Page 29 of Winning Back His Wife
His height and wide shoulders made the space feel cramped even though the bathroom was larger than the one at the hospital. He checked the plastic around her cast. “It should stay dry.”
“I don’t think any water is going to come close to my cast.”
He turned on the shower. Water splashed against the tub and curtain. “That’s the plan.”
Cullen had always been a planner. Too bad he hadn’t stuck to his plans instead of letting her derail them. That would have saved them both a lot of heartache. Well, at least her. “Have your life figured out again?”
His gaze met hers. “Pretty much. I made a few changes.”
Like removing her from his future plans. She pinched the bridge of her nose, ignoring the hollow feeling inside her.
He checked the water temperature. “Ready?”
Not really. “Sure.”
He pulled back the shower curtain. “There’s a mat on the bottom of the tub, so you shouldn’t slip, but be careful.”
“Okay.”
She waited for him to leave. He didn’t.
“Aren’t you getting in?” he asked.
Cullen stared at her as if she had something on her face. Leftover French toast, perhaps? She rubbed the back of her hand over her mouth. “Are you staying in here?”
“Yes.”
It was as simple and as complicated as that.
“I need to hand you shampoo,” he reminded her.
Oh, yeah. She’d forgotten about that. But still she hesitated. “This is kind of awkward.”
“Only if we make it awkward.”
“I’m not trying to.”
“Neither am I.”
“But I’m the one who is naked under my robe.”
“I can undress.”
She gave him a look.
He grinned, then faced the door. “Better?”
“Yes, thank you.” Mustering her courage with a deep breath wasn’t going to work, with her incision and ribs. She settled for a slight intake of air, untied the belt, dropped her robe and stepped inside the tub. She closed the shower curtain. “You can turn around now.”
“Is the water the right temperature?”
Hot water poured over her. Steam rose toward the ceiling. She picked up a bar of soap. “Perfect.”
“I remember you like it hot.”
She remembered the showers they’d taken together. Hot water pulsating down on them. Washing each other. Kissing. Touching.
The soap slipped out of her hand and clattered to the tub.
“Sarah—”
“I dropped the soap,” she said at the same time.
“Can you reach it?” he asked.
Bending hurt. But she wasn’t about to ask him to get it for her. That would be too awkward. Too...tempting. “No, but it’s okay. I really just wanted to wash my hair.”
“I’ve got the shampoo,” he said. “Stick out your hand when you want some.”
Once her hair was wet enough, she extended her left arm. The cooler air temperature made her shiver. Goose bumps covered her exposed skin.
He poured a dollop of shampoo onto her palm. “Is that enough?”
“Yes.”
Washing her hair was easier this time. “I’m getting the hang of using one hand.”
“Just takes time.”
Time she didn’t have. For the past twenty-four hours, Cullen had occupied the majority of her thoughts. Not Mount Baker. Once she had work to distract her everything would return to normal. She couldn’t wait for that to happen. She rinsed the shampoo from her hair.
“Need more?” he asked.
Yes, but not from him. He hadn’t been able to give her what she needed. She couldn’t be the wife he wanted. That was why they were better off apart. Still, the thought made her heart hurt. Not a want-to-throw-herself-a-pity-party aching, but a too-bad-this-couldn’t-have-worked pining. “I’m good.”
At least when it came to shampoo.
After she returned to the institute with her marriage and Cullen behind her, everything in her life would be good, too. Given how bad things had been, it sure couldn’t get any worse.
* * *
Later that evening, the doorbell rang. Sarah remained on the couch while Cullen answered the door. Her babysitter for the night, Leanne Thomas, must have arrived.
Sarah was looking forward to Cullen going to work. A physical separation from him would be a relief, even though she’d spent most of her day in bed while he caught up on things around the cabin. But she’d been thinking about him constantly. On her mind was the last place he belonged. Well, actually her heart was the last place, but that wasn’t going to happen again.
A pretty woman with long, shiny brown hair, an easy smile and wearing a huge diamond engagement ring carried in a platter of mini red velvet cupcakes. She placed the dessert on the kitchen table, then removed a green tote bag from her shoulder. “Hi, I’m Leanne.”
