“Yeah, yeah,” I said as I tried not to focus on the splay of his long, dexterous fingers against the dip in my waist, “Sure. I hear you.”
And then he walked with me.
Step for step.
Allowing me to set the pace.
While the protection of his arm sent butterflies racing through my chest.
7
DOC
The warmth of her skin as my fingertips sank into her side shivered up my arm. She was so… small. Her head barely came up to my shoulder. I hoisted her against me, pressing her to my side, and for a moment, I thought I felt her hold her breath.
Or maybe I was mistaken.
I wasn’t mistaken often, however.
I expected her to say something. She was a fiery woman, and I admired that about her. She was fierce, like many of the other women I came into contact with while still in the military. I always admired them.
How women could step into men’s spaces and dominate.
I was worried about her, though. She completely forgot the pictures we took earlier. Point blank, no holds barred, completely forgotten. That wasn’t good. Maybe I had her pain medication dose too high. Was she taking too much of it at once? I’d have to check her bottle and measure it out once I got her settled in bed.
Or maybe she wanted to get you away from the crowd.
“Come on, Miss Elizabeth,” I said as I eased her bedroom door open. “Let’s get you back in bed.”
She grumbled something, but I didn’t catch it. The voice in my head, however, kept blurting things out.
I think she wanted to get you alone.
She needed you for something.
Don’t leave her side.
“All right,” I said as I pulled the covers over her body, “would you like to play some video games again while you settle?”
“No, I’m good,” she said as she pulled the comforter over her head.
My heart sank into my gut.
I hoped she wanted to play more.
We were so close to winning that one game.
Before you turned it off.
My eye twitched a bit and I resisted the urge to reach out and tuck a stray strand of that beautiful hair of hers behind her ear.
“Are you hungry, Miss Elizabeth?” I asked. “When was the last time you ate?”
Her nose peeked out from beneath the stacked comforter. “Do you always ask so many questions?”
I gazed around the room so that I didn’t feel like a creep for just staring down at her. “My apologies, Miss?—”
“No,” she groaned as she tossed the blanket off her head. “I’m sorry, Doc. I?—”
