Intimate Whispers by Dee Carney Page B

rhythm of his breathing never faltering.
    Sabrina inched her body closer to his, working methodically, watching and listening for any change in his level of consciousness. At last, she was able to press herself against his side to place her head on his shoulder. Jason’s hand tightened around hers and for just a little while, she reveled in the presence of another person next to her. She breathed in his air, listened to breathing that bordered on snoring, and gently squeezed his hand too.
    So fleeting this sense of contentment, she would enjoy it for as long as it lasted.
    48

    Intimate Whispers

Chapter Four
    Jason paced the door outside of her bathroom, stopping every few minutes to make certain no other noise than the water hitting the tiled shower floor escaped. Why had he agreed to let her in there by herself?
    Those wounds still looked like death on her back despite four additional days of Tylenol and alcohol baths. A full week since her attack had passed, each day bringing a stronger Sabrina with it. Her lovely brown skin hadn’t been marred before, and to see the bluish-black circles turned his stomach sour. How could any man do that to another person—much less a woman—and live with himself? Thank God most of the damage came from bruises, but the others…they looked as if someone had driven nails into her.
    He’d managed to pass a few of the newer projects to some of the firm’s independent contractors who were greedy for work. Other business he managed to keep afloat from the convenience of his laptop. Another day or two, though, and he’d have to request vacation time or at least put in an appearance. Even salesman in the field weren’t immune from some office time.
    That decision he’d make later. For now, he wanted answers from Sabrina. But no matter how he pleaded, he couldn’t get her to tell him who’d done this to her. The topic of the police instantly made her lips seal into a firm line, unopenable until he changed the subject.
    He glanced at the clock radio. Three more minutes and he was going in. She could be as shy as she wanted to be, but face it, he’d seen every intimate part of her over the last week of sponging her down in the bed, and then later, helping her in and out of the bathroom.
    With three loud raps against the wood frame, he gave her the countdown to his intrusion.
    “All right!” she called surly.
    Fine. At least she wasn’t in there slumped over in pain, unable to call for help or something worse. The few times he’d gone to his place to gather replacement clothes and toiletries had filled him with so much dread, pain filled his chest to the point he ran back across the hall to check on her. Every time she’d been there, either sleeping or reading, maybe watching television, and making him feel like an idiot for his worry. So far, she hadn’t exhibited any symptoms of hearing voices, but he walked on eggshells around the idea they would eventually come back.
    The theme song to Mission Impossible played in pleasant tones and he glanced toward his cell phone lying on her bureau. He backed up to it, reached out blindly until he grasped the thing in his hand, all the while keeping his attention on that door. Only seeing Sabrina emerge through it would ease the knot in his stomach.
    49

    Dee Carney
    Without reading the display, he barked into it, “Yeah?”
    “Why, hello stranger.”
    Fuck. “Hey, Kelly.”
    “Is that all I get?” She laughed. “Hey, Kelly?” The shower cut off and heart thumping, he moved closer to the bathroom door.
    “What’s up?”
    “Whoa, I can’t get you to stop talking today. Anyway, I hadn’t heard from you in a while, and just wanted to check up on how things are going.” He put his other ear to the door, satisfied when he heard movement beyond. “Not much happening on this end.”
    “I stopped by your place yesterday, but you weren’t home.”
    “I’m not home now.” And why did he just admit that?
    “Oh?”
    “Yeah. I’m