Page 14 of Frog

“Jesus, Weber.” He scowled at me, looking me over. “You’re skin and bones.”

I glared back. “I don’t think so.” I turned so he could see my chest. “Put your hands on me. I’m all muscle.”

“You’re six three. You should weigh at least a hundred and ninety to two hundred pounds. What do you weigh now, like one seventy?”

“I have no idea.”

“Well you need to eat, a lot. And… come here.”

I moved so he could touch me and smiled as I saw him wince looking at the fresh bruises I was sporting, the new scar that ran down the side of my ribs on the left side, and the healing gash that was now soft pink skin bisecting my right pectoral.

He shivered.

“Bull almost had me,” I teased him, waggling my eyebrows at him.

“You think it’s funny?”

From the stricken look on his face, I was guessing not. “Cy—”

“Shut up.”

I didn’t know whether to go back to soaping my body or just continue to stand there.

“God, look at you,” he groaned after a second.

I grunted. “Not pretty enough to fuck, huh? Freckles and moles and white pasty skin don’t do it for you no more?”

His eyes finally lifted to mine. “You’re such an idiot. Don’t you know I love all your freckles, and your body is beautiful and powerful and… I just want to be under you right now.”

“Well unfortunately”—I grinned—“we’re gonna have to wait on that, darlin’.”

His sigh was loud and deep like he just didn’t know what to do with me.

“I, uhm, don’t have nothin’ clean to wear. I don’t suppose you have—”

“I have the sweats I bought the last time you were here and the long-sleeved T-shirts you like to sleep in. Just let me find them.”

“You didn’t throw them out?”

“I couldn’t.”

“I’m glad.” I smiled at him. “Now close the door, ’cause I’m freezin’, and go find out what the hell is wrong with your sister.”

But he didn’t move.

“You all right?”

“You cut your hair.”

I had chopped it off ages ago and now made sure to keep it short. “It’s too much trouble to take care of long hair on the road.”

“It looks darker.”

“Still just plain old red.” I smiled at him. “Like it’s always been.”

“Nothing plain about you,” he said, leaning forward.

I met him halfway, the kiss soft but firm, sucking his bottom lip into my mouth for just a moment.