Page 34 of Madly Deeply

"If I'm still in town, aye. If not, I'll see the doc in Blairgowrie."

She forced a smile. "Just promise you won't trust your care to the vet."

They both chuckled.

"Fine. I promise."

He sat backward on a kitchen chair and lifted his shirt, exposing only his lower back. The tube of cream lay on the table.

"No more need for bandages," she said, "but it will get on your shirt."

"Just showered," he said. "And the shirt is clean. It can act as a bandage for the now."

"All right." She pulled over another chair and got to work spreading a thin layer of the white stuff over his now familiar back.

"Enjoy the shoppin', did ye?"

"Yes."

"Dinnae let me forget to repay ye before ye go."

"All right."

"And how's Spreag?"

"Fine." She caught her breath but kept her fingers moving while she tried to think of a way to cover her tracks. But as the seconds stretched out, she realized it was too late.

She hurried and finished, then put the cap on the tube and set it back on the table while he stood and faced her. She refused to look him in the eye.

"I'll be back at nine in the morning. Oh!" She pulled his pain meds from the pocket of her hoodie and handed them over. "Seven gummies and four Tramadol. We can get refills if you end up using them all. Just, you know, don't operate heavy machinery."

He didn't laugh, which made her worry.

"How bad is it, with just Tylenol?"

"Bearable."

He stood so close she could feel the heat coming off him. As soon as she left, he'd probably take his shirt off.

"Alexandra--"

"Don't start. It was just a natural response to a question I'd heard a hundred times in the last year. How is Spreag. He's fine." She shrugged.

"Alexandra."

"What?"

He set his hands on her shoulders and gently pulled her closer. "I want to thank ye fer yer kind and gentle care of me. Any man would be lucky...to have such a neighbor. A generous heart..." He lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. "Beautiful inside and out." He sighed. "I'll always be beholden to ye." He leaned down to kiss her but stopped before he got there. Instead, he pulled her against him and held her firmly. "Ah, love, I miss ye already."

She didn't mean to close her eyes. She didn't mean to wrap her arms around him to make it easier for him to hold her tight.She didn't mean to hug him back, inhale him, or to capture all the warmth she could...until he sucked that air between his teeth and she realized her hands were on his burn!

She jumped back. "I'm so sorry. I didn't do it on purpose, I promise!"

He chuckled, his smile forced. "O' course ye didnae--"

"I need to go. I... You can pay me later. I'll text you."

She fled. Such a coward. But it wasn't as if she were free to cultivate feelings for another man.

---