Page 20 of After All

She watched the rest of the dressing change and then crossed to the desk and grabbed her bag, pulling it up on her shoulder. “Okay, I’m gonna head home. Lots to get ready for.”

“Ready?” Scott asked.

“Well, I have to pack to move in with you for the next week,” she said. “Need to buy new batteries—don’t want to run out. Find my nurse’s uniform. Dig out my handcuffs.” She turned back and gave him a smile. “But I guess I don’t need to bring those, do I?”

“Your nurse’s uniform?” Scott croaked out.

“The one you wore for Halloween?” Kyle asked, a huge grin on his face.

“Yeah, I think that will definitely get me in the right mind-set.” The “uniform” was really more of a costume. A tiny, tight, short-skirted naughty nurse costume. If she remembered correctly, Scott had really liked it.

“Not fair,” he told her, his eyes flashing.

“See you soon.”

“I’ll bring him home tomorrow,” Kyle said.

“Doctors give their patients rides home?” Peyton asked.

“When their primary caregivers are going to be wearing the uniform that you wore on Halloween?” Kyle asked. “Hell, yes.”

Peyton laughed and reached for the door.

“Oh, but, Peyton?” Kyle called.

She turned back. “Yeah?”

“Be sure you bring enough batteries fortwoweeks.”

She frowned. “Two?”

“At least,” Kyle confirmed.

Two weeks living with Scott? Shit. But she gave them a huge smile. “Good to know, Doc. Thanks.” Her eyes found Scott again. Even lying in a hospital bed, he looked like everything she wanted and wished she could have. But couldn’t. “See you at home,” she said brightly.

She made it to the hallway before she blew out a breath and leaned back against the wall.

She was going to need more than her nurse’s uniform. A lot more.

* * *

He was goingto need more than meatloaf. A lot more.

Looking back, Scott wasn’t sure how that entire negotiation and plan had actually gone down. He’d really felt like he’d been ahead. But now, Peyton was going to be helping him shower and sleeping with him in his bed? And wearing her naughty nurse costume? How the hell had that happened?

He’d like to blame it on the morphine, but he knew the truth. Peyton. She could always get her way with him.

In the past, being in public together had kept things from getting too out of hand. But behind closed doors? In hisbed?

He was definitely screwed. Literally.

“Man, you are so screwed,” Kyle said. For what seemed like the hundredth time since Peyton had sashayed her cute butt out of his hospital room with a smile that saidI’ve so got you.

“Don’t know what you mean,” Scott lied.

“That itch you can’t quite seem to scratch?” Kyle asked. “Yeah, it’s going to belivingwith you for the next two weeks.”

“By the way, thanks for that,” Scott said, ignoring the itch thing. Everyone knew it. There was no use rehashing it.Again.

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