fine, really,” she protested.
Placing his pointer finger against
her lips, he said, “ Shh . For once, please do as you
are told, okay? I’m a doctor, I’ll decide if you’re fine, if you don’t mind.”
Lifting his finger once more, Tate
followed his finger right, then left. Satisfied, he brought both hands up and
reached behind her to remove the elastic band from her hair. With soothing
hands, he gently ran his fingers over her scalp, searching for other bumps or
lacerations. She closed her eyes at his touch and savored his nearness. His
presence was a soothing balm to her dampened spirit. He made her feel safe…
special even. A person set apart.
She couldn’t want this man. He would
break her heart, of this she was sure. The image of the red-lacquered
fingernails against his bicep filled her mind. Her eyes snapped open and she
intended to pull back and ask him to leave. But as her eyes opened, she found
herself staring into his magnificent baby blues. His expression was filled with
compassion, tenderness, and sparks of desire. Her breath caught in her throat.
As he neared, she closed her eyes in preparation of his kiss, but quickly
snapped them back open and lifted a hand to his chest to stop him.
“I’m sorry, but well, ewww ,” she grimaced. “I just threw up, for goodness sakes.
I can’t do this. I need to brush my teeth and…”
As before, he pressed his pointer
finger against her lips before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. After the
brief contact, he pulled away and smiled at her as he tucked her hair behind
her ears.
“Do you have any aspirin, ibuprofen,
or anything like that?” he asked.
“In the bathroom cabinet, through
the bedroom.”
He ran his fingers tenderly over the
bruise starting to show on her jawline , and his lips
tightened into thin lines. He went into her bedroom, then towards the kitchen.
She heard a cabinet door open, then water running. Soon, he returned with a glass
of water, the tablets, a wet cloth, and a glass filled with ice. He handed her
the tablets which she placed in her mouth and washed them down with half the
water.
She flinched when he took the cloth
and gently cleansed the blood away from the knot on her head. When he was
satisfied, he took the cloth, poured the ice into it, and placed it in her hand
before guiding it up to the injury.
He lifted his hand to her, palm-side
up. She placed her hand in his and he slowly pulled her up.
“I think it’s time I got you in bed,
don’t you?”
Her face flamed and she stammered,
“I… I… I don’t… I can’t… I’m sorry, but I can’t do this.”
Confusion flitted across his
features before a smile broke across his face.
“Oh, but I think you can. In fact,
as your doctor, I insist. I promise , it will be quite
painless. In fact, I’ve heard many women actually enjoy it,” he said with a
grin and a lifted eyebrow.
Oh, she didn’t doubt that at all.
What kind of girl did he think she was anyway? Just because she was a waitress
didn’t mean she fell into bed with just anyone and everyone – at least, not
anymore. While she appreciated his help tonight, there was no way she was going
to sleep with him! He laughed as her anger grew, which only made her angrier.
Pulling her up against his hard
body, making her achingly aware of all she would be missing, he whispered
against her ear, “To sleep – you need to sleep. I promise , you’ll feel better tomorrow. Okay?” he finished with a chuckle.
“Okay,” she whispered, as her face
flamed once again.
He helped her to her room and to her
bed with its cheap, white chenille covers, and set her down. He reached down
and untied her black non-skid shoe, then the other, and let them drop to the
floor.
Rising once more, he asked, “Can I
help remove any other articles of clothing?”
Swallowing at his provocative words,
she whispered, “No, thanks.”
“Okay, well, you finish getting
ready for bed. I’ll be in the living room. If you need
Placing his pointer finger against
her lips, he said, “ Shh . For once, please do as you
are told, okay? I’m a doctor, I’ll decide if you’re fine, if you don’t mind.”
Lifting his finger once more, Tate
followed his finger right, then left. Satisfied, he brought both hands up and
reached behind her to remove the elastic band from her hair. With soothing
hands, he gently ran his fingers over her scalp, searching for other bumps or
lacerations. She closed her eyes at his touch and savored his nearness. His
presence was a soothing balm to her dampened spirit. He made her feel safe…
special even. A person set apart.
She couldn’t want this man. He would
break her heart, of this she was sure. The image of the red-lacquered
fingernails against his bicep filled her mind. Her eyes snapped open and she
intended to pull back and ask him to leave. But as her eyes opened, she found
herself staring into his magnificent baby blues. His expression was filled with
compassion, tenderness, and sparks of desire. Her breath caught in her throat.
As he neared, she closed her eyes in preparation of his kiss, but quickly
snapped them back open and lifted a hand to his chest to stop him.
“I’m sorry, but well, ewww ,” she grimaced. “I just threw up, for goodness sakes.
I can’t do this. I need to brush my teeth and…”
As before, he pressed his pointer
finger against her lips before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. After the
brief contact, he pulled away and smiled at her as he tucked her hair behind
her ears.
“Do you have any aspirin, ibuprofen,
or anything like that?” he asked.
“In the bathroom cabinet, through
the bedroom.”
He ran his fingers tenderly over the
bruise starting to show on her jawline , and his lips
tightened into thin lines. He went into her bedroom, then towards the kitchen.
She heard a cabinet door open, then water running. Soon, he returned with a glass
of water, the tablets, a wet cloth, and a glass filled with ice. He handed her
the tablets which she placed in her mouth and washed them down with half the
water.
She flinched when he took the cloth
and gently cleansed the blood away from the knot on her head. When he was
satisfied, he took the cloth, poured the ice into it, and placed it in her hand
before guiding it up to the injury.
He lifted his hand to her, palm-side
up. She placed her hand in his and he slowly pulled her up.
“I think it’s time I got you in bed,
don’t you?”
Her face flamed and she stammered,
“I… I… I don’t… I can’t… I’m sorry, but I can’t do this.”
Confusion flitted across his
features before a smile broke across his face.
“Oh, but I think you can. In fact,
as your doctor, I insist. I promise , it will be quite
painless. In fact, I’ve heard many women actually enjoy it,” he said with a
grin and a lifted eyebrow.
Oh, she didn’t doubt that at all.
What kind of girl did he think she was anyway? Just because she was a waitress
didn’t mean she fell into bed with just anyone and everyone – at least, not
anymore. While she appreciated his help tonight, there was no way she was going
to sleep with him! He laughed as her anger grew, which only made her angrier.
Pulling her up against his hard
body, making her achingly aware of all she would be missing, he whispered
against her ear, “To sleep – you need to sleep. I promise , you’ll feel better tomorrow. Okay?” he finished with a chuckle.
“Okay,” she whispered, as her face
flamed once again.
He helped her to her room and to her
bed with its cheap, white chenille covers, and set her down. He reached down
and untied her black non-skid shoe, then the other, and let them drop to the
floor.
Rising once more, he asked, “Can I
help remove any other articles of clothing?”
Swallowing at his provocative words,
she whispered, “No, thanks.”
“Okay, well, you finish getting
ready for bed. I’ll be in the living room. If you need
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