“Did you change your mind about helping me?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No, I just didn’t want anyone to see what I was carrying. This is totally against hospital policy. It feels like I’m stealing. I could lose my job over this,” she said, looking around nervously.
“Don’t worry. I know your boss. If you get in any trouble, I’ll put in a good word for you,” I tried joking. She didn’t even crack a grin. “If you’d rather not do this, just give me the stuff and I’ll do it when I get back to the resort.”
“No. It needs to be done properly. That’s my concern. What if I don’t clean it well enough or if it needs stitches instead of butterfly tape?”
I reached out and took her trembling hands in mine. “Whatever you do will be better than what I would do myself.”
She nodded and opened her purse. She pulled out scissors, gauze, and plenty of other supplies I didn’t think she’d need, but she was the nurse so I went with it. Before touching me, she donned sterile gloves.
If it wasn’t for the gloves, and the cut, I’d be looking forward to having her tiny hands on me.
“This is going to be cold,” she said, pouring some clear liquid on my wound.
“What the fuck!” It hurt worse than getting stabbed. “What the hell is that?”
“Alcohol to kill the germs,” she said. “Now stop acting like a child and let me clean the wound,” she added firmly.
I could see her concentrating as she wiped the entire area around the cut with alcohol-soaked gauze. She took another clean one, poured more alcohol on it and again, cleaned my cut.
You’re fucking enjoying this, aren’t you?
“If you stop squirming, this will be a lot easier,” she said.
I tensed my muscles into stillness so she could finish. The longer this took, the more likely someone would exit the hospital and catch us. Finally, she covered it with a sterile gauze and taped it in place.
“I really think you should come inside and get a Tetanus shot too.”
“I already explained - I’m not going in. Thank you for bandaging me up. I’m Liam O’Connor, by the way.” Even though I know you already know that.
“I’m Kyleigh Marzon. I’m sure you figured out I’m a nurse here,” she said.
And that you like to watch me from the window too.
“It’s nice to meet you. Guess I’m lucky you looked out when you did or I could’ve bled to death,” I said.
She placed her hands on her hips and said, “It’s a surface wound. Can be serious if it gets infected, but you were not in danger of death. And somehow, I have a feeling that even if you were, you wouldn’t have come into the hospital. Why is that?”
“That’s my business,” I replied.
“I risked my job to come out and care for you, and this is how you thank me? Maybe next time you show up here bleeding, I will close the curtains.” Kyleigh held her chin up, stubborn and strong.
“You are right. I am being a jerk. I’m sorry. Maybe I can make it up to you by taking you to dinner?” I asked. She stared at me and didn’t answer. Shit. Maybe she’s married. “Or maybe take you and your husband out to dinner?” I might not be the nicest guy, but I don’t date married women.
“I…am not married. But…it would not be a good idea for us to be seen together,” she said.
“Why? Do you have a jealous boyfriend?”
“This is not about a man. It’s just that…things are different in Tabiq. If we go out in public, it will quickly become gossip and we will be watched very closely. I… would rather keep my life private.”
If I understood what she was saying, she might be interested but didn’t want anyone to know about me. No problem. “I’m the same way. I like people to stay the hell out of my business as well. But I need to see you again,” I said.
“Why?” she asked, looking puzzled.
“Someone needs to check my wound to make sure it doesn't get infected,” I smiled.
“You know you can do that yourself. If it starts to get red and warm around that area, it’s getting an infection. If you develop a fever, rush right to the hospital,” she instructed.