If you think the disclaimer will change now, you've got another thing coming...

I.8. Exposed

After leading her into her room, he sat her down on her bed, and decided it was dumb to keep her wrapped in a wet towel. First he pulled back her hair. He didn't want her wet hair hanging down her back. Stripped of the towel he lay her down and pulled the covers around her. Leaning down he whispered in her ear, "I'll be right back, I'm going to go get dressed, okay?" and kissed her on the forehead.

Back in his own room, Ray yanked open his drawer, glad to find he had done his laundry the day before, and thus had a clean pair of boxers. He grabbed the pair on top, smiling as he realized he had bought this pair when he was with her. They were on a sale display rack near the register, and he just "had to get them." She rolled her eyes when he said that, but was greatly amused that he loved the cartoon bunnies so much. Grabbing the nearest pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt off the pile on his bed, he pulled them on and hurried back to Neela's room. She lay exactly how he had left her, but followed him around the room with her eyes, which made him feel a little better. She's obviously conscious and apparently had good focus and definitely good eye movement, he thought, a bit of his professional side coming out.

He found some clean clothes for her, also a sweatshirt/pants combination. He glanced around the room until he spotted where the heater was. He went over to it and laid the clothes in front of it to warm them up before he put them on her. Since she still refused to do anything herself, he knew he'd have to dress her too. He walked back over to the bed grabbing another towel from her shelf and sat down next to her. Brushing a non-existent hair off her forehead he looked at her.

"Neela? Are you gonna talk to me?" Her own eyes studying his, she gave a slight nod, but didn't open her mouth to talk. He waited a few minutes. "Now?" His voice sounded slightly playful now. He could see some life come back into her eyes, she gave a small smile, and shook her head. That made him smile as well.

"Are you completely dried off?" he asked as he pulled back the covers to answer his own question; he assumed, correctly, that she wouldn't answer. She was all dry, but he continued anyway. Whatever part of her body he uncovered from the blankets, he recovered with the towel, gently rubbing over her skin with the towel. She watched his face the whole time, as he lovingly moved over her whole body. Replacing the covers, he retrieved her clothes from the heater.

He was again reminded of his OB rounds and dressing infants again. He pulled the covers back to reveal her naked body. Not wanting to keep her in the open air any longer than necessary, he tried to work quickly. He slid the satin underwear up her perfect, smooth, and toned legs. The scar from her childhood burn most people would see as a subtraction from her beauty, but he saw it as an imperfection that made her perfect, and didn't even take notice of it.

Shit!

The sheet folds left weird imprints on her thighs.

The thought left his mind when she lifted her hips enough for him to slide the underwear all the way up. Surprised that she made any voluntary movement, he snapped his eyes up to hers. He saw a hint of her liveliness was returning, and she gave him a small smile.

He didn't see them. You're really lucky Neela.

The light colored satin on her dark skin was stunning and he wished they were in a different situation so he could be enjoying the sight in a more relaxed manner. Since she was willing to help, putting on the sweatpants wasn't too hard. When he got to the waistband, he slid his hands from the sides to the front to flatten out the elastic, all the while allowing his eyes to take in the perfection of her skin. Then his eyes reached the skin just below her breasts, and he sucked in a sharp breath. She immediately threw her arms around her torso and chest and turned herself away from him.

Bollocks! Oh bloody hell!

Those weren't sheet marks! How could I be so stupid? Sheet marks? Seriously Ray? Well, it never would have occurred to me it was this…she's too perfect…

And now I'm done for the night! I'm mean I know.