PLEASE NOTE: This book contains adult themes. Do not read if you are under 18.
Annie was staring off into space when Dr. Callahan sauntered into her room the next day.
“Ms. O’Reilly, it’s very nice to see you fully
awake. How are you feeling?” he asked
with a confident, professional demeanor.
“You certainly are looking better than the last time I saw you.” He
smiled.
“Well anyone would look better after getting the
good meds, doctor,” she returned his smile.
Her voice was raspy from limited use.
She cleared her throat. “By the
way, please call me Annie. Ms. O’Reilly
is so formal and, let’s face it, you’ve poked and prodded around inside me, so no
need for formalities.” She could feel
the heat of blood rushing to her face, evidence of the innuendo in her
statement. Stupid. Stupid. Now you’re
scarlet red with embarrassment, making your foolish quip all the more noticeable.
Annie could not help but admonish herself. She hated how easily she blushed when
embarrassed. It was a curse she suffered
from very early on in her childhood that she never outgrew.
Thomas chuckled. “Yes, you are right there. Luckily you were a textbook case and the
poking and prodding was minimally invasive.”
He winked conspiratorially. “So
please tell me, are you experiencing any pain or discomfort?”
“No doctor, I’m not in any pain just now. I feel groggy and not myself, but that’s it. In fact, I’m rather enjoying the feeling of no
pain after the past few days. I can’t
say that this hospital bed is very comfortable though.” She wiggled, repositioning herself. “I can’t wait to get home and sleep in my own
bed.” Annie’s embarrassment grew
worse. Why are you talking about your
bed? Brain to mouth filter, hello where
are you?
“Yes, I can imagine after your days at sea and,
now in the hospital, that going home is an appealing prospect. I’m happy to hear you are not in any
pain. You certainly seem to be
recovering well post-surgery.” He
glanced up at the monitors above her head.
“Your vital signs look good and the nurse told me that you were able to
hold down some soft foods. That’s good
news. I’m pleased with your
progress. If you continue on this path,
I see no reason why you cannot be discharged tomorrow. Do you have someone who can be with you over
the first twenty-four hours you are home?”
Ah, no. Shit.
What the hell should I say? “Oh,
well, I uh…um I guess I could call a friend from work to help out,” she
stuttered. His intense look was
penetrating. Annie felt as if she were naked,
raw and exposed. She believed he could
see right into her soul. It was ironic
that, where she should feel a sense of discomfort at that, she actually felt safe. It was bizarre that this stranger could make
her feel sheltered and secure.
Protected. It had been such a
long time since she felt that way. If
ever.
His brows furrowed and his jaw visibly
tensed. “Surely you have family who can
help you?”
“Well, I have some
family but…they live far away.” Yeah, that’s a good answer. We’ll go with that.
His nod was curt.
“I see. Let me leave you now to
rest. I will come check on you tomorrow
morning and decide if discharge is appropriate. Do not hesitate to call the nurse if you are
in pain. Your body needs rest to heal.
Pain management is a critical part of your recovery, so no trying to
brave it out.” He had a slightly
admonishing tone in his deep, masculine voice.
“I’ve left orders for a strong pain medication that the nurses can give
you if needed.” His voice softened, as
did his sympathetic blue eyes. “Promise
me that you will inform them if you become uncomfortable so they can administer
it if necessary.” He added, “Do you understand
Ms. O’Reilly.” The domineering tone was
not to be ignored.
Annie was a bit taken aback at his forceful nature. She wondered if he was this way with all of
his patients. “I will doctor. Thank you for your concern,” she responded. “After all I have been through, believe me, I
don’t wish to put on a brave front. If I
experience pain, I want the drugs, though I do feel much better at the moment.”
“Excellent.”
The doctor said, patting her hand just as he had done when she was in
the recovery room. The gesture provided
her with much-needed solace. Annie saw
his blue eyes widen as he grasped her hand firmly in both of his. “Your hand is freezing. Are you chilly? How long have you been cold? I’ll let your nurse know to bring you another
blanket right now.” He spoke so rapidly,
Annie had a hard time formulating a response.
She was a bit taken aback by his reaction.
“Thank you doctor.
I am a bit chilled and would certainly appreciate another blanket.” She paused.
“I’m so tired. Think I’ll take a
nap.” She let out a long breath. Annie starred at her hand still clasped in both
of his, amazed and unbelieving. His large,
strong hands completely covered hers, holding firm. His thumb was gently rubbing over her
knuckles. That small action did more
than just comfort her, it made her feel cherished in a way she never
experienced before. She did not ever
want him to let go. What the hell am
I thinking? There is no way he’s interested in me.
Thomas nodded. “Good, you get some rest and I will
check in on you later.” Releasing her hand, he lay it gently on the bed, patting
the top of it one more time before he walked out of the room.
Annie immediately felt sad at the loss of his
presence. What the hell was that?
The encounter with her attractive doctor left her feeling unsettled and unsure.
Must be the meds messing with my
head. Annie lay quietly thinking
about Dr. Callahan. He was ‘McDreamy,’
the name used to describe the actor who portrayed a doctor on a popular medical
television show. She thought it was Grey’s Anatomy but wasn’t completely
sure, not that it really mattered.
His full head of shortly trimmed dark brown hair
was streaked with silver gray giving him a mature, distinguished look. She could tell that his physique was lean but
muscular. His sky blue scrubs brought
the color out of his striking blue eyes even more. Annie thought they were the most unusual
shade of blue, but was unable to think of an adequate comparison. More striking than his eye color was the
piercing, intense stare as he looked at her.
It caused a stirring of arousal down deep in her belly. It was hard to believe that she could feel
any sexual attraction having just been cut open and operated on, but she felt
the evidence of wetness gather between her legs. This was her last thought has she drifted off
to sleep.
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