the only place Iâm lying down around here.â
She gulped, looked into his upside-down eyes and repressed the urge to smooth her hands over his face, to thread her fingers through that incredible mane fanned over her lap, and most insane of all, to bend down and kiss his forehead before she started poking him with needles and slicing him with scalpels.
Before she succumbed to any of those ridiculous urges, he transferred the tray sheâd prepared to the floor, then turned to his side to present her with an optimum view of his injury.
She almost choked when he looked up from his sideways position and purred, âAnd thatâs the best way to hand you instruments as you work.â
She gave a jerky nod and a throat-clearing cough, hoping to expel any mind-fogging stupidity.
Then proceeded to examine his wound.
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Harres looked up at this enigma in a womanâs form whom heâd saved. And who was in turn saving him.
He held the flashlight at an optimal angle for her. And while she injected his side with local anesthetic, he examined her.
She was beyond beautiful. Unique. Magical. He hadnât told her the half of it when sheâd charged him with being poetic.
She finally made that throat-clearing noise heâd come to realize meant she was fighting for composure. And he bet it had nothing to do with the medical part of their situation.
âOkay. The bullet made a clear track through your muscles. It hit the tip of your scapula, grazing three ribs.No tendons or nerves are severed. There is muscle damage at the bulletâs entry point, then as it came out the front it tore a four-inch wound in your skin. But the bleeding is the worst of it, since a few arteries have recoiled out of reach. Iâll have to widen the wound and deepen it, to fish them out and cauterize them, and for future drainage. Iâll place deep sutures to repair the most traumatized tissues, but will leave the wound open to drain for later closure, once the swelling goes down, so no infection is trapped within.â
As she spoke, she continued to implement her plan with flawless execution. He continued to assist her.
Every minute brought more unprecedented sensations. It wasnât just physical reactions to feeling her firm, warm thighs beneath his head, or breathing her hot, intoxicating scent with every breath. Heâd never experienced this synergy, not even when working with his brothers or his men. Heâd never let another person take charge of anything while he was around, let alone his own physical well-being. Heâd never lusted after a woman anywhere near this intensely, let alone while simultaneously respecting the hell out of her capabilities, relying on her efficiency and wanting to pamper her with all he had and protect her with his life.
Was this real, or was everything being amplified by the circumstances combined with a dose of blood loss, survival elation and gratitude?
But when he added in his mounting physical response and mental appreciation, he was back to square one.
This was as real as anything got. And from the way she kept stroking him with her eyes after she finished each step and with her hands after each cut as if to apologize for the necessity of hurting him to heal him, from the way her hands and lips trembled at his merest indication of discomfort, he knew.
It was just as real for her.
It didnât matter who they were, or how and when theyâd met. What theyâd done since, the seeming lifetime of life-changing events and feelings theyâd experienced together, meant they could leap over most stages of development and acknowledgment of attraction.
She finished the procedure and he sat up, helped her wrap his torso in bandages. As she began to draw back, he couldnât bear it. His right hand wove into her hair, kept her close, brought her closer. And she lurched away.
He stilled, his heart jolting with the same force.
After a long moment, he removed