Page 4 of Love for the Holiday

“I’m sorry,” he stated softly. “Does this hurt?”

He pushed in another spot. I didn’t feel any pain.

“No.”

“That’s good. What about here?” He pressed in a different spot that had me coming off the table and screaming. “Sorry.”

“It’s… it’s okay,” I said fighting back the sobs.

“Can you stand up for me?” he asked coming back around to stand in front of me.

“Yes.”

Truthfully, I didn’t know if I could stand. The pain I had felt made me want to curl up into a ball and cry myself to sleep. Today had been a long day.

“Here, let’s take it slow,” he said. “Lean on me if you need help. Okay?”

I nodded my head then forced myself up off the exam bed. My knees began to give out, but he must have sensed it because his arm wrapped around me and he pulled me against his side. It felt like time came to a stop.

His warmth wrapped around me like a blanket. The pit of my stomach felt like there were hundreds of butterflies fluttering around. The feeling that came over me was unlike any other feeling I had had towards anyone before. There was something about him. Something that made me want to get lost in his eyes and forget about the world around us.

“Perhaps, I should take you to a hospital so another doctor can have a look,” he said slowly and softly.

“Why?”

“Because right now all I want to do is ask you out for coffee.”

“I like coffee,” I whispered sweetly.

CHAPTER THREE

Jacob’s honesty and his medical ethics landed us in the emergency room having another doctor look at me. He wasn’t officially my doctor so the doctor-patient rule didn’t really apply; however, I could tell he was conflicted after his confession about coffee. That’s why I suggested that I go to the ER.

The nurse’s assistant wheeled me back into my room after my x-rays were over. Jacob was sitting in the spare chair. His head rested against the wall and he was sleeping. The nurse assistant and I looked at each other and grinned, then quietly the nurse assistant helped me back into the bed and left closing the door softly behind her. Jacob remained fast asleep.

What a crazy day,I thought to myself as I stared at the incredibly handsome man, who sat only a few feet from me, fast asleep.

“Going to keep staring at me?” Jacob asked softly before a huge smile crossed his face and his eyes slowly opened.

My eyes widened and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. How long had he been awake?

“Oh. Hi.”

“Hi,” he chuckled. “Everything went okay with the x-rays?”

“As far as I know,” I nodded. “You could have left. You don’t have to feel obligated to stay.” My words died off toward the end

“Still trying to get rid of me?” He laughed and sat up in the chair.

“No, it’s not that. I just feel bad. I mean, I’m a stranger after all.” I shrugged to play off my nervousness.

The truth was I enjoyed his company. It wasn’t like me to click with someone right away, but with Jacob I had. We shared several laughs since arriving at the ER. I just didn’t want him feeling that I was some crazy, clingy woman using her injury to sink her claws into him.

“You can relax, Love. I don’t mind keeping you company,” he smiled.

“As long as —”

“Relax,” he said reaching over to the bed and taking hold of my hand.

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