Chapter 61

After eating everything on the tray, Tahlia felt marginally better and the color in her cheeks had slowly returned. Before she'd looked like death warmed over, though the dark circles were still under her eyes. Sighing, Tahlia looked up when Taker came back an hour later and by then, the Norco had fully kicked in. She didn't feel any pain. With his help, she slid from the bed and sat in the nearby chair, her legs weak from not using them the past 3 days. Watching him prep the bed for her sponge bath, Tahlia wondered briefly if he'd ever done this for another woman before. Just not here with his son and people. She recalled him saying she'd been the first woman he introduced to his son…and that had turned out disastrous. When he turned to face her, Tahlia lifted her good arm while he removed one half of the tank top she had on. Very carefully, he managed to take the other half off until she was clad in a cotton purple bra.

"Wait." She stopped him from going for the shorts she had on, swallowing hard and hadn't realized she gripped his wrist. "I think I can get them off…"

"Just… hold on." He was going about this all backwards. "Let's start with everything that's already uncovered, okay?"

Taker had brought extra of everything, it'd be fine. They had this. He arranged her gently and got to work. He could tell the pain killers had kicked in because her tenseness wasn't from pain.

"I hate that shit." He grumbled when he reached the tape marks from where the IV had been in place, taking in the bruising left behind and sighed. This woman…

"I do too." She murmured softly, watching him study the bruise on her arm from the IV and then run his fingertips over it lightly. "It doesn't hurt. The tape hurt worse."

Tahlia tried making light of a very awkward situation, especially since she lay there in just her bra and shorts, the sling still around her neck to hold her arm up the proper way. After he released her arm, Taker began cleaning her face, ears and neck with a soft sponge that had a little soap on it. He had a separate washcloth for wiping the soap from her skin.

"My hair is fairly long, so maybe I can bend over the tub and it can be washed that way?" It was a suggestion and she sighed when he shook his head.

"Mandy said, with all long as your hair is, just use dry shampoo for now. Once you can get around with that arm better and it hurts less, then we'll talk about a proper wash." He also had an extra washcloth for her intimate areas, just in case. "Lean forward, darlin'," Taker ordered, shoving aside those thoughts and gently moved her hair again. "I love your hair, Tahlia, but sometimes it's a right pain in the ass."

"Then maybe I'll just cut it." Tahlia didn't look at him, tears filling her eyes at the humiliation she was enduring. Cutting her hair would make things a lot easier on everyone and she'd be able to wash her hair properly. "Does Amanda know how to cut hair?" At his shrug, Tahlia saw the pair of scissors on the nearby table and then looked up into his eyes, stopping him again from continuing. "Do it then. I want you to cut my hair, Taker." They were alone, so she would get away with calling him that. "I need my hair washed, none of this dry shampoo bullshit. Just cut it and be done with it, please." She'd get it fixed at a later date if it wasn't even.

"Darlin', dry shampoo ain't so bad, I've used it before." During camping trips. It was handy in a pinch and Taker groaned when she pressed the scissors into his hand. "Tahlia…" If she really wanted her hair cut, he would do it, but just the thought of cutting that beautiful, long, lush hair was enough to make him want to go hide and shed a tear or two. "I'll wash it for you, if that's what you want, darlin'. You don't have to cut it."

"No, it's too long and that'll take too long. Just stop being stubborn and do it or I'll find a way to do it myself." Tahlia's heart broke at the thought of losing her beautiful hair, but it would grow back. Her hair grew faster than most due to her Indian heritage. At least, that's what her mother told her. "Just do it."

She slammed her eyes shut to block the tears, but that didn't stop them from escaping the moment her hair had been chopped to her shoulders. When it was all said and done, she had shoulder-length hair that barely brushed them and suddenly, Tahlia's head felt 10 pounds lighter. Her hair had been past her backside since she hadn't cut it in a long time.

"Thank you." Wiping her tears away, Taker brought over the wastebasket and together they dropped her cut tresses into it.

The trashcan was cleaned and washed, the only thing in there was the hair and he stood up, excusing himself to take it out with him. He handed it to Amanda, who only stared at it in horror before going back into the room, blinking his eyes. He took in her hair, cocking his head to the side.

"You look… different, darlin'." In a good way and he bet her head felt like a weight was gone. Taker settled himself back down beside her, checking that the water was still warm. "Ready to finish up?" He asked, his voice dropping a timbre, hand moving to her bare knee.

She probably looked ridiculous, but it was for the best. Anything to make things easier for Taker to take care of her during the next month. This was just the first day and she had made a snap decision to cut her long hair. Laying back down in the tub of water he'd placed on the bed, Tahlia looked up at him while his fingers slid through her hair, washing it with actual shampoo. It actually felt better, which was weird since Tahlia couldn't remember the last time she had short hair. After the shampoo came the conditioner, the smell actually heavenly compared to what she'd had to inhale throughout the past couple days. Once her hair was rinsed and Taker wrapped it in a towel to dry, he began sliding the sponge down her chest and beneath her bra, her eyes once again closing. She tried like hell not to tense, but it was hard considering WHO was sponge bathing her. The man she still loved unconditionally and she'd risked her wrestling career for.

"I'll be gentle, darlin'." He promised her when he seen her clenching her eyes shut.

Figuring she was afraid he would mess up and make her hurt worse, even though the pain pills. Taker would try his best to be a gentleman and not make her anymore uncomfortable than she probably already was. He wasn't out to make himself uncomfortable either, supposing she'd probably be able to wash down below in the front at least. Taking his time, he washed her, sighing when the bra soaked and her nipples hardened, clearing his throat. He inwardly cursed himself when she moved and instead of washcloth, flesh touched her.

It took every ounce of willpower inside of her not to moan at his touch. It felt incredible feeling his powerful hands against her skin. "I trust you, Taker." She murmured softly, knowing she should've taken her bra off, but being one-armed wasn't easy to deal with. Tahlia felt the sponge leave her chest area and ventured lower to her abdomen, her toned abs that would be gone after this was over with because she couldn't work out until she was healed. "You were right." She admitted, making him to stop to lock those emerald orbs on soft molten gold. "I shouldn't have fought you to come back here…and I'm sorry." For everything, she added in thought.

"Yeah well, not like you didn't have good reason." He admitted gruffly. "And I'm not above being heavy-handed when I want to be."

His way of confessing he had been dead set on making this decision for her if she hadn't been compliant. He ran a finger down the center of her stomach, tracing those delicious abs of hers, remembering many nights where it had been his tongue doing the tracing. Taker cleared his throat, continuing.

"How do you want to do this, Tahlia?" He asked, fingering her waistband, unable to keep the huskiness from his voice.

"I – um…"

Just like so many other times in the past, he made her breathless and her heart felt like it would leap out of her chest at any second. She didn't miss the huskiness in his voice either, her own voice growing lower as well. This was torture for both of them; Tahlia didn't want to make him more uncomfortable than he already was. And she wasn't sure if she could handle his hand on her quivering sex at the moment, cleansing her. Clearing her throat, Tahlia knew this was NOT the time or place to make any kind of move, especially with her being one-armed. She thought back to their blowup at the mansion and lowered her eyes from him, feeling the sponge slide down her left leg.

"I can handle down there…"

"Really? Such a shame, that was going to be my favorite part." He drawled, teasing her, hoping to break this awkwardness. Though, from the way her cheeks turned several shades of crimson, he didn't think it had worked. "I'm going to turn you over and get the other areas." He informed her. "Then you can handle your… down there."

It left a bad, stupid taste in his mouth. He sounded like a 3-year-old, and to hide his own discomfort, Taker gently moved Tahlia, surveying her back. He had gotten a lot of it and her legs, but he could see some areas that needed attention. Laying in a hospital bed had left her with this weird smell, like she was still there and dry skin. He made a mental note to ask Amanda for lotion and glided the washcloth behind her knee, along the curve of her calf.

"It was always your favorite part." She remarked cheekily, turning her head to the side to where she could still somewhat see him.

He was a big man and took up a lot of space. Currently, her body was on fire from how much attention he gave her…all except one specific area. Arriving at the crease of her backside, which was also nicely toned and pert, according to him, Tahlia sucked in a sharp breath. It wasn't pain she felt…it was desire and currently flooded from her head to toe. It'd been a year since she'd been with a man, not being able to think of another man, let alone have sex with them, besides Taker. He had ruined her for all other men on planet earth.

"Good thing I'm not that ticklish, eh?" Except her feet, which he'd already done.

His green eyes crinkled in amusement at her words and Taker chuckled. "You are darlin', if I remember rightly…"

Not just her feet either. Just on the inside of her thigh, nearing the forbidden zone that he was not to wash. He couldn't help admiring her beautiful backside, her curves and the flush on the back of her neck and down her shoulders. His eyes narrowed in on her shoulder blade, the sling that had been moved aside and he bent down, almost absentmindedly and dropped a tender kiss on the spot.

"Crazy woman." He murmured, clearing his throat and finished what he was doing. He was being an ass, he knew better.

"Taker…" Her voice was a soft purr, feeling his soft warm lips brush against her black and blue shoulder blade and chewed her bottom lip.

Why did he have to do that?

Why did he have to torture her like this?!

"You already knew I was."

Tahlia had told him flat out she would protect him and hadn't gone back on her word. At least she would be healed in a couple months while his career could've been ended. Even though she was out of the ring, Tahlia did not regret taking the sledgehammer shot and would've done it all over again, if necessary. She couldn't bear seeing him in pain or not being able to do what he loved to do most. The WWF would go on without him, but he was too big and important of a star.

"Tease." She grumbled, shaking her head partially and felt the sponge run across her upper back and shoulder blades, her right side being treated more carefully than the left.

"Maybe." He concurred, reluctantly finishing up and carefully moved her back to a proper position so she could tend her own downstairs. "I'll get your clothes." Taker had brought those in, right? They were around here somewhere. "And see about some lotion, if you don't mind."

Tahlia prided herself on her beautiful, maintained skin and he had no objections to massaging her. Shaking her head, Tahlia managed to take the washcloth he'd just had moments ago and removed her panties before cleansing below, feeling a lot better. She no longer smelled like an onion with that horrible hospital stench. Finishing up just as he walked back in, Tahlia had barely gotten her panties back on and surprisingly hadn't jolted herself too much.

"If I wasn't injured, I'd say you were looking for any excuse to keep touching me." She teased gently, leaning back against the headboard while he walked over with some cocoa butter lotion from Amanda. "Tell me honestly, is my hair okay? I mean – does it look okay?" Fingering her shortened wet locks, Tahlia pursed her lips together in thought and needed a mirror to look at her new impromptu hair style.

"I'm not going to lie to you about your hair, darlin'." 'Taker informed her, holding out the bottle of lotion so she could see what it was and what was in it. "It looks nice." Truly, it did and he could see some spring in that hair. He imagined the weight had held it out. Taker began gathering up the used supplies, lifting her and rearranging her back on the bed once he had discarded the tub water. He returned and sat on the bed, holding out a hand mirror. "See for yourself." Maybe it needed trimmed, to even it out a bit, but other than that… she was beautiful as ever.

"I should start calling you a mind reader." Tahlia muttered good-naturedly, looking in the mirror and holding it with her free hand, fluffing it out a little. It really didn't look bad at all. How come she hadn't thought of doing this sooner? "It's going to take no time at all to wash my hair now." She joked, handing the mirror back to him and eyed his hair, wondering what Taker would look like with short hair.

No, she hoped he never cut his hair because it was too beautiful and fit him perfectly. Hell, he'd be handsome no matter what, but she really did love his long hair. Taking her arm, he began spreading lotion on it to rub it in and Tahlia smiled at how assertive yet gentle he was being with her.

"Hey, Dad," Gunner knocked before entering, eyeballing the pair of adults for a moment and then sniffed. "Smells good, what- You cut your hair?!"

Leave it to his son to come in at a stupid time. "She did."

"Uh, Sam wants to know if you've got that list ready for stuff Tahlia will need from town? He's gonna run in here in a bit."

Taker knew he'd forgotten to do something and looked at Tahlia, shrugging with a grin. "What do you need?"