Page 36 of His to Keep

Epilogue

The atmosphere hung heavy with intimidation. Liam stood before a big, burly man who looked more like a serial killer than a patient.

Liam, however, was unfazed. "Sit," he commanded in a tone that brooked no argument, gesturing to the examination table.

The big man hesitated for a moment, eyeing Liam's medical equipment with a mix of apprehension and unease. "You sure this is necessary?"

Liam cracked a wry smile. "Trust me, it's for your own good."

With surprising agility for his size, the man sat up on the examination table, trying to hide the unease that flickered across his face.

He was bleeding — not bad, but enough to need stitches. Not that he'd actually go and get them, of course. During the few months that Liam had spent around Colt and his men, he'd soon learned that mafia guys didn't care about 'little' nicks and scratches like this.

Well, they should! They never bothered to properly clean their wounds, and were they even up to date on their tetanus shots? It drove Liam absolutely crazy.

When he'd proposed keeping a few medical supplies at the base, Colt had grinned. If Liam wanted to keep himself busy while Colt was out talking to the boss, then Colt was happy to let him.

Colt's men, on the other hand, had been less than thrilled with this arrangement.

Liam got what he needed from his supplies. "You only need a few stitches. Don't worry, this will be over before you know it."

"Yeah?" The big man gulped, a sheen of sweat already forming on his brow. "I ain't real good with needles."

Liam couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry. A big guy like you can take a little prick, right?"

As he spoke, Liam deftly swabbed the wound. The man winced, but didn't protest further. As Liam began to place his stitches, the patient let out a grunt that sounded more like a savage growl.

But he was all bark and no bite. In a few minutes, it was over with. "See? That wasn't so bad," Liam said, his tone light as he drew back.

The big man's expression shifted from anxiety to relief. "Yeah, I guess so."

Working in a mafia safehouse may have been different from working in an ER, but stitches were stitches.

Liam completed his examination with a sense of clinical detachment, sending the big man on his way with a clean bill of health. As the door closed behind the burly patient, he let out a hopeless sigh. "I never knew that so many big, strong men were drama queens."

His train of thought was interrupted by a figure approaching outside the door. Liam couldn't help but smile. Speaking of big, strong men...

Colt's lips curved into a wicked smile as he came in. "I think it's my turn for a checkup, Doc."

Liam's eyes roved appreciatively over Colt's powerful physique. Between his own shifts and Colt's demands, it had been a whole two days since he'd managed to have his partner to himself.

And two days was two days too long.

Liam cleared his throat. He motioned for Colt to take a seat on the makeshift examination table. "Alright, then," Liam said, adopting a clinical tone, "let's start with a basic examination. Please take off your shirt, so I can check your breathing."

Colt obliged, his movements languid and deliberate. He watched Liam with an amused glint in his eyes.

Liam concentrated on Colt's broad chest, his fingers pressing gently against the warm skin, the rise and fall of Colt's breaths steady beneath his touch. He glanced up to meet Colt's dark, knowing gaze, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of Colt's mouth.

"Your breathing seems fine," Liam said, trying to maintain a professional demeanor despite the heat already creeping in to flush his cheeks. "Any pain or discomfort?"

"None at all," Colt replied smoothly, his voice calm and collected despite the playful glint in his eyes.

"Well, hmm…" Liam teased him, stroking his chest in the guise of feeling his breathing. "Everything looks pretty good to me here."

"Thanks, Doc. You always know how to make a guy feel better."

"It's my job to take care of you, after all." As his fingers lingered on Colt's chest, he felt the first stirrings of arousal. Itwas impossible not to be affected by the sheer presence of the man before him; strong, dangerous, yet undeniably captivating.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com