“You aren’t walking today.”
I drew in a deep breath and groaned as I sat back up. “Thanks for knocking, Doc.”
He strode over to me and I gazed up at him, finding him wearing a set of glasses. “Why are you not walking this evening?”
I crooked an eyebrow. “So Marla told you I wasn’t walking, but didn’t tell you why?”
“She didn’t tell me, no.”
A slow grin spread across my face. “So how do you know?”
“Know what?”
And this was supposed to be the genius of the group. “That I’m not taking a walk tonight?”
He came and perched on the edge of the bed. “Are you tired, Miss Elizabeth?”
I didn’t miss how he shirked my question. “Yes.”
He tilted his head. “Would you like a cup of tea? I could go downstairs and make up?—”
“Didn’t you just tell me two days ago that I was walking too much? Too many laps, or some shit?”
He clasped his hands in between his knees. “The twice-a-day walks are part of your recuperative regimen. I didn’t mean scale back on the number of walks. I meant to scale back on the length of each walk.”
I sighed as I leaned back against the pillows. “Missing one walk isn’t going to set me all the way back, Doc. I’m going to rest tonight. I just had a nice dinner with Em. I’ve got a nice, full feeling going. I’ve got my pain medication here in a few minutes. I’ll be out like a light within the hour.”
I felt his gaze on me for a while before he spoke. “I’m going to do an exam on you.”
“What?”
He bactracked toward my bedroom door. “Let me go get my bag. I’m going to?—”
“Doc. I’m fine.”
He wheeled around with a speed that took my breath away and pinned me with a look that shivered my veins. “I am your doctor, and I’m asking you to let me do my job. And so long as you are under my care, you are not going to be neglected. Now stand up or lie down, whichever you feel more comfortable with, and I’ll be right back.”
I blinked as he slipped out of my bedroom. I realized after a few seconds that my mouth was actually opened, so I clicked it closed.
Did Doc just… command me?
Did I… like it?
“Just get it over with,” I muttered to myself as I wiggled down into bed.
He was back in a flash, perched on the edge of the bed with his doctor’s bag slung up onto my bedside table. I listened as he clicked and zipped his bag open. I watched as he pulled out a stethoscope. He placed the listening part of the contraption into his ears before he moved toward me with the rounded end.
“This may be cold, Miss Elizabeth.”
And we were back to formalities.
I flinched a bit when he put the ice cold stethoscope against my skin. Dear God, did the man keep it on ice for cocktail parties or some shit? My body shivered as he moved it around a bit.
“Big, deep breath,” he said as his free hand moved to my wrist.
His fingers settled over my pulse point.
I did as he asked before he nodded and moved the stethoscope again.
