When It's Right(46)
“Okay.” She hobbled to the front door.
Blake reached past her and opened it.
“You don’t need to stay with me.”
“Yes. I do. Come on.” He held his hand out to indicate that she should walk inside. Since the people in the waiting area stared, she swallowed the sharp words she wanted to say to get him to leave her alone.
She walked up to the counter, but Blake spoke for her.
“Hey Tina, this is Gillian Tucker. She’s got an appointment with Dr. Bell.”
Tina beamed Blake a bright smile. Her eyes went soft on him. Gillian waited for the flirty giggle. Yep, there it was when Blake smiled back. Gillian waited for him to flirt back, but he laid his hand over hers on the counter. Tina caught the move and looked from Gillian to Blake and back.
Gillian slipped her hand free, understanding why the woman gave her a look that said she didn’t get it. What the hell did a gorgeous man like Blake want with a beat-up nobody like her?
“Uh, take her into room four. Dr. Bell will be right in. There’s a gown. Ties in back so she can check your injuries.”
“Thanks.” Blake took Gillian’s hand and led her to the room down the short hall. “Here you go.”
She walked in, and he closed the door. Good, she didn’t need to ask him to leave and have yet another awkward conversation.
She pulled off her shirt. The crisscross stitches on her back made it impossible for her to wear a bra, so she’d opted for a tank top. She stripped that off, too. She unwrapped the bandage on her wrist and flexed her fingers. Her hand didn’t really hurt anymore. She tore apart the straps on her leg brace and slid it down her leg. Pants piled with her other clothes, she pulled on the gown, left the back open, and sat on the table, waiting.
Blake knocked on the door, opened it a crack without looking in, and asked, “You decent?”
“Not really.”
He walked in and found her with her hands braced on the table, one leg dangling off the edge, the other stretched out to avoid bending her knee. Her head hung between her shoulders, her gaze on her purple sock with the hole in the toe. Her favorite pair, but she’d have to toss them out now that she had new ones.
“Go away. Wait in the other room.”
“Not a chance.” He pulled up the chair and sat in front of her. He reached out to touch her swollen and bruised knee. She grabbed his wrist to stop him. Their eyes locked. “That looks bad.”
His warm hand settled on her skin. Her hand remained locked on his wrist, but she didn’t push him away.
“It all looks bad.” She removed his hand, unable to bear the sweet touch. She wanted more, and wanting more was dangerous for both of them.
He set it on his corded thigh and leaned in close.
“Really, you don’t need to be here for this. I can take care of myself.”
“I promised. No way the doc comes near you with a needle when I’m around.” He leaned back and settled into the squeaking chair.
She hated the doctor’s office. The hospital stay had nearly driven her insane. Every five minutes someone jabbed a needle in her somewhere, or poked and prodded everything that hurt. She just wanted to grit her teeth and get this done without any witnesses.
“Gillian, are you okay?”
He must have read the fear she couldn’t hide the longer she stayed here.
“No. I’m not okay. Get out. I’m practically naked.” She didn’t want him here. She didn’t want him to see her like this.
“I can see that.” He gave her an appreciative smile as he looked at her from the top of her head down to her purple socked feet. “I have to say it’s making me a little nervous. I mean, we just met and all.” He tried to tease her out of her fear. “Women have a tendency to lose their clothes around me, but I’m usually the one to help them out of them. For some reason, with you, I want to bundle you up and keep you safe. That’s not to say that I don’t want you naked. You understand?”
“Oh, I’ve got the picture. I don’t sleep around. I’m nothing like my mother, so just get that out of your head.”
“Whoa, I never said or thought anything of the sort. You’re a beautiful woman, Gillian.”
“Right.” She swept her hands up and down her body to indicate the many injuries.
“Yes. Right. You’ve got more strength and perseverance than anyone I’ve ever met. I admire you. I like you. And yes, I want you. But that’s not why I’m here. In the truck, on the way here, you seemed fine, but the closer we got, the more you trembled. Look at you, holding your hands so tight together your fingers must ache. You don’t want to be here. Your legs are shaking. You’re terrified, so I’m going to sit here and distract you the best I can, because you need to see the doctor. I’ll hold your hand through the whole thing, and then I’ll take you out of this place. I promise.”