“Ah. Monthly troubles?”
She wrinkles her nose. “I don’t know why I feel weird talking about this with you. I’m not shy.” She looks away, then back at me again. “But it’s really awful right now. I don’t know if it’s the thyroid stuff or if this is just me, but I’m in a lot of pain. I’m almost nauseous with it. Like, maybe I have some kind of bug or something.”
“Don’t feel weird. I’m a physician. I can handle this kind of talk.” I tug her closer to me and snake my arm around her shoulders. “I thought you had an IUD?”
“Copper. So I still get the period.”
“What can I do?”
She settles against me, and my heart skips.
“You don’t have to do anything,” she says. “You don’t even have to stay if you don’t want. I’m not going to be much good for anything.”
“Kendall.” I lean forward so I can turn and look at her. “What in the hell are you talking about? This isn’t transactional.”
“Sorry. I’m not used to being this incapacitated.”
“What can I do?”
She waves me off, but I pull my arm out and tilt her face to mine.
“I’m dead serious,” I say. “What would make you feel better? Or do you have laundry you need to do or anything? What would help you the most?”
“You can just sit with me if you don’t mind.” She leans back so that her head hits the pillow, and I pull her feet into my lap. “We can watch something. No one’s ever really done this for me before.” Her voice cracks, and she claps a hand over her mouth like she wants to stuff the vulnerability back in.
“No one ever took care of you when you were sick?” I use my thumb to put a little pressure on the arch of her foot, and she sinks further into her pillows.
“Mmm, that’s amazing.” She closes her eyes. “But no, not really. My mom worked a lot. Then after Blaine’s spinal cord injury, we were both helping him get back on his feet for a while.” She giggles. “He would think my phrasing there was hysterical.”
She’s softer like this with me, more open.
I pinch the hem of her pajama top with my fingers. “What about abdominal massage? Would that help?”
She shrugs. “Maybe. You can try.” She scoots down so that her legs drape over me fully, then lifts her shirt up to the edge of her bra.
I smile at her. “I like how free you are with your body.” I take the heel of my hand and put some pressure on her stomach, making little circular motions as I do. Kendall winces at first, then settles.
“I think this might work, actually. Thank you.” She cracksone eye open. “And my body is just my body. I’ve been fat and thin and in between. I’m pretty neutral about it now. I try to appreciate what it does for me despite some of the problems it’s caused me.” She moans a little, and I squirm, trying not to get turned on.
“Your hands are amazing,” she says.
“Yeah? Is there anything else you like about me?”
“You want a real answer? Not me telling you I like how big your dick is something like that?”
I laugh. “I won’t object to that. But I would rather have something real.”
She lets out a dramatic sigh. “You’re driven, and even though it’s made you an asshole in the past, I do like that about you. You’re actually considerate now. And watching you operate, watching you talk to your patients—you’re a great physician, and top notch at problem solving. It’s sexy to watch you work.”
A wave of shock passes over me. I hadn’t expected her to be that complimentary, even though I was fishing. I stare at her face while my hands are still moving on her stomach.
“That was really genuine.”
She opens her eyes and presses her hands over mine. “Thank you for that. I do feel better.” Her eyes crinkle. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to tell me what you like about me.”
“I’ve already told you what I like about you, anyway.” I roll my eyes. “Pretty much everything.” I swallow. “And you’re so beautiful I can’t keep my eyes off you.”
She rolls to her side with a groan. “You keep being adorable. It’s maddening.” Her hands cover her face. “I can’t stand this.”
