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“Can—”
Of course she was interrupted by a yawn, and wow were her eyelids heavy. It was about the time she’d usually be getting out of work—for a job she didn’t have anymore. Not bedtime for grown-ups unless they worked some weird shift, but she’d been going to bed around now for months. She ought to stay up to help though. Or at least try.
“Can I help”—for fuck’s sake, another yawn—“clean up?”
“Evelyn, you can’t stop yawning. We should get you tucked into bed.”
The way Doctor Pierce said “we” made her insides melt. She was about to agree but a yawn overtook her so she just nodded.
Doctor Pierce got to his feet and offered her a hand, helping her down from the stool when she accepted.
“Where are your overnight things?”
Oh no, he couldn’t look in there! Bandit was in there, and she wasn’t ready to talk about him yet. So Cricket went to her duffel bag and pulled out her toiletries and pajamas.
She held them up and after yawning again, and asked, “Where’s the bathroom?”
“Come, I’ll show you.”
Doctor Pierce held out his hand and she handed him her toiletries bag. Then he took her hand with his other. It was so nice when he held her hand, although she tried not to get too attached to the feeling because it didn’t mean anything. She couldn’t project her expectations on him. Nonetheless, Cricket let herself be guided up the stairs and down the hall to a full bathroom.
“Do you need to use the p—bathroom? Or can you wait until we’re done with your hair and face and teeth?”
What had he been about to say? Didn’t matter. She was so sleepy she might not have even mustered a laugh if he’d said pumpkin. Or poltergeist. Panda bear. Pontoon boat. Wow, she was so tired she was getting punchy.
“I can wait. But I can—”
Seriously, she needed to stop yawning. It wasn’t a good look. Doctor Pierce had probably been able to do a full evaluation of her tonsils by this point even though she’d done her best to cover her mouth. So embarrassing.
“No you can’t. You’re dead on your feet, and you said you’d let me help you. So let me do it.”
Who was she to argue with that? Absolutely no one. Doctor Pierce was just being kind, and he didn’t have to know all the ways he was making her feel warm and gooey and Little maybe a smidge turned on. Okay, maybe a lot.
He set her toiletries on the counter and then gestured for her pajamas which he set down right beside them.
“Alright Miss Evelyn, let’s get you into your pajamas. Arms up.”
She must have look flustered because Doctor Pierce put his hands on his hips. “I’m a doctor. I literally see naked bodies all the time. You don’t need to be shy with me.”
It was silly because she had no evidence that Doctor Pierce had any sexual or romantic feelings toward her, but it hurt that he would compare her to his patients. It would be nice if her body was special because it was hers. She didn’t want to be shy, necessarily, unless he liked to play seducing the ingenue—which she would absolutely be game for—but she wanted her naked body to be different from the rest. Not work. Pleasure.
But she wasn’t going to bring that up now. She couldn’t handle the rejection if that’s what she was going to get. Not to mention her brain was feeling extra smoggy. Having such strong emotions from getting fired and the resulting panic seemed to have made her even more tired than usual. So obediently, she put her arms up and Doctor Pierce pulled her sweater over her head. Then he knelt to the ground.
“Hold onto my shoulder, Evelyn. That’s a good girl.”
Doctor Pierce calling her a good girl added more warmth to her chest, and she felt like the richest hot cocoa—the kind with actual chocolate melted into milk and cream, not the powdered kind. Which she also loved but that was a regular treat, not an extra special fancy treat.
He undid her skirt and shimmied the tweed over her hips and down her legs before urging her to step out.
Then he was stripping off her tights, her underwear, her bra, and she couldn’t help but wonder how things would be different if he was her Daddy. Maybe not by much some nights which was sweet and depressing at once. Was this all she’d ever have? Maybe it was more than she should expect.
Doctor Pierce had her step into a new pair of underwear and helped her into her pj set: a pale spring green camisole with white lace at the neck and spaghetti straps, and matching shorts.
“Now let’s get your face washed and your teeth brushed.”
“I can—”
“Evelyn,” he said in a warning tone that made her feel chastised, cared for, and turned on all at the same time.
