******
Mattie sat on the edge of the bed in her underwear and slowly unlaced the leather corset around her thigh. Clay pulled off his shirt, and jeans, and stood in front of her, hands on his hips as he watched her, then sat next to her as she pulled the prosthetic off her leg, and laid it on the bed behind her. She smiled at him, then pulled off the sock and unwrapped the bandage.
"You know, Mattie, your surgeons did an excellent job on your leg." He ran his fingers lightly along the faint scar across the end of her left leg where the skin flap was folded over.
"I think so." Her voice was soft.
"At the veteran's hospitals, unfortunately, I've seen some pretty unsettling results." He eyed her seriously.
"Their war injuries might make it a little more difficult, though, don't you think?"
"That's true." He narrowed his eyes at her, then smiled softly. "Are you ready?"
"Yes." He handed her the crutches and she walked ahead of him to the bathroom, glancing around to make sure she had set out enough towels, and that her chair was in the best spot. She sat down on the towel-covered chair and rested her crutches against the wall, looking up to see that Clay had finished undressing and was adjusting the temperature of the water. He turned on the spray, and she undressed as he walked over to her.
"I'll get in, then get you, all right?" He smiled down at her.
She nodded, watching as he stepped into the tub, and stood under the spray for a moment, then he scrubbed himself down and took out his pony tail band and washed his long hair. She watched him, fascinated at his complete lack of self-consciousness. He rinsed off, then smoothed his wet hair back from his face and grinned at her.
"Are you ready?"
She nodded, and scooted over closer to the tub, standing up on her right leg, and he reached over and held her under her arms and lifted her over the side of the tub. She put her foot on the wet tub floor, and held onto the metal bar on the tile wall as she got her balance and relaxed a little, realizing that he was strong enough to support her, and she smiled up at him. She let go of the bar and put her arms around his waist as he backed her into the spray, and she leaned back, enjoying the spray on her hair and face. He wrapped one arm around her waist, and grabbed the soap for her and she scrubbed herself down, and he washed her back and she washed his.
"You know, I think I could add a horizontal bar across the tub so you can stand up and shower whenever you like."
"Now, why would I need a metal bar, when I have you to hold me?" she teased him.
They were both soapy now, and they laughed as they slid against each other as he helped her wash her hair and then they rinsed themselves off, his strong arms holding her securely. As she turned toward him, he held her tightly and kissed her gently, then with such passion that she thought she would fall, but he held onto her, and she leaned into him, and lost herself in his embrace, no longer thinking about her leg. They pulled apart and he gazed at her with such longing that she felt she couldn't breathe. He lifted her out of the tub onto her chair, and he stepped out, and they dried themselves off in silence. He helped her up from her chair and walked together to the bed, and he pulled back the covers. She set the crutches against the wall and scooted over onto the side of the bed as he placed her prosthetic on the floor, and he joined her, his eyes narrowed and bright. She smiled with pure joy as she lifted her arms and embraced the man she loved with her whole heart.