Chapter Five

Bella gritted her teeth to keep them from chattering. The cold felt like it had seeped into her body and bones. Mix that with exhaustion, and she had very little strength to fight anything.

"So, your name is Bella?" Caden asked.

Bella nodded.

"I'm sure you caught it, but I'm Caden."

Her jaw started to hurt because her teeth had been clenched together. "It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry I'm being such a pain."

"You're not. I was awake anyway. I'm just glad I looked out my window and saw you."

She nodded. She was, too. She hadn't realized how cold she really was until she stepped into the building. The realization that she might have become frozen or hyperthermic gave her a stomachache, and tears burned her eyes. She was embarrassed when, once again, she hadn't made the right choice, and it could have cost her life.

"This way." After the elevator stopped, he led her to one of the doors on the top floor. "This is my condo."

"Oh." She tried to stop dead in her tracks, but he continued to pull her along. "No. I can't ask you to take me into your home. Isn't there a room I can stay in?"

She could tell he wasn't going to listen to her when he rolled his eyes.

"You're staying here, Sweetheart. So, don't argue."

"But…"

He cupped the side of her face. "Enough, Bella. I'm going to take care of you whether you like it or not."

Her mouth opened and closed a few times before pressing her lips together.

"Good girl."

She had no idea why tingles raced up her spine when Caden talked in a deep, dark tone and why she was happy she had pleased him.

"The condo has two bedrooms. Fortunately, I have the guest room all ready to go."

Bella nodded and then gasped when she got her first look as they walked into the room. The room was big enough for a king-size bed, nightstands, a dresser, and a cushioned chair in the corner. The colors were light grays with splashes of tans and muted colors on the pillows, comforter, and chair. Just that bit of color made the room warmer and more appealing.

"Will this be okay?" he asked.

She turned to face him and smiled. "Yes. It's beautiful. Thank you."

She watched him stare at her eyes and blushed.

He grinned when he saw her cheeks turn crimson. "I'm sorry to stare. I remember your eyes being green but not so light."

"Remember from where?"

"The diner a few days ago," he said.

She had thought he looked familiar, and now she knew why. She hadn't been able to get the man out of her head for long until her fight with her brother.

"I remember you."

He nodded. "Good. Now, tell me how you got the bruise on your forehead?"

She stiffened and looked away. "I … well…"

His eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me, Sweetheart. I can always tell if a person is lying or not, and I won't be pleased if you choose to do that."

Her heart was racing, and it felt like it would burst from her chest at any moment. "My brother pushed me, and I hit the edge of the table."

"I'm going to ask you more questions later. Right now, I want you in the shower and then bed."

She was going to say she didn't need a shower, but she knew it would help take away the cold that still permeated her core and made moving nearly impossible.

Caden pulled a few towels out of the closet. "There are shampoos and bodywashes already in the shower."

"I brought my things," she said.

"Whatever you prefer, Sweetheart."

He started the water in the shower and turned to her.

She hadn't moved from the doorway and had her arms wrapped around her waist. Partly to hold in as much heat as possible, and to hide as much of her body as she could. She knew it was ridiculous since she was still dressed, but something about the man made her feminine instincts rise in high alert.

"Do you need any help?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"All right. Call out if you need me."

"I will. Thank you." She waited until the door closed behind him before she started to take off her clothes. Her fingers were so numb and shaky that she had a problem unbuttoning her blouse and quickly grew frustrated.

Bella blew on her fingers to try to thaw them enough to undress, but it wasn't working. She thought about stepping into the shower with all her clothes on, but they were the only ones she'd brought into the building.

She took a few deep breaths. "Caden," she called out.

Within a minute, he was in front of her. "What do you need?"

She could feel her face redden in embarrassment. She'd never been naked in front of anyone and was still a virgin. She never had time for friends, much less a boyfriend.

Her teeth were still chattering, and her legs were becoming weaker. "I … I can't … my fingers don't work."

"Sweetheart, do you need help undressing?" he asked in a gentle, calm tone.

She took a deep breath and nodded.

His fingers went to her blouse, and with every button he undid, he could see more of her skin. He pulled off the blouse and set it on the counter. Her arms immediately crossed her chest to hide her bra and breasts. He sighed and put his hands on his hips.

"Sweetheart, there is no reason to be embarrassed. Owning a kink club has shown me more breasts than I ever imagined."

"I … probably. It's just that I've never…"

"Never?" he asked. "Never what, Sweetheart?"

Bella thought if her blush got any brighter, she'd burst into flames. "Never been naked in front of anyone."

His eyes widened. "Never?"

She shook her head.

He set a hand on her shoulder. "We'll talk more about that later. Right now, I need you in the shower. You're still too cold. Your skin has a blue tint to it. Nothing is going to happen besides me helping you, and I promise you I'll not touch your body unless it's to help you. Can you handle that?"

She knew she really didn't have a choice. She was getting weaker by the minute. Bella nodded and dropped her arms.

"Good girl."

Bella stood as still as she could. He slipped her shoes and socks off and then went for her jeans. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of him with just her underwear on. She tried telling herself it covered as much as a bathing suit, but even that barely helped.

"Let's get these off and you in the water."

Bella nodded and closed her eyes when she felt her bra drop from her body, and then her panties tugged down her legs and off.

Her body jerked when his hand wrapped around her upper arm to lead her to the shower.

"Easy, Sweetheart. Let's get you into the shower."

She stepped in.

"Do you think you need help with this?"

She shook her head. "No. I think I'll be okay."

"All right. I'll go get you something to wear and be right back," he said.

"Okay. Thank you."

She hissed when the water first hit her skin because it stung and hurt, but within a minute, she almost hummed when she felt the warm water start running down her body. She could feel it seep into her pores and chase the cold away.

Bella quickly washed because even though she was warmer, she still had no energy and was afraid she'd trip or fall.

The last thing she wanted was to drop to his feet.