Diavolo

Chapter 3

"I feel filthy."

Elyse ignored the brown-and-blue-gray-eyed man and went on to answer a few more emails from work.

"I stink of sweat and blood."

She maintained the quintessential poker face, feigning blindness, deafness, and muteness all at once.

"A shower would be heavenly."

On and on, he droned in this way for the next ten minutes. The man could shatter the patience of a saint. Finally, Elyse caved to his incessant chatter.

She responded with a small tick in her jaw, "Go shower, then. You know where the bathroom is located."

He grunted as though she was the unreasonable one. "But I require assistance."

Today was day two of her patient's journey to recovery. For the most part, all was well with him. The meds were in his system. Elyse felt less concerned about the risk of infection. He seemed to be experiencing much less pain and discomfort as well. He was certainly animated enough for a person who recently survived a near-death experience.

Stefano had stopped by in the morning to drop off some clean clothes for the man. Her handler was pleased with their progress. Elyse felt relieved. God willing, she would live to see her next birthday. There was only one small hiccup in this otherwise ideal situation: The man's demands were beginning to drive her a little loca. Crazy.

Never had Elyse been charged with such a pinche fresa. Fucking spoiled brat.

She shot him a pointed look. "I have already told you this many times. You need to keep your wound dry for forty-eight hours so it can heal properly. No showering or bathing until then."

Elyse tried to concentrate on the tasks that awaited her on the laptop screen, but the weight of his gaze kept boring into the side of her skull. It felt very intrusive.

With a sigh, she promised him, "Tomorrow. You can shower tomorrow."

Silently but stubbornly his wide-eyed gaze continued to beseech her like a sad, needy puppy.

Elyse snapped her laptop shut. "Fine. You win."

He didn't utter a reply, but a maddeningly triumphant smirk appeared on his handsome face.

Elyse rose from her kitchen table and disappeared into the bathroom for a few minutes. She returned with a small basin of warm water and a towel.

He glanced at the basin. "What have you brought me?"

Her demeanor was very matter-of-fact. "A sponge bath."

Ever the opportunist, he didn't miss a beat. "I am a weak kitten, angelo. I could not possibly wash myself. You will have to do it."

Elyse shook her head and sidestepped his request. "You seem well enough to me. Just be careful not to get the bandages wet."

He frowned deeply. His obvious displeasure loomed over him like a dark cloud.

Much in the way an adult might deal with an unruly child, Elyse decided to extend an olive branch. "Would you like some help getting undressed?"

His frown slowly curved into a smile. Immediately, Elyse berated herself. She hadn't meant for her words to come out in such a suggestive manner.

In a low voice, he muttered, "Per favore."

Again, she heard traces of Spanish in his Italian.

Por favor. Please.

A magnetic lull emerged between them.

He was still lying on the floor of her living room. Elyse knelt down beside him. The moment they made eye contact, she felt a blush rise up her cheeks. Elyse quickly looked away. Her once steady hands became embarrassingly unsteady as she started unbuttoning his dress shirt.