“It will make it easier to wrap the wound,” he said, and she didn’t argue.
He slipped his hand inside the ripped portion of her garment to slip the cloth around to her back when he hit a spot that caused her to gasp and gave him pause. The spot was badly swollen.
“That’s it,” he said. “You’re disrobing and I’m going to look over every part of you to make certain there are no more potentially dangerous wounds.”
Chapter 5
“I most certainly will not disrobe,” Snow said emphatically.
“You would die for the sake of propriety?” he asked and gave her no chance to answer. “Another stick, stone, who knows what could be embedded in you. If it’s not removed quickly it will fester and you will fever and die. That’s what your stubbornness will do for you.”
She could hear her sisters in her head warning her to do what she must to survive, especially Willow. She would have had Snow’s garments off by now and searching every part of her body. But it was far different standing in front of her sister naked than Tarass.
It needed to be done, but there had to be a way that it could be done without her being completely naked in front of him.
A thought came to her, making her feel hopeful. “What if I disrobe and keep a blanket around me and you glance at the areas causing me pain or discomfort?”
He shook his head, though answered the opposite. “Fine, we’ll do it that way.” Anything that would allow him to make sure she was all right. He would do whatever it took to see her returned safely and unharmed to her family.
Tarass moved the chair away from the bed and helped her to stand, then he gathered up the blanket on the bed and directed her hand to it. “Here’s the blanket. I’m going to stand by the hearth with my back to you until you tell me you’re ready.”
“Your word on that?” she asked.
“You have my word,” he said, annoyed that she felt the need to ask and walked over to the hearth. “My back is to you.”
Snow had to take his word that he spoke the truth, no other options left to her.
She hoped to hurry out of her garments, but they were damp, actually more than damp and it was difficult getting them off. The pains that struck her didn’t help either and while she fought with the stubborn garments she kept telling herself that she was wise to do this.
She pulled and tugged and gasped a few times as she struggled to shed her tunic and shift after finally shedding her wool hose.
Tarass warned himself to let her be. This was the way she wanted it. She’d get out of her garments eventually. But every gasp and wince was like the tip of a dagger poking him. Until finally she gasped one too many times.
“That’s it,” he said, turning and walking over to her.
“You gave your word,” she said as she heard him approach and hurried to push her shift down where it was entangled at her shoulders just above her breasts.
“What good does my word do when you need help?” he said and grabbed hold of the bunched shift and lifted it up over her shoulders, only to have it get stuck around her neck and head.
“Let me be. I’ll do it myself,” she argued, her voice muffled by the garments and her hands fighting his.
Thaw sprung up from where he sat on the bed, protesting along with Snow, his snarls aimed at Tarass.
He paid her no mind as she continued to struggle, until his arm caught her around her naked waist and held her firm. “Stay still or I will take my dagger and rip your garments off you.”
The threat had the desired effect. She froze against him.
A low warning growl emanated from Thaw and he poised himself for attack.
“Calm your pup now,” he ordered Snow.
She didn’t hesitate, the snarl warning her that he was about to attack. “Enough, Thaw, I’m not in danger. Tarass helps me.”
The pup sat but kept up a low growl, letting Tarass know he was watching him.
It took only a couple of moments to free her of the strangling garments and leave her standing naked in front of him.
She didn’t know why she closed her eyes, since he was nothing more than a gray shadow to her. Perhaps it served as a covering, a blanket of sorts that left her feeling less vulnerable. By not seeing his shadow, he couldn’t see her.
“I’ll be quick,” he said softly.
That he was now trying to be courteous only made it more difficult.
He had no intimate interest in Snow. He wanted only to see what wounds she had suffered and tend them. But as he began to examine her, thoughts of what a lovely body she had kept interrupting. He’d never seen a woman so perfectly proportioned. She had just the right roundness and curves that blended beautifully and flawlessly, cream-colored skin with the exception of the bruises and scratches that had him shaking his head.