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She peeked back over at him. "I suppose."
He held out a hand. "Now, give me your injured arm."
She shook her head. "I'm fine, Dr. V—er, River. I merely bruised it."
"Only because I scared you shitless for some reason. Come on. Healing a bruise is child's play to me and will help me dust off my rusty powers after so many months of not using them."
Her mouth didn't match her brain as she blurted, "How long did they hold you captive?"
He grimaced. "Too long." His expression softened. "Now, give me your arm. It'll only take me about ten seconds to complete and then I'll be the fucking best patient ever as you change my bandages, I promise."
She should probably argue, remind him he was too weak. But something about his tone and gaze made her want to trust him, at least with this small task, and she placed her arm in his outstretched palm.
He unbuttoned the cuff of her sleeve and she yanked her arm back. "What are you doing?"
He raised an eyebrow. "It takes less magic to heal someone if I touch their skin."
Nora's cheeks burned. "I don't show my forearms to anyone."
"Not even in summer?"
"If I wear shorter sleeves, I always wear long gloves. It's the proper thing to do."
Well, and it hid the scars she'd gotten from her ten years of hell fifty years ago.
He searched her gaze. "I come from a time when females can wear almost nothing and it's not a big deal. And even putting that aside, I'm a doctor." He lowered his voice. "I've seen a lot of naked people over the years, so a forearm isn't that bad, in the grand scheme of things. I promise I won't be shocked or stare."
At his dramatic whispering, Nora smiled. This male was entirely too charming when he didn't think she was part of a torturous vampire gang out to hurt him.
Not that she was going to let his charm fool her. Rowland had been charming at first too, and he'd ended up being the worst when he had her alone.
Her smile completely gone now, she opened the drawer in the side table and took out the salve jar and clean linen strips she used to wrap the worst of his wounds. "Your injuries are far worse than mine and take precedence. Let's not worry about my arm."
He frowned. "Why won't you let me heal you, Nora? Do you have bad experiences with doctors? I know human ones in the past could be fucking butchers at times. But fae witch magic hasn't changed much and is the most effective form of healing."
She busied herself with laying out the strips of linen so she could grab them easily. River didn't take the hint, though, and he spoke again. "I'm going to keep bugging you until you give in, you know. Just let me heal you, Nora. I vow on my sister's life I won't hurt you."
She shook her head. "No."
Gripping one of the linen strips between her hands, Nora clenched her fingers. Did he not understand no?
That didn't bode well for the eventual claiming.
"Please?"
His soft-spoken word made her look at him again. His eyes were gentle, and while she had to be imagining things, they almost seemed understanding, as if he could look deep into her soul and see some of the things she kept secret from everyone.
But there was no bloody way he could guess what had happened to her in the past.
Could he? She didn't think fae doctors were mind readers, although she'd heard of some having more than one magical power. "You can't read minds, can you?"
River shook his head. "No, I'm not that badass. But I sense the pain from your injury and until I ease it, it's going to drive me fucking crazy and probably keep me from sleeping."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to make me feel guilty so I give in?"
He smiled. "Maybe. Is it working?"
Before she could think better of it, she blurted, "You're as bad as my son was when he was a child."
