Chapter 22 #3
Ellen’s eyes grew wide as he unbuttoned his muddy trousers, then shed them altogether. His cock hung heavy between his thighs, thickened with arousal but not full mast. His bollocks swung as he bit his lip and stepped into the tub behind her.
“Your bandages!” Ellen squeaked, sitting upright and scooting forward to make room for him.
“You matter more,” Mark got out in a huff, sitting behind her. Water splashed over the rim of the tub. His legs extended on either side of her, and Mark set his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back to recline against his chest.
Ellen hesitated, unwilling to cause him pain. But Mark was insistent, and soon Ellen had her head lolled back against his shoulder to peer up at him. “I love you,” she whispered.
His body tensed, then he looked down at her in delighted surprise. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “And I love you.”
“Thank you,” she said hesitantly, searching for words. “I spoke rashly this morning, and it was....not only unkind, but untrue. Of course, you felt obligated to do your duty. But you’ve never given me a reason to doubt your care of me.”
He hummed behind her. “At least in the last few months.”
She allowed a small smile.
“I am sorry, though,” he said after a pause.
“I shouldn’t have hidden it from you. It’s just...
at first I thought I couldn’t tell you until we’d returned to at least a civil partnership, if not friendly.
It’s not something to spring on a person.
I was still wrapping my mind around it, too.
And then I thought—I couldn’t put that on you. ”
“I know,” Ellen said quietly, pressing her ear against his warm chest to hear his heartbeat. “I see that now. I should’ve given you a chance to explain earlier. And thank you.”
They stayed in the water together, silent.
The only sound came from their breathing and the stirring water as they stroked one another’s bodies.
Mark rubbed her shoulders, and she stroked his calves.
He threaded his fingers through her hair, and she cupped his knees.
He massaged her back and arms. She ran her foot along his, then played with the hair on his shins.
Reassuring one another they were here, whole, and alive. Everything was well.
Eventually the water chilled, and Ellen’s eyelids drooped. “Let’s go to bed,” she managed to say. “Do you need help getting out?”
Mark hummed. “Maybe,” he said sheepishly. “You can call for Dryden, I don’t want you hurting yourself.”
Ellen stood, ignoring the bite of cold air against the scratches and cuts on her body.
“Oh, pish.” She carefully stepped out of the tub and onto the cold, wet floor and wrapped herself in a fluffy white towel.
“What are you going to do about those bandages?” She eyed the soaked cloth as Mark gripped the edges of the tub to pull upright, grimacing in pain.
“I…assumed you would have extras hidden away somewhere.” Mark stared up at her in surprise.
She frowned. “Mark, why would I have bandages lying around my house?”
He gave a tiny shrug, small enough it wouldn’t hurt his ribs. “You’re the medical professional.”
Ellen stared at him, mouth open. “No, I’m not. I’m not a doctor.”
He cocked his head. “You aren’t? We should fix that.”
She shook her head, an incredulous laugh breaking free. “That’s ridiculous. How on earth are we going to manage you and Oxford, me and medical school, and possibly a baby?” How can he give me so much?
He grinned. “We’ll sort it.”
Ellen rolled her eyes “I’ll help you out of the bathtub and then we can wake one of the servants to find an old sheet. We can rip it and use it for now.”
It took several minutes to get Mark out of the bathtub, and by the end they were both moaning in pain and laughing with utter relief that they were alive to feel the pain. Ellen bit her lower lip to keep from giggling helplessly as she attempted to unknot the waterlogged bandage.
“Don’t make me laugh,” Mark moaned, clutching his side. “It hurts too much.”
“Come on.” Ellen wrapped an arm around him. “Bandages. Bed. Now.”
Mark turned his head and nuzzled her ear. “God, I knew I picked the perfect woman. So bossy.”
Ellen’s face heated as his teeth tugged on her earlobe. “I am trying to take care of you!”
“Mmmm, let’s do that too,” he teased as they angled out the bathroom door and to her bed. “Over the covers or under?”
Ellen rolled her eyes. “We will sleep under the covers.” She helped the nude man into bed and tucked him in, then readied for bed.
When she’d rewrapped his bandages, combed her hair, took off her wrapper and slipped into bed, he was already asleep.
Ellen took that moment to stroke his hair back from his bruised face, looking at the man she loved.
The man who’d come back for her. Who’d never leave her.
Who encouraged her dreams, eased her fears, and even sought out contraception despite his personal discomfort.
She curled against him, using his shoulder as a pillow. We survived this. We can face the rest of the world together. Ellen fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.