“That’s not happening.”
“Dude, I have to shower. I do not want to be Smelly ugly nipple girl.”
He strode over to her, ignoring her look of alarm. Then he grasped hold of her chin, tilting her head back. “Do not call yourself that.”
“What?” She gave him a shocked look. As though she couldn’t understand why he was upset. “Which part?”
“All of it. You’re not smelly or ugly or a nipple girl, and I won’t allow you to speak about yourself like that.”
Her eyes widened.
“There is nothing that could ever be ugly about you. Because you are sweet and kind. And that shines out of you.”
“Dude, where did all these words come from?”
He just gave her a stern look. “You seem to think that I find your body . . .”
“Distasteful? Less than stellar?” she asked.
He put two of his fingers over her mouth. “You’re going to want to stop now.”
Her mouth opened and he gave her a firm look. “Stop saying awful things about yourself.”
A strange look crossed her face. “But isn’t that what you think? You . . . you couldn’t even look at me. And you told me to get dressed in your grumpy voice. And then you put clothes on me. To hide me. Because I have an ugly nipple that probably blinded you in one eye.”
Putting his hands around her waist, he lifted her straight into the air. “You. Will. Stop.”
Her mouth dropped open.
“You will not say such ridiculous things about yourself again.”
She just stared down at him.
“Understand me?” he demanded.
“Yes.”
He swallowed heavily, wondering how to word this without fucking it up. “You were running around in just lace and silk and I didn’t want anyone else to see that.”
“Oh.”
He cleared his throat. “You should go shower and get dressed.”
“All right.” She looked almost dazed as she turned away.
“Isa?”
“Yes.”
“Your nipple is beautiful.”
He turned away, stifling his groan of embarrassment. Really? Had he said that? But he had to say something to build her up.
To ensure that she didn’t think of herself as less.
He folded the blanket he’d used and put it away before grabbing his jacket and putting it on since he didn’t have his shirt.
Then he made a phone call to the local tow truck company before walking into the kitchen.