I nodded and laid it on the nightstand.
“Now, how do you want me to handle this?” When I raised my brow, she cocked her head toward the door. “If that Alpha is taking care of you, it might be a good idea for him to hear what I have to say so he knows what you need, but that’s up to you.”
Was Kade helping me? I felt my mouth twist into a frown. If I was honest, he had so far. Even when I’d overreacted.
Standing up, I pulled the door open and called down the hall. “Alpha? Will you come here?”
“Of course, Jem.” Kade was standing before me before his words died off. “Anything you need.”
“Um, the doctor thinks you should hear what I need help with,” I rushed the words out before peering up at him. “I mean, assuming you’re still taking care of me?”
The corners of Kade’s lips pulled up in a slight smile. “Is that a question?”
I nodded, swallowing against the lump in my throat.
“Well, then, I guess we better find out what my assignment is, hmm?” Kade reached for my hand, squeezing my fingers lightly when I let him take it and led me back to the bed, seating us squarely in front of Doctor Rodriguez and looking up expectantly.
“I’m up for anything, doc,” he said with a teasing grin at me. “Lay it on me.”
Not even a full minute later, I was really, really wishing I’d asked for a private rundown first.
Chapter Nine
Kade
“Sex.”
The doctor stared at me expectantly and I had to fight the inappropriate urge to laugh.
Either she was waiting for questions or I’d somehow wandered into a bizarre word association game. I waited for a few beats, but she didn’t say any more.
Next to me, Jeremy seemed to be choking on the air that he was trying to breathe, leading me to believe that he hadn’t known this was coming. Forcing myself to play it cool, I raised a brow. “Are you asking if I’m familiar with it, if I want it, or if I’m willing to do it?”
The doctor’s stern expression faded into amusement. “I like you.”
“Thanks, but to God’s ears, he’s more my type if we’re still talking sex.” I winked at Jeremy and had to fight back a laugh when he groaned.
The doctor laughed. “Then I think I might have good news.”
I listened carefully as she ran down the treatment protocol she was recommending.
Four meals a day, heavy on protein and iron-rich vegetables. Three snacks worked in between the meals; fruit and dairy, preferably. Keep the carbs to a minimum until I noticed his muscle mass starting to increase which, if all went well, she thought would be a week to ten days out.
Lots of physical contact, for Jeremy’s benefit as well as the baby’s – after her exam, Doctor Rodriguez was pretty sure he was only carrying one – and, she’d offered Jeremy an apologetic look as she got to the good part.
“As Jeremy starts to recover,” she said bluntly, “There is a good chance that he is going to suffer from flash heats as his body tries to restore his hormones to normal levels for a pregnant Omega.” She waited a second before making sure I understood. “Sex is going to help balance him faster than any drugs.”
Jeremy was blushing a bright red and had his eyes trained on the floor as the doctor waited for my response.
“Hey.” I laid my hand on the blanket covering Jeremy’s thigh. “Are you going to be okay with that?”
He immediately nodded enthusiastically before biting his lip in that way he had. “Except, I haven’t been tested since..” he looked pointedly down at his belly. “And I had to go off the daily meds, too.”
Doctor Rodriguez cocked her head and I sighed. “He was on PReP,” I explained. “I was tested after the last time we..after the last guy I was with,” I amended. “And I’m clean.”
“No problem,” the doctor breezed, rifling around in her backpack for a minute and then pulling out a small black case. “I can take blood and run a rapid screen for STDs,” she offered, waiting for Jeremy to agree.
“You don’t mind?” he asked me hesitantly, still chewing on his poor lip. “I mean, I’m not much to look at right now.”
