Page 5 of Bloom: Part 2

He listened to my heartbeat, checked my bandage, then took my pulse. When he was done, he pulled the sheets back into place. “No fever and vitals are stable. You’re making excellent progress. Before you know it, you’ll be home.”

“Trying to get rid of me?”

A grin spread across his face. “Always. You’re a pain in the ass.”

“Careful, or I’ll tattle.”

He rolled his eyes. “At least do it after my shift ends. I can’t take another lecture from Dr. Collier today. I have enough on my plate as it is.”

He furrowed his brows, the stress lines around his mouth getting more pronounced than usual. Logan always chided me to be nicer to the staff due to their highly stressful job. Maybe I hadn’t been fair to them.

“I won’t say anything,” I said.

“Maybe you’re not so heartless after all.”

“Though I almost was.”

He chuckled. “You actually have a sense of humor. Dark, but it’s there. Weird obsession with the doctor aside, you might not be too bad. What do you see in him anyway? A beautiful guy like you could have men throwing money at your feet.”

I frowned. “What would I need money for? He makes me feel…”Safe. I cleared my throat, biting back what I almost admitted to the nurse, who was staring back at me, too invested in an actual answer. “He fucks like a god.”

Color rushed into his face. “Well, umm, why don’t I have your lunch brought up to you? I’ll be back to give you your medication. The pain isn’t unbearable, is it?”

It was just about, but I shook my head. “I’ll manage.”

The door opened, and I craned my neck to see who my visitor was. What the hell was he doing here? Dr. Simms stepped inside and nodded an acknowledgment to Sven, who hurried from the room.

“What are you doing here?” I barked.

Dr. Simms closed the door behind him. “Bloom, this insolence of yours needs to stop. Like it or not—”

“I don’t. After you testified against Logan, I told you I didn’t want to see you ever again.”

“And I’ve stayed away to give you time to cool off. But the fact remains that I am your psychiatrist, and on top of what you’ve already endured, you were shot. That must have been a terrifying experience for you. I’m here to talk to you about it.”

“What good is talking to you? I already know what you’re going to say anyway.”

He fixed his glasses on his nose, then folded his arms across his chest. “What exactly do you think I’m going to say?”

“That—that Logan’s not right for me, and that me doing what I had to protect him makes me some kind of headcase.”

“Bloom, I’d never use words like that to describe you.” He pulled out a chair and lowered himself into it with the grace of a panther. “Believe it or not, I’m only worried about your welfare. Now, you and I know you still have a lot of time left in therapy. Don’t push me away.”

“I’ll find someone else.”

“You mustn’t!” He sprang to his feet, his normally composed countenance shattered. “You’ve been through a traumatic incident, Bloom. It’s critical to maintain continuity in therapy, not introduce another upheaval.”

“I’ll manage.” Just as I had told Sven regarding the pain. I wanted to be in control again.

“What if we take the topic of Dr. Collier off the table and discuss the other areas of your life? I’m willing to make that compromise just to see you well.”

“What good is a psychiatrist to me if I can’t talk about the man I love?”

Dr. Simms tightened his hands into fists at his side. “You don’t love him,” he said haltingly. “You think you do, but you don’t. That’s your obsession talking.”

“Get the fuck out!”

“You know I’m right, Bloom, and that’s why you want to avoid me. Because I force you to face the truth that you’re in denial about. You’re lost, and I’m trying to help you find your way. Sooner or later, Dr. Collierwillfail you. When he does, remember that I will always extend myself to help you. All I want is to do my job and to do it well.”

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