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“He’s here,” Ava calls, and I look over my shoulder, seeing her hurrying toward me. “You’re seeing a doctor,” she says, all matter-of-fact, taking my good hand. “End of.”
I recoil, and she cocks her head, challenging me to challenge her. Oh, would I love to challenge her. Throw her over my shoulder. Show her who’s boss. And yet I’m distracted from going all caveman on her arse by the feel of her hand around mine.
“Come.” She starts to lead me toward the room, and I follow obediently, a slave to her order, at the mercy of our physical connection.
I hear someone speak, but I have no clue what they’re saying. I can’t take my eyes of our hands. “Jesse,” Ava prompts, and I look up at her. “Sit down.”
“What?”
“The doctor asked you to sit down so she can take a look at your hand.” She releases me. It’s unbearable. I plonk myself in the chair and dump my hand on the padded arm. I amnotbehaving like a toddler.
“Oh, what have we done here?” the doctor asks, inspecting the swelling, cuts, and bruises, her eyes jumping between my hairy face and my unsightly hand.
“It’s nothing,” I grumble. “Doesn’t hurt a bit.” At that moment, she pokes it, and I inhale sharply, pulling my arm into my chest protectively.
She raises her brows casually, and I scowl. That was totally uncalled for.
“He’s just being difficult,” Ava pipes in, and I turn my unamused eyes her way. Where does she get her nerve? “Ignore him.”
Fucking charming.
“I think we need to get it X-rayed.” The doctor pulls off her gloves and pops them in a bin. “And go from there.”
“It doesn’t need X-raying.” For fuck’s sake. “Just tell me it’s not broken, and we’ll be on our way.”
“I’m not leaving until you have it X-rayed.” Ava gives me quite the cutting look. “How can they tell if it’s broken if you won’t let them X-ray it?”
“Your wife is right, Mr. Ward.” The doctor goes to the door. “I’ll let them know you’re on your way to the X-ray department.”
I don’t protest further, because... wife. Mywife. Not only does it sound good, but the fact the doctor clearly doesn’t think I look too old to be with this young beauty thrills me. I chew my lip, peeking at Ava, just as she lets out a bark of laughter.
“Oh, we’re not married.”
She finds that funny? Laughable? Is she just here to make me feel even shitter than I already do?
Jesus, I can’t believe I’m thinking this.Wife. It sounds fucking amazing. You’d think after my shambles of a first marriage and my psychotic ex-wife, I’d avoid it at all costs. Always thought I would.
But I never anticipated Ava O’Shea.
Or... AvaWard.
I raise an eyebrow to myself. It would settle me in so many ways. Commitment. Oneverylevel. A contract we promise never to break. Both of us willing. Both of us devoted.
“We’d better get you that X-ray,” Ava says quietly, leaving the room. I follow, staring at her back. I’d be an amazing husband for her. Attentive, passionate, and back to my usual easygoing self. She’ll thank me for it.
You’re running before you can walk, Ward.
Or...am I?
I spend the next half hour while being X-rayed wondering how I can convince Ava that marrying me is the best solution for both of us. Ava will get my vow never to touch a drop of drink again, because I won’t need to if I have her for a lifetime, and I’ll lose the fear of losing her. Perfect.
“It’s not broken,” the doctor says, staring up at the X-ray image. I scoff. No, perhaps my hand isn’t broken but everything else is. “Just a bit of muscle damage. I’ll leave the nurse to take it from here.”
“Thanks,” I mutter as the nurse moves in. No breaks. It’s fine. I throw Ava a look, one I know she won’t appreciate. What a waste of our time.
“Have you been resting it?” the nurse asks. “If it’s been a few days since you incurred the injury, I would expect the swelling to have subsided by now.” She checks each of the cuts before wrapping it in a bandage.
“No.”I was clenching a bottle of vodka with it.
