I don’t bite. I don’t want to hear any more gossip about myself. Never again.
“It’s all fine. She’s out getting things straightened out with the tow.”
“Good. Well, safe travels.”
“Thanks. Have a good night.”
I hang up just as Scott comes over and knocks on the window. “Can you get out so I can pull your truck out? I don’t think there’s any real damage beyond a banged-up tailgate.”
“Sure.” I step out, making sure that all of me is tucked away. I grab a spare shirt I keep in my bag. Scott says nothing but I can see he’s curious.
Nope. Not touching that either. “Got blood on it from my head,” I say, wiping away the last of my memories of how my shirt got messed up.
Didn’t happen. It needs to stay way out of my mind.
“Looks nasty. Do you need me to call an ambulance? Might be able to get one out here at this point.”
“Nope. I’m going to take Nurse Jones home and then head back home myself. Hopefully they can do without my help because I’m not sure I should take care of anyone right now. I’m a little fuzzy.”
He nods slowly. “I know they could use the help but if you’re not one hundred percent it’s better if you just stay out of the way.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
He hooks up the car and quickly pulls the truck out. I jump back in and hit the ignition switch, shooting him a smile and a thumbs-up when it starts without hesitation.
Poppy jumps in and waves to Scott as we drive away. Then she closes her eyes until I pull into her drive. She lives close to Liam so I assume she could have walked home if need be. A warmth steals into my chest when I think that maybe she stayed to take care of me.
Nodding at her brusque good-bye, I reverse and pull out of the drive. I watch her in the rear-view mirror. She leans against the door, her shoulders caving in on themselves and I’m almost positive she’s crying.
But I can’t comfort her. Touching her just ramps up the temptation to keep touching her and it’s already roaring through me like a freight train of lust.
All weekend while I’m resting, the headache a consistent reminder of what happened between us, I have to fight the need to pick up the phone and check on her.
I pull out the old newspaper clippings on my wife’s accident and let the grief pull me back to the cold state I’ve lived in for two long years. It’s necessary. I can’t live through anything like that again.
By Monday morning I’ve talked myself out of all the crazy hunger that’s been plaguing me since I first saw my curvy little nurse.
I stalk in the door, not surprised when she’s already there busily cleaning the exam rooms and the reception area. It’s already spotless but dust doesn’t dare breathe around this woman.
I nod my head and leave her behind, not even saying hello to her. Her jade eyes darken with hurt when I close my office door in her face but she says nothing.
The day passes with nothing but professional comments between us and I can feel the urge to touch her crawling over me. She keeps her comments cold and impersonal and I make sure that I follow suit.
One day bleeds into the next and with each one the pressure valve that I’ve got my feelings under cracks a little more.
Not her though. She has walled herself off completely and I thank the heavens that she’s not one of those clingy women that needs to have closure.
It seems like she’s already found hers.
Now if I could only find mine. If I could only solder that valve shut so that I knew it would never pop open and the hurt and pain hiding behind it would never rear its ugly head to destroy me.
If only.
CHAPTER5
Poppy
Iwake up, the room spinning and a horrible nausea creeping up my throat.