Page 8 of The Image of You

Across the room, Alex chuckled. “He’s a stubborn one, Doc.”

The doctor frowned. “You said you live alone. You need to be woken up every couple of hours, and your eyes should be flushed a few more times. The wards are full, but you can stay here, and Alexandra can check on you and clean your eyes.”

Suddenly, going home to my empty loft was no longer appealing. Not with the chance of spending more time with the sweet little nurse. I held up my hands in supplication. “If you insist, Doc.”

He nodded. “Alexandra can stitch you up, if you’re okay with that? She’s got a light touch.”

I bet she did.

“Sure, I’m good with that.” Glancing over, I saw her watching us warily, and I winked at her. Her gaze skittered away to a spot on the wall, and I tried not to snicker as I looked down.

I liked her reactions to me. A lot.

Dr. Nash spoke quietly with Alex, patted her shoulder, and left, muttering something about my chart and instructions. I followed his retreating form with narrowed eyes, and then I watched as Alex opened cupboards and drawers, looking for whatever she needed to stitch me up. If I had to stay, at least I’d get to talk to her more. I wanted to know more about her. A lot more.

“Why does he call you Alexandra?” I asked as she laid out supplies on the table.

“He’s my boss, and that’s my name.”

“You said it was Alex.”

She smiled at me, the sweetness of it warming my chest.

“My friends call me Alex. He’s more formal, and he prefers Alexandra, which is fine.”

Her friends. She introduced herself to me as Alex, as if I was her friend. I liked being thought of as her friend.

“I need a couple of other needles. I’ll go get them, and we’ll get started.”

Needles—they ranked up there with my dislike for blood. I looked down, not wanting her to see yet another weakness. I was losing all sorts of checks on my man card tonight. “Yeah, not big on those,” I mumbled.

She patted my hand in comfort. “Most people aren’t. I can use a topical freezing cream on your head first. You won’t even feel me stitching you up. Promise.”

I tried to make light of my discomfort, offering her my most charming smile. “Do I get my sucker afterward?”

With a grin, she pulled one out of her pocket. “There’s another one when I’m done if you’re good for me.”

I took the sucker, ripped off the plastic wrapper, and stuck it into my mouth. “Deal. Make it quick, okay?”

Alex chuckled.

“What?”

“You’re cute when you’re squeamish.” She winked as she left the room. “I’ll be gentle.”

I crunched my sucker.

She thought I was cute. Very few people would ever describe me as cute. Yet …

I was okay with it.

* * *

She did have a light touch, and she was done quicker than I expected. She chatted as she worked away, no doubt to distract me, but her closeness was enough of a distraction already. I rested my hand on her hip while she worked. When she raised her eyebrow at me quizzically, I told her it was to keep her steady. Her eye rolling made me smile.

Everything about this petite woman seemed to make me smile.

After applying a bandage, she stepped back. “Okay. Let’s get you comfortable, and I’ll give you some painkillers and you can rest. I sent your friend home.”