Bad Vampire by Lauren Dawes (read aloud books txt) 📕

With the ache in my shoulder and the pain in my knee, I was a fall hazard waiting to happen on a wet tiled floor.

“Look, the doctor said I needed to keep an eye on you tonight so I can either help you or you can go without a shower, which I don’t think you want to do.”

I didn’t have the energy to argue with him. All I wanted was to get the vampire off my skin and out of my hair. “Fine.”

With a nod, he crouched down and slid the thin fabric from my hips. I didn’t have any underwear to take off since the doctors had removed every stitch of clothing when I was rushed to the hospital. Keeping my eyes fixed on the tiled wall in front of me, I cooperated when Sawyer told me to bend a knee or keep myself steady by leaning on his shoulder.

“Okay,” he finally said in a hoarse voice.

Slowly, so as to not fall over and have Sawyer crow his victory over me, I stepped into the shower and promptly listed to one side.

I braced for impact, but Sawyer was there, holding me up with an arm around my back. I huffed, then peered over my shoulder to find his silver eyes hot and liquid.

“You’re still dressed,” I said, although why that was my first concern, I didn’t know.

“My clothes will dry.” He shuffled me closer to the spray, where I turned my face into the water and hissed when the small cuts on my skin let their presence be known. Adding more cold water to the mix, I tried again, sighing when all I got was a slight throb. Putting my face under the flow fully, I let all the ickiness from my day sluice off me.

“Want me to wash your hair for you?” he asked, his breath warm against the shell of my ear.

I nodded. Honestly, he could’ve offered to cut my toenails and I would’ve said yes.

Leaning me gently against the wall, he grabbed my shampoo and squeezed a little into his hand. I shut my eyes when he ran his fingers through my hair, creating a lather.

“Head back,” he said, and I did as I was told, for once, and shut my eyes as tepid water cleaned away the suds. I thought that was it, but he rubbed some conditioner through my hair too, letting it sit while he washed me.

I leaned with my back to the wall, watching my fully clothed partner rub my coconut-scented bodywash all over my body. He kept his hips angled away from me, but I could see that he was turned on by this.

“You don’t have to hide that,” I told him as he rinsed the cloth off.

“Hide what?” Water ran down his face, slicking back his hair. His shirt was sticking to his skin, clinging to the curves of his chest.

“Your erection.”

He snorted but didn’t say anything more.

“You don’t think I’m attractive?”

He jerked his head up, his eyes gobbling up all the light in the room. At least it seemed that way. They went from gray to stormy tempest in a heartbeat. “Why would you say that?”

Shrugging my good shoulder, because talking about this stuff was just a smidge embarrassing, I tried to put my bravado back on… and discovered I may have left it at the hospital.

Rescuing me from the inevitable crash and burn, he said, “Let’s get out of the shower.”

Sawyer wrapped me in a fluffy towel and shoved me out the door. Glancing back over my shoulder, I watched him strip off his shirt, slacks, and underwear, leaving them in a wet pile on the tile.

“Enjoying the view?” he asked without looking my way as he reached for another towel.

Would it kill me to say yes? I shuffled to my room then I paused when I realized I couldn’t put my favorite pajamas on without help. I turned to ask him for one more favor only to find him already there with a towel around his waist. Putting clothes on me felt more intimate than the undressing for some reason, so like an adult, I didn’t look him the eye as he pulled up the flannelette pants and did up the buttons on the matching shirt.

Without saying a word, he helped put the sling back on too.

“I’m going to throw my clothes into the dryer. Where are your clean sheets?” At my raised brows, he added, “I’m sleeping on your couch tonight.”

“Bottom shelf of the linen cupboard in the hall.”

I walked around aimlessly while he got busy making a bed for himself, trying to figure out what to do. I felt like I should be playing host even though I was clearly in too much pain to do anything other than lie flat on my back and stare at the backside of my eyelids.

“You should go to bed. I can entertain myself while you pass out.”

Fantastic idea.

With a nod, I stumbled into my bedroom, shut the door, and laid down. My eyes were closed before my head even hit the pillow.

Eleven

I woke the next morning to the smell of fresh coffee and pastries. I sat up, blinking blearily at the sun streaming through the windows. Out in the kitchen, I heard someone moving around. Throwing the blankets from my body, I padded out to find Faline. She took one look at me and said brightly, “Good morning, sunshine.”

“What are you doing in my apartment?”

“Sawyer asked me to stop in on my way to work to make sure you were okay. He had to leave early this morning. I brought breakfast.” She gestured to the plate of delicious, buttery pastries and the coffee. Still cautious, I sat down at the counter and reached for a plain croissant.

“Did Sawyer really send you? And how in the hell did you get in here without the key?”

She smiled, flashing me a little fang. “I asked your building manager.”

“You mean you seduced my building manager.”

She shrugged, all who me? “I