Chasing Stars - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Thirty

"What?"

"My shirt." He repeated. "I, erm, I can't get my sling off or really get dressed myself. My sister has been staying and helping me but there was an emergency at work and Ellie was already asleep so I told her to go ahead and go. Getting my pants on isn't exactly a huge struggle but the sling..."

I glanced down and seeming to be reading my thoughts he added a very important details. "It's bandaged up. You can't see it."

I looked up quickly. "I wasn't, I mean, yeah. Of course I can. Of course." I owed him that much at least.

He smiled thankfully and started walking away. I bit my lip and then followed him. I followed Nash into his room and shifted uncomfortably as he went through a drawer of clothes.

"I don't usually sleep in a shirt at all." He admitted. "But I've been told in very strict terms to keep the sling on and this thing against my skin is so uncomfortable I've have to settle for wearing a wife-beater."

"Right." I nodded slowly.

He pulled a blue tank top out of the drawer and set it down on his bed. For the first time I looked around the room. Three of the walls were white and the forth was a deep blue. There was a blue area rug under his bed which was surprisingly made so that I could see the blue and white bedspread. His dark oak long dresser had more deodorants and colognes and different rubs and lotions on it than my own did. I gave him an amused grin and ran my hand along his neatly made bed.

"I know. Natalie made it." He sighed. "I swear, I'm not this neat."

I picked up a bottle of icy-hot rub from his dresser. "You have more lotions and creams than I do."

He seemed slightly embarrassed but smiled nonetheless. "I like to smell good." He said giving a small half shrug.

"Well thank God for that." I smiled and then shifted uncomfortably. "So."

"If you can just pull this Velcro off here." He said taking the lead.

I did so, pulling the Velcro apart just above the sack that held his arm. He pursed his lips and held his arm in place as I pulled the sling gently off. "You okay?"

"Peachy." He replied in a slightly tense voice while keeping his attention on me.

I glanced up and then back down. "How do we take your shirt off without hurting you?"

"Pull it up in the back and over my head."

I pushed the back of his shirt up, but it only went so far before I had to push the front up too. I bit my lip and he pulled his mobile arm through the arm hole and ducked his head so I could pull the shirt over it.

"Don't yank it so much, just push it." He said with his face masked by the half removed shirt.

"Sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"I wouldn't have mentioned if you didn't." He laughed and his head sprang free from the shirt. It hung now only on his injured arm. I carefully brought it down his arm, across the bend, and off completely.

"Thanks." He said and picked up the blue wife beater. "Now with this just-"

I stared at the bandage. It was high up on his left peck, level with his arm pit. I reached out and gently touched the bandage and on instinct he flinched away. "I'm sorry." I gasped and pulled my hand away.