Read Online Stealing Grace by Shelby Fallon - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shelby Fallon
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ponytail, it laying across the pillow and her neck. He thought she was beautiful right then. The most beautiful and peaceful she’d been since she got there.
He climbed in next to her, turning himself so as not to face her and fell asleep quickly after murmuring a good night.
The next night was a different story all together.
* * *
After lunch the next day she was bringing a load of clothes out from the laundry room. There was an old wobbly step leading into the kitchen and she missed it, not seeing it over her basket. She tripped and split her knee on the rough wooden step.
She’d apparently made some sort of noise or mutter to indicate something was wrong because Alex ran in from the den. He saw the spilled laundry basket with clothes on the floor beside her, her small form on the floor with her knee extended up with blood already trickling its way out and didn’t ask what happened. He guessed and immediately picked her up from the floor.
He carried her to the counter in the kitchen and set her on it gently. He ripped a paper towel off the roll and wet it with cold water, pressing in to her knee and wiping the blood away.
“Doesn’t look too bad. Does it hurt?” he asked.
“No, I’m fine. It was stupid. I tripped.”
“That dang step. I’ve been meaning to fix it. Sorry.”
“It’s ok. Like I said, it was stupid,” Elena admitted trying to peek around to see it and moving to take the napkin from him.
“No, no let me. Stay put. I’ll get a bandage.”
He went to the medicine cabinet and came back with peroxide and ointment as well. He wiped her knee and leg around it, looking closer at it, holding her leg in his hand.
“Maybe you need stitches,” he commented as he pushed the hem of her shorts higher to keep the peroxide from running on them.
“No, no please. It’s fine. I promise,” she insisted vehemently.
“Ok. Well, I’m still gonna clean it.”
He braced her foot on his thigh as he stood in front of her and pressed a peroxide soaked cotton ball to her knee. Elena took a deep breath to steady her heart that raced as he leaned down to blow air on the wound.
“How’s that?”
She could barely breathe and now he wanted her to speak?
“Bet-” she squeaked and cleared her throat, “better.”
He looked up at her then. She tried to hold his gaze but looked away, knowing he’d see too much in it. Too much of what she was feeling.
His fingers under her knee caressed a little bit when he bent to grab the bandage from the counter and she shivered.
* * *
Alex felt her shiver and looked up at her sharply to see a very pretty blush racing across her cheeks and neck. Elena even pressed a hand to her cheek and looked away clearly embarrassed by her unintended display. He wanted nothing right then but to take that sweet face in between his hands and kiss her. He had not been able to stop thinking about that kiss but thought surely he’d just imagined all the signs; the out of control breathing, her fingers pulling him closer. She couldn’t feel for him what he thought. How was that possible after what he’d done?
But here was the evidence right in front of him. She was bashful and definitely affected by his touch. He leaned closer to her and studied her as he applied the ointment and pressed the bandage to her knee and debated on whether or not he was going to kiss her again.
* * *
Elena was embarrassed beyond belief. Alex had fixed the large band aid bandage over her knee securely and now stood there, holding her leg gently and watching her closely. He didn’t move away from her and she had no idea what to do now.
“Does it still hurt?” he asked and his thumb ran over the bandaged area.
“No, it’s fine,” she breathed.
“I’ll get the laundry-”
“I can get it.”
“It’s fine, Elena. I can get it. Go rest your knee with some ice.”
He still hadn’t moved away from her.
“I appreciate this, Alex, but I really think you’re overreacting. I’m fine,
He climbed in next to her, turning himself so as not to face her and fell asleep quickly after murmuring a good night.
The next night was a different story all together.
* * *
After lunch the next day she was bringing a load of clothes out from the laundry room. There was an old wobbly step leading into the kitchen and she missed it, not seeing it over her basket. She tripped and split her knee on the rough wooden step.
She’d apparently made some sort of noise or mutter to indicate something was wrong because Alex ran in from the den. He saw the spilled laundry basket with clothes on the floor beside her, her small form on the floor with her knee extended up with blood already trickling its way out and didn’t ask what happened. He guessed and immediately picked her up from the floor.
He carried her to the counter in the kitchen and set her on it gently. He ripped a paper towel off the roll and wet it with cold water, pressing in to her knee and wiping the blood away.
“Doesn’t look too bad. Does it hurt?” he asked.
“No, I’m fine. It was stupid. I tripped.”
“That dang step. I’ve been meaning to fix it. Sorry.”
“It’s ok. Like I said, it was stupid,” Elena admitted trying to peek around to see it and moving to take the napkin from him.
“No, no let me. Stay put. I’ll get a bandage.”
He went to the medicine cabinet and came back with peroxide and ointment as well. He wiped her knee and leg around it, looking closer at it, holding her leg in his hand.
“Maybe you need stitches,” he commented as he pushed the hem of her shorts higher to keep the peroxide from running on them.
“No, no please. It’s fine. I promise,” she insisted vehemently.
“Ok. Well, I’m still gonna clean it.”
He braced her foot on his thigh as he stood in front of her and pressed a peroxide soaked cotton ball to her knee. Elena took a deep breath to steady her heart that raced as he leaned down to blow air on the wound.
“How’s that?”
She could barely breathe and now he wanted her to speak?
“Bet-” she squeaked and cleared her throat, “better.”
He looked up at her then. She tried to hold his gaze but looked away, knowing he’d see too much in it. Too much of what she was feeling.
His fingers under her knee caressed a little bit when he bent to grab the bandage from the counter and she shivered.
* * *
Alex felt her shiver and looked up at her sharply to see a very pretty blush racing across her cheeks and neck. Elena even pressed a hand to her cheek and looked away clearly embarrassed by her unintended display. He wanted nothing right then but to take that sweet face in between his hands and kiss her. He had not been able to stop thinking about that kiss but thought surely he’d just imagined all the signs; the out of control breathing, her fingers pulling him closer. She couldn’t feel for him what he thought. How was that possible after what he’d done?
But here was the evidence right in front of him. She was bashful and definitely affected by his touch. He leaned closer to her and studied her as he applied the ointment and pressed the bandage to her knee and debated on whether or not he was going to kiss her again.
* * *
Elena was embarrassed beyond belief. Alex had fixed the large band aid bandage over her knee securely and now stood there, holding her leg gently and watching her closely. He didn’t move away from her and she had no idea what to do now.
“Does it still hurt?” he asked and his thumb ran over the bandaged area.
“No, it’s fine,” she breathed.
“I’ll get the laundry-”
“I can get it.”
“It’s fine, Elena. I can get it. Go rest your knee with some ice.”
He still hadn’t moved away from her.
“I appreciate this, Alex, but I really think you’re overreacting. I’m fine,
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