“I need you to raise up a little so I can wrap this around you.” He guided her with his hands on her hips and did his best not to let his touch on her silky skin cross over to a caress. With enough clearance between her and the mattress to slide his hand beneath her, he wrapped the strip around her twice to hold the bandage in place and tied it off. She slumped down to the mattress, shaking and pale.
“The worst is over, Charlotte.” He draped the dressing gown down the length of her back and helped her work her arms into the sleeves.
“For tonight, at any rate.”
“How’s that?”
She pushed up to her knees, closed the gown around herself, and tied the sash with shaking hands. “For the next fortnight at least, every time I try to sit down, I will be forcibly reminded of my failure tonight.” S
