"What does that mean?" Iasked.
"You're going to feel a few pinches while I numb the wound," he said. "You should stay for dinner. You'll see what I mean about Gastro Girl when she gets here. I'm warning you right now, she's a littleintense."
For the record, it was not a fewpinches. I knew all about pinches. These were white-hot jabs into my flesh. And I was no shrieking pussy. I'd spent three months dating—nah, that wasn't the right wordat all—a dominatrix who had a taste for spiked heels, canes, and double-tailed whips. I could handlemyshit.
"Intense? You're warning me about intense? Are you kidding?" I asked through a groan. "I know all about intense. Between my sisters and Andy—the woman who speaks primarily via raised eyebrows—how much more do I need to know aboutintense?"
"There are levels to this shit, man," Nick murmured. "Levels."
ChapterFive
Riley
The front doorslammed shutandthen—
"You arenevergoing to believe the conversation I just had with Chapelton. I've fuckinghad itwith this guy, and he's gonna miss me whenI'mgone."
"Levels," Nickrepeated.
I couldn't see much from my head-down perch at the kitchen island, but I heard the thwack of sandals as they slapped against the hardwoodfloors.
"Oh, for Christ's sake. This is how malpractice suits start, Acevedo," StompySandalssaid.
My off-kilter view landed on her red flip flops first. Her legs came next, and what a pairtheywere.
So this isGastroGirl.
She was all strength and sinew, and thick thighs that looked prime for biting. Ah, I loved thick thighs. I didn't know what it was men—or women—found attractive about skinny bird legs. I liked something to hold onto. Skin tosqueeze.
"Trust me, Alex. I know it," Nick murmured. "But this guy's family, and my wife would pummel him with rocks if hetried."
"True story," I replied, angling for an above-the-waist look at Nick's guest. Her red shorts were loose enough to allow a hand under them, and now I was thinking about panties. Mmmm,panties. Fuckin' loved panties. "Greetings. Riley Walsh." I extended my hand in her general direction, though given my angle, it looked like I was trying to grab her crotch. She took a gigantic step back, and I didn't blame her. "My bad,mybad."
She plunked a bottle of wine down on the countertop and moved from my line ofsight.
"What the hell kind of technique is this, Doctor Acevedo?" she asked, ignoring me entirely. "It looks like you're maximizing epidermal puncture points. Is scarring the objective of yoursuturing?"
Add to Gastro Girl's defining characteristics: the ability to morph into a fire-breathing lady-dragon.
"Of course not, Doctor Emmerling," he said. "Given that the wound moves along the external oblique and lumbar triangle, my preference is for a closure that will hold up against frequent flexing even if that comes with some slightscarring."
I couldn't decide whether to be concerned or irritated. I didn't know anything about this chick or her slamming-doors-and-stomping-around routine, and I wasn't thrilled about her rolling in and hollering at Nick. He was a smart guy. He wasn't going to fuck this up.Of course not.He had a long history of treating assorted Walsh injuries, and we were all stillstanding.
Or sprawled out on an island. Either way, weweregood.
"Don't listen to them," Erin said. She brought me a glass of water with a long straw, and I drank while she watched them over my shoulder. "They play hospital all the time, and byplayI mean argue about every littlething."
"Right, yeah," I said, trying to sneak a glance at the surgeon battle going down behind me. "Hey. Nick. I'm not going to die while you debate this, am I? Internal bleeding or my guts spilling out or somethinglikethat?"
"Your fascia is undisturbed so no worries about disemboweling," Stompy Sandals replied as her frigid hands came to my flank and belly. "Anypainhere?"
I tried and failed to suppress a giggle at her touch. It didn't matter that she wasn't attempting to tickle me. It still felt that way. "Allgood."
"No immediate signs of internal bleeding," she said, and it almost sounded like she was disappointed. About my lack of organ failure. "If we wanted to be really certain, we'd gotothe—"
"Don't say it," I interrupted. "Don't even try because the answerisno."
Nick cleared his throat. "Can I finishthisnow?"
