Jack didn’t seem to notice as he slammed the truck into park and charged around the hood to open my door for me. Jack scooped me up and out of the truck, back into his arms, where I’d be warm and safe. He didn’t avoid the large puddles in thefront row of the parking lot by going around. No, Jack took the quickest route to get me inside the Wildwood clinic.
Each step jostled me, and I clung to him tighter. Short breaths were pushed out from my lungs as he flexed below me. Of course, he just had to rescue me in a T-shirt that obscenely clung to him, soaked within an inch of its life. The nerve.
Not only did he look good and his body heat radiated warmth into my soaking wet skin, but he also had the audacity to smell good, too. It was impossible to be annoyed with someone who rescued you and smelled this delectable.
He opened the door just as the lights stabilized, and its bright art-covered walls made it look a lot less ominous.
“Dr. Alyse,” Jack greeted her as she met us at the door. I assumed she didn’t normally go to work in banana pajamas, but who was I to judge? This was Wildwood. That, combined with her bedhead, reminded me she’d flown out of bed to help me.
Jack kept hold of me as he followed the doctor into the first examination room.
“It’s her feet.” His voice was uncharacteristically tight as he continued. “I didn’t apply pressure. But I got here as quickly as I could.”
“You can set her down over there. Let’s have a look.” Alyse washed her hands and put on some gloves before gathering some supplies.
Jack lifted me onto the medical bed, then stepped back. When he set me down, though, the blanket I’d been wearing fell off my shoulders, and Jack made a noise I’d never heard come out of him before. My gaze went to him, but he was already turning away. He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck as he stared off at the wall, his back facing me.
Was he blushing? I looked down at my soaked blue tank as it clung obscenely. The material outlined the shape of my chest, the tips of my breasts on full display. Now it was my turn toblush, and of course, Alyse saw the whole awkward interaction. Her gaze shot between us. She gave me an interested, pointed look, and I shook my head. Luckily, she had a modicum of tact as she busied herself by applying a saline solution to my cut feet.
My left foot was obviously worse than the right, but both of them throbbed as Alyse applied the saline solution and extracted the small shards embedded in the pads. Luckily, I’d just walked on my toes, and my whole foot hadn’t been damaged.
“Ouch, girl. What happened?”
I winced as she worked on them, and Jack left to get me water, which was nice since he’d been hovering just over my shoulder ever since he brought me here.
“Mother Nature decided my cabin needed a renovation.” I winced as Alyse removed a piece of glass from my toe. I took the water from Jack after he returned. “I cut them on glass while getting out of my cabin. How very John McClane of me.”
Alyse laughed at the joke. Jack even cracked a smile, so my mission was accomplished.
“Yeah, sure, if John McClane wore short shorts,” she added, finished washing off both my feet, and applied an ointment. She handed Jack the rest of the tube when he reached for it and started talking again before I could protest. “Good news, they don’t look deep enough to warrant stitches. Stay off them for a few days, change the bandages every few hours, and call me right away if there’s any sign of infection.”
Jack nodded and hung on Alyse’s every word as if he were mentally taking notes about my care regimen.
“And, Jack, let me have a look at that for you, too.”
Jack’s face twisted in confusion. “Look at what?”
Alyse’s eyes softened, and she gestured toward his left forearm, which sported dried blood.
His gaze followed hers.
“Oh, that?” he said sheepishly. “It’s nothing.”
Alyse rolled her eyes while she washed her hands again and applied fresh gloves before turning back toward him. “Give me that,” she said with an unamused tone. She held his wrist gently, analyzing the wound on his forearm. She washed it out and checked for any glass pieces, just like she had with me.
“It’s shallow,” she said, and it was my turn to let out a little puff of relief. Dr. Alyse looked between us, then faced Jack. “So are you going to be taking care of her?”
Her eyebrows raised as her voice lingered, and I knew what she was getting at. She also ran Wildwood’s local romance book club. I’d been invited to attend, but I hadn’t found the time yet. I could only imagine what hurt/comfort scenarios were playing through her head.
Jack interrupted when he answered her in a serious tone. “Yes, ma’am, I’ll make sure she’s taken care of.”
Alyse gave us a knowing look, and I couldn’t help but think that she was already shipping us. I didn’t argue with her. After this strange night, maybe I was shipping us now, too.
“No,it’ll be too much trouble.” I somehow mustered the energy to argue with Jack after finding myself once again in his strong arms. He transported me as if I were some hurt bride, backing up into each door until we reached his truck. The rain hadn’t let up, but that didn’t hinder Jack, who confidently drove the short distance down the winding road from downtown Wildwood back to Camp Starlight.
“No, you’re right. Sleeping on the floor isn’t insane at all.” His sarcastic tone softened into something kind. “The easiestsolution is for you to sleep at my place. I have a shirt and sweats you can borrow.”
Everyone else at camp had gone back to bed, no doubt. We’d have a long day dealing with the aftermath tomorrow. Right now, I had Jack to deal with.
