The doctor watched Abby step into the next patient’s curtained-off area, greeting the person with an encouraging smile. “She definitely needs someone,” he said, then sighed as he turned to greet his next patient, taking his cue from Abby and smiling in greeting.
Chapter 3
“What are you doing?!” she muttered to herself.
Standing in front of the apartment door, she lifted her hand to knock, then dropped her hand and scurried back toward her car.
She’d made it all the way to the stairs when she stopped and closed her eyes. “This is ridiculous!” she snapped.
Turning back towards the door, she froze. The man in question, Zeke Jeffers, was standing in his doorway, watching her curiously.
Was he laughing at her?
Damn it! She hated making a fool of herself. Abby looked down at the keys in her hands then, with a resigned sigh, walked back to stand in front of the enormous man. She still paused for a long moment, then looked up at him.
“I came by to help you with your stitches,” she announced with an almost belligerent tone.
His slow grin was devastatingly sexy. “I’d love the help. I haven’t changed the bandage and it’s driving me nuts!”
Abby looked at him with horror, struggling for words for a long moment. “But it’s been three days!” she gasped, stepping forward and glaring up at the man. “I told you to change the bandage every day and to apply the ointment!”
He grinned down at her, completely unaffected by her dire tone. “Easier to do when I have help.” And with that, he stepped back to let her into his apartment.
Abby huffed, hiding behind irritation at his lack of concern. But it was all a façade. She really just…darn it, she’d wanted to see him again and prove to herself that he wasn’t as big or as handsome as she’d remembered! And that she wasn’t as affected by the man’s presence either!
Unfortunately, neither was the case. As soon as she stepped into his apartment, she knew that her visit was a mistake. Instantly, she felt overwhelmed by the man. He was just so big! And tall! And so…overwhelming! And clean! How could she smell the soap on him from this distance?
It was all just her imagination, she told herself.
Deciding that she was procrastinating, she nodded sharply, needing to get down to business. “Right. Well, why don’t you pull your shirt down and I’ll…check out your wound. I can apply the ointment that you should have been applying for the past several days, then I’ll change the bandage.”
Did the big brute just pull down the collar of his shirt as she’d expected? Nope! Not just a simple tug? Oh no! He had to take his shirt off entirely!
For a long moment, Abby stood there, stunned by the muscles rippling along his chest. His arms. Good grief, she hadn’t known that biceps could get that large! She didn’t think her hands could even circle those massive biceps!
“Doc?” he prompted. “As much as I love having you admire me, I’d love to have your hands on me too.”
That brought Abby’s eyes up to his with a sharply indrawn breath. Staring into his gorgeous blue eyes, she…stopped thinking. “I wasn’t…” she stammered, shocked at how her fingers tingled at the thought of touching him! “I’m only here to check your back and…” she tried to remember the other part of her mission. Looking up into those enigmatic blue eyes, it took her several moments to remember the reason she was here. “And….” Another blink and she shook her head slightly. “And change your bandage,” she finished, relieved that a few of her brain cells had kicked in and saved her.
Apparently, they hadn’t kicked in fast enough if the heated look in his eyes was any indication. But the man simply walked over to one of the big club chairs and sat down on the arm, presenting his back to her. “Check away, doc.”
Abby looked down at the bandage. There were only a few places where the blood had seeped out from the stitches, which was good. It meant that the majority of the stitches were holding and the big brute hadn’t done any heavy lifting which would strain the skin around the wound.
Still, she hesitated to touch him, remembering her reaction at the hospital several days ago.
“You won’t hurt me,” he told her, his voice deeper and huskier than it had been moments ago.
“I wasn’t worried about hurting you,” she admitted honestly.
His response was to stand up and look at her. “What are you nervous about?”
Abby tilted her head back, staring up into his surprisingly blue eyes. “I’m not…” she couldn’t finish the lie. He was just so big and so…male!
He cupped her jaw and she felt the warmth of his skin, the rough calluses. Everything about him was just so powerfully masculine, sparking her nerve endings and making her skin simmer with a heat she’d never experienced before.
“What are you doing?” she asked nervously, wishing that her voice was louder than a whisper. And that she had the strength to pull away. But good grief, she liked the way his hand
