Page 12 of Saved By the Surly Medic

I've never once thought of myself as hot. Yet Jonah makes me feel that way. Sensual. Sexual. So many things that I've never felt before.

He kisses me gently again, then pulls his hand out of my underwear and slips his middle finger between his lips, his eyes falling closed. "Mmm. I knew you'd taste delicious."

The look in his eyes is so dreamy. I was wondering if a sexy older man alone in the woods might think of a young lady on her own as some kind of opportunity for a little fling.

But the look in his eyes stops that idea in its tracks. He wants me. Possibly for a lot longer than I could have imagined.

Jonah shuffles my clothing back in place, then tucks me into bed with a pillow wedged against my left side to keep me from rolling onto it.

He kisses my forehead. "I'd love to have you in my bed tonight, gorgeous, but I know that we'd end up snuggling, and tonight you need deep sleep, and to keep your ribs as still as possible. Okay?"

"You're right. Thanks."

He leans in again for another soft, sweet kiss that makes me tingle all the way to the tips of my toes. After he turns off the light and shuts the door, I stifle a giggle.

Does he really think I could fall asleep right after that?

7

JONAH

The next day, I find myself driving more slowly than usual on the way to the clinic. I don't want Brooke to miss a thing.

She looks delighted by the scenery around us, staring out at the trees and occasional rocky outcrops while sipping on her traveler coffee mug.

Every time she picks up the mug, I'm pleased to notice she's carefully keeping her left side immobilized. I managed to get her to take another painkiller this morning, but she only grudgingly obliged. I slow down to a crawl as we reach a particularly sharp turn that I know will cause her to lean to the left.

I've never been able to stand seeing people in pain, even though I know the five minutes of discomfort while getting stitches will speed healing and decrease pain later. Or that the uncomfortable operation might save someone's life.

My mind keeps debating what I can safely do to relieve her pain completely. Muscle relaxants would make her too loose, and she might inadvertently pull that area more. Too many painkillers will make her groggy, which could make her clumsy. Ice and rest were all I could do for the first day and a half, but today is all about heat therapy.

We drive through the center of town, and Brooke perks up as she looks around at the various businesses. Fran's Diner, Jim's Pizza, Corina's Coffee. The bookstore, the library, and Tidy's Department Store. It's not a large town by any stretch of the imagination, but we have all of the basics covered.

"A department store?" she asks, wide-eyed. "What, did we time travel back to the sixties?"

"Sort of. That's when this area had a bit of a population boom."

I pull into the back of City Hall, and Brooke's eyes get even wider. "This one building holds the town council, the police, and the medical clinic?"

"Yes. My great-grandfather had this building constructed, and wanted it to be large enough to suit the town for a very long time."

"So your family has been on Wolfe Mountain for… Well, I guess your family is why it's even called Wolfe Mountain?"

"Exactly. My great-grandfather Adler Wolfe came over from Europe and settled here. He came here to buy up cheap land. Many people thought the mountain was too harsh, so he was able to purchase huge swaths of it."

I love how Brooke is listening so attentively, as if she's taking notes.

"Adler had two kids; one was my grandfather Spencer. Spencer had four sons, one of whom was my father Carver. I have two younger brothers, Jace and Josh, and a buttload of cousins. Everyone had large families and spread out across the forest." I park, then dart around to help Brooke out of the truck. "People joke that the Wolfes breed more than the rabbits around here."

She laughs, then I feel her fingers tighten on my arm.

Locking her eyes with mine, I place my palm in the center of her back. "Tell me honestly, Brooke. Please. How much does that hurt?"

There's a long pause as her blinking slows down.

"I can almost hear you thinking," I say softly. "You don't want to lie to me. You also don't want to tell the truth and let me know how much it hurts. Am I right?"

She sighs. "It's just, you know. Uncomfortable."

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