'My God Cathie…your back.' Ethan had glimpsed the kaleidoscope that was Cathie's back and had left the pool to crouch down beside her lounger. He pushed her legs gently to the side to sit carefully next to her. 'Does it hurt?'
'Um…Not really.' She went to rise from the chair but Ethan's gentle touch on her back held her still.
Without thinking Ethan traced each bruise almost lovingly as if trying to draw the pain out of her body.
He had done this to her.
Alas old habits never die. Being an ex- rugby player his instinctive reaction to being tackled had been to turn and drive the offensive player into the ground.
The doctor had told him she was badly bruised but he hadn't visualized such an awful kaleidoscope of purple and scarlet that extended from her neck to disappear underneath her bikini pants. He only just stopped himself from tracing fully the lowest one, anticipating that that action wouldn't be appreciated. Cathie lay rapt like a cat being stroked. Any moment she's going to dribble, he surmised. Continuing with his soothing feather soft touch he saw her relax and close her eyes.
'Is there anything I can do for you?'
I can certainly think of a few things but Chloe's here and I hardly know you, came his silent answer. Instead.. 'You've done too much already.'
'We'll have to agree to disagree on that.'
Ethan kept up his caress like touch unaware of the effect it was having on Cathie's equilibrium.
Likewise Cathie was unaware that the feel of her honey skin under his fingertips was having an equally potent effect on him.
A few minutes later Ethan felt the almost asleep form shiver under his touch. 'You're cold. Come on Cathie although it's warm out here your body is still probably weak from the trauma. Perhaps a warm shower and coffee before dinner will be just the thing.' Ethan rose offering a hand to help her up.
And a cold one for him, he thought. Though he wondered if her shiver was indeed due to the cold. It looked suspiciously more like a quiver, like the reaction he often got from women responding to his touch. Interesting.
'You're right Ethan. I'll go get dressed and get that warm drink.' Taking Ethan's proffered hand Cathie then rose from the chair shocking Ethan once again this time by the bruise on her ribs.
'My head?' Ethan sighed.
''fraid so.' Cathie hastily stepped past him as if she feared that Ethan would want to touch her there as well. She quickly fled inside the house, her shapely body on full view.