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Harry tried to pay but the man sent us on our way, clapping him on the back several times, and hugging me.
“Oh no, the keys! I left the practice unlocked and the keys are somewhere at work.”
“It’s okay, we’ll find them.” Harry stopped. “Shit, Stacey, your knee. You’re bleeding.”
I’d ripped my pants, scraping the skin off my knee with my slide across the tiles. Blood seeped from the wound. I’d barely noticed I’d done it until now.
Harry gently walked me to the medical practice, which thankfully no one had noticed was unlocked, dumped our food in the kitchen and led me to his consultation room, the first aid kit still swinging from my shoulder.
“Let me take this first,” he said, lifting the strap of the first aid kit over my head.
The silence of the practice was refreshing and confronting at the same time. I was acutely aware of Harry’s light touch on my leg as he inspected my knee.
“You’re shaking, Stacey,” he said in a low voice. “You’re in shock.”
My hands still shook.
Today I could have killed him several times over due to software stuff-ups. Now, though … now, I wanted him to pull me into his arms and hold me.
All I could manage to say was, “Oh.”
“Sit up on the bed and I’ll examine the wound.”
The tear in my work pants had stuck to the dried blood. I ripped it off quickly, letting out a small cry.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’ve got you. I’ll take care of you.” Harry used the same soothing voice as he had for Lesley at the restaurant.
I blinked away tears. “Jesus, that hurt more than the slide.”
“You were amped up.”
“Still am.” I let out a breath. “I think.” I winced as Harry splashed the wound with distilled water.
“Can you roll your pants over your knee? It’s difficult to see the whole wound through the tear.”
I tried but my work pants were slim cut, making it impossible to roll beyond my calves.
My eyes met his. “I need to take them off.”
Harry worked his jaw muscles. “Yes. Fine. I’ll just … I’ll get the curtain and give you privacy.”
Standing behind the curtain, I licked my lips. I could do this. He’d seen more in the back seat of Lorraine.Wait, had he?It had been dark, both of us mostly clothed.
The fluro lights were too damn bright in this room. Under this wattage, Harry would see where I’d had skin grafts taken from my inner thighs, however faint.
“Um, Stacey?”
“Yeah?” My hands flew to my button and fly on my pants.
“I have a sheet for, um, your modesty. I don’t think there’s one on the bed.”
Harry offered a folded sheet around the edge of the curtain. I took it, holding it to my chest.
“Thanks. Won’t be long.”
“Yep. Good.”
I slowly stripped out of the ruined pants, toeing off my shoes and socks, and hopped back on the bed, draping the sheet over my lap, and exhaled.
