As wonderful as it felt here, the water was starting to get chilly and she was shivering a bit when she stood and headed back to the rock. She grabbed the large drying cloth and stood behind him to towel dry her hair.
“I have another set of clothes in my pack.” She’d wrapped the drying cloth around her body and retook her place on the rock. She shook out her shirt, stiff with dirt and sweat. “But since I’m wet anyway I should wash these. Just give me a minute.”
“I will wash them after your injuries have been treated.”
“I’m right here. I can do it.”
He huffed an annoyed sigh and started to turn toward her, then caught himself. “May I look at you now?”
“I’m wearing the towel if that’s what you mean.”
Apparently that satisfied him because he turned to face her. “Leave the clothes. I will—”
Ke’lar broke off, his vibrant blue eyes blinking down at her and his mouth parted, the white tips of his fangs just visible between his full lips.
“What?” she asked then realized this was the first time he’d actually seen her not covered in gray-green muck. With the moons’ light and his superior g’hir sight—able to detect color even when moonlight blanched her vision to black and white—he could see her perfectly.
He dropped his gaze and reached for the cleanser.
“I will tend the clothes later,” he said gruffly. “Come here so that I may wash your feet.”
“I just washed them,” she objected, scooting a little away from him.
“And then walked here from where you bathed,” he pointed out. “I will be quick.”
“Fine,” she grumbled. She was sore and stiff but it was hard to be too mad—it was thanks to him that she’d gotten this bath at all.
And that she wasn’t back at the Betari clanhall right now.
His touch was soothing as he bathed her feet, a tender gentleness surprising in a man so big.
Summer’s brow creased. Ar’ar had never physically injured her, hadn’t even left her with a bruise, not even when he’d “captured” and restrained her, but his touch lacked any warmth to it, any caring behind the dutiful attempts at coupling—
“Have I hurt you?” Ke’lar asked at her frown. “I apologize. I did not intend to.”
“No.” She shook her head, relaxing her brow. “No, you didn’t.”
He bent to gather her into his arms. “You must tell me immediately if I do.”
But his hold was as careful as if he bore one of their precious few g’hir young as he carried her back to his shelter. He ducked inside and leaned down to place her on the sleeping pallet as if she weighed nothing at all. Apparently before he had returned to the river with the cleansing lotion and towel he’d taken the time to shake the furs clean of the mud that had flaked off while she’d rested here.
He settled her on the pallet sitting up, then adjusted the light so it would shine more directly on her. He had a case of medical supplies in hand and knelt in front of her, already lifting the lid.
“I will begin with the abrasions and bruises on your face. I have a mild oral analgesic suitable to human physiology.”
Summer rubbed at her sore shoulder. “I’ll take a handful, thanks.”
A frown touched his rippled brow. “That would be far too high a dose for your body weight.”
“I’m kidding,” she assured, putting out her hand for the medication. “I’ll take whatever you’ve got. And something for the damn bug bites too, if there is anything.”
“I have salve for that.”
He gave her a single pill and handed her the water pouch to wash it down. For each cut and blister he applied a sterilizing ointment and then a sealant to protect and cushion the flesh even as it sped healing. Summer sighed in relief as the salve took away the miserable itch from the bites.
“I do not even know your namesound,” he commented, his fingers gentle on her cheek. His glowing gaze met hers and he inclined his head to her. “I am Ke’lar, of the Erah enclosure.”
“Yeah, I heard Ar’ar call you that. I’m Summer.”
“Summer . . .” He applied healing salve to her shoulder, cradling her arm in his large hand. “Did they give you that namesound because your hair is as bright as the sun in that season?”
She gave a short, surprised laugh. “No, I was born bald. The blond happened later. Lucky thing too, they probably would have named me Marilyn instead.” At his puzzled glance she explained, “After Marilyn Monroe, the actress. A human female very famous for having blond hair.”
He tilted his head. “You would not have liked that namesound? It is pleasant enough.”
She gave another laugh. “Not really, too many expectations on me—to be this blond and named Marilyn. But to answer your question they named me Summer ’cause I came two weeks late—my birthday is June twenty-first. That was the summer solstice the year I was born, the first day of summer. Well, at least in the region of Earth I’m from.”
“You do not have a second name? The other human females seem to have a second clan name, as well.”