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Isa softly sat on the mattress and brushed her fingers along Doc’s face. The cuts were minimal, but the purple bruises made her insides jumble. He’d purposefully put himself in danger for her.What kind of man does that?
Doc shifted on the bed, and she held her breath. He didn’t wake, so she continued her visual perusal of his injuries. With his shirt off, she could see bruising on his left ribs and his right shoulder.And to think, an hour before his fight, I was admiring his strength.She shivered at the power he had over her.
She lightly traced the bruises with her fingertips, then with her lips. He’d more than earned her respect after the day’s events.
She thought back to the conversation with her father when Doc was roughhousing. Phantom warned her of the Twelve Brothers in Colorado and urged her to stay close to her protector. Isa’s eyes dipped over the light sheet on his waist. She’d stay by his side until the very end if it came to that.
Lying beside him, she traced his nose. Thankfully, that part of him hadn’t seen any punches. “You’re a beautiful dolt, you know that?”
“I do, actually.”
Isa gasped and her stomach flipped when Doc’s blue eyes locked her in place. “Bugger, I thought you were asleep.”
He tried to turn on his side, then thought better of it. “I can’t sleep with your hands on me.” A small smile crossed his face. “Or with your scent filling my room.”
She slipped her hand in his and cozied closer to him, mindful of his injuries. “I heard what you did for me.”
Doc cleared his throat. “Wasn’t a big deal. Klink gets on my nerves anyways.”
Isa sat up slightly to look into his eyes. “It’s a big deal to me. I’ve never had anyone defend my honor.” She smirked. “Even if it came from the same man who screwed me against a wall.”
He reached up and traced her lips. “I’d do anything for you, Isa.”
“I know.” She studied the back of his hand and the scabs on his knuckles. “Is this real, Doc? You and me? I don’t have much relationship experience and don’t know if you’re merely protecting me because it’s your job or….” She realized she was rambling and stopped.
He sat up and motioned for her to come closer. Once she was securely in his arms, he looked down into her eyes and caressed her cheek. “I protect you because I want to, Isa. It may be my job, but I’ve never been happier than when I’m with you.”
She snuggled into his wide chest and closed her eyes. Even if only for the time being, she’d be content with their relationship—or lack thereof. If it was all he could offer, her heart would make do.
27
Doc
Damage control wassomething Doc was used to from working as a paramedic. He’d come across many scenes on the road where blood and guts were sprawled out for everyone to see. That part of the job was far from fun but wasn’t hard to clean up. A little bleach or tarp would do the job and avoid residual catastrophe.
But the damage control when it came to his fight with Klink was another matter. Isa slept by his side all night. It was sweet in a torturous sort of way. His body craved her touch, but his injuries told him otherwise. He wouldn’t apologize to Klink. No, that was his brother’s job to do. The fucker hadn’t yet, so Doc woke at the crack of dawn to get Isa off his mind.
Now he was doing what he’d done as a kid when he fucked up: he baked. Every Macha brother gave him shit for it too. Especially this morning. Waking up and starting in on his famous cinnamon twists made even Rubble crack a joke about Doc’s baking.
“I’ll take mine with an orange glaze, sweetheart,” Snoopy teased, taking a seat at the kitchen table.
Ignoring him, Doc sprinkled a handful of cinnamon into the mixing bowl and kneaded the dough. He’d had to glove his hands this morning, a fact that only irritated him more as the dough stuck to them.
“And don’t forget extra cinnamon on mine,” Brewer said, grabbing a cup of coffee.
Doc looked up in time to see Brewer wink and add cream to the cup. “Extra cinnamon is a must.”
“Well, then good. I won’t be disappointed.” Brewer walked back to the table and sat beside Rubble and Hawk. They chatted nonchalantly, the early morning wake-up understandable given the ongoing threat. Normally his brothers didn’t wake before ten, but they could all feel the chill of the Twelve Brothers in the mountain air.
Covering the dough, Doc let it rest and washed his dishes. When the dough rose once more, he’d start making the twists.
He looked at the clock on the microwave, then glanced down at his clothes. The Macha tee was a smidge too small, and his jeans were ripped on the back pockets. It’d been early and he’d just grabbed clothes and hightailed it from the room before Isa woke. He couldn’t face her perfection after yesterday’s brawl.
He poured a cup of coffee and sat next to Brewer.
“If we move Isa to the high mountain cabin, it’d be better for us all,” Snoopy was saying.
Rubble shook his head and sipped his black coffee. “Not happening, Snoop. I already laid out the plans.” He narrowed his gaze. “Unless you think you’d like to challenge my sergeant at arms status.”
