Above and below the wrapping, his usually golden-brown skin was a mottled yellowish brown. Many of the contusions had probably been purple a day or two ago, as the bruises on his face had been.

His right eye had been swollen for days, and the skin around it had been a deep dark purple—so dark it was almost black on his cheekbone.

Now his cheek was yellow with pale purple in the center, and his left jaw showed a similar impact point. She could only imagine how his scalp must have looked, as they believed the concussion had been caused by a blow to the back of his head, behind his left ear.

A week later and the bruises were impressive, but past their peak. She pressed her lips to each mark, placing at least a dozen gentle kisses on his face, shoulders, chest, and arms before circling him to inspect his back and seeing the same patchwork of marks marring his muscular perfection.

As she had with his front, she kissed each healing contusion, tracing a particularly long—and still purple—slash mark on his lower back below the tight wrapping that supported his ribs.

She returned to his front and reached for his fly, quickly popping open the top button on his dark slacks. She moved to the zipper, and his hand covered hers. “You unzip me and start kissing below the waist, and I’m not going to have a lot of patience for you to finish your inspection. I’ve missed you and am hard as a rock.”

She grinned. “I’m counting on that.”

She’d been wanting this moment for the last week, when she could give him pleasure that would make him forget his sorrow, if only for a few moments.

He’d made love to her in the lodge. Now it was her turn to make love to him. To transport him from his aches and pains and heartache.

She lowered the zipper and dropped to her knees before him, pulling down his pants. She frowned at his shoes, seeing her miscalculation.

She quickly untied them so he could toe them off. He then stepped out of his pants. She pulled off his socks, then looked up at the gloriously naked and very erect man who stood before her.

She’d never seen a more beautiful male body and she wanted to lick every inch of him. She smiled because that was exactly what she was about to do.

She started by kissing the bruises on his upper thighs, moving upward. When she reached his hips she grinned wickedly up at him and said, “Turn.”

His nostrils flared, but he followed orders without complaint. Heat spread through her; he was enjoying the anticipation as much as she was.