starting to slur her words and Caroline wasn’t sure she heard the last part correctly. She wanted to ask but didn’t dare.
Instead, she pushed Shannon into a sitting position. “You’re right. The water is getting cold and we’ve still got to change your bandages and get you into bed.”
Caroline stood, her legs shaky from the inactivity as well as the sight in front of her. She grabbed a towel from the stack on the shelf above her head, quickly wiping off her hands and arms.
• 118 •
Descent
“Okay, let’s get you up. On three. Ready?” As she counted, Caroline put her hands under Shannon’s arms and lifted. She froze when Shannon screamed. “Oh my God, Shannon, what is it?”
Shannon’s breathing was coming in short, fast pants. It took her several moments before she was able to answer. “It just hurts,” she finally said.