Page 68 of (Mostly) Human Resources

“As if you wouldn’t laugh at mine.” She pushed the sleeves of her borrowed sweater up and surveyed her palms. They were certainly scraped to hell. It was hard to tell the difference between the dirt and the speckles of dried blood.

“At the very least we should disinfect the cuts.” Nic rolled over and procured a first aid kit from his pack.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” She grinned and couldn’t resist teasing, “You really took that eagle scout motto to heart. Always be prepared?”

“That’s actually not the scout motto, contrary to popular belief. And like I keep reminding you, Keane, I wasn’t a boy scout. I did Duke of Edinburgh.” He pulled out various bottles and bandages.

Alexys thought about telling him not to bother with it, but she was too tired to fight with him. He wasn’t wrong, either, she didn’t want an infection.

“The correct motto is actually much more nuanced,” he said. He set aside the first aid kit and pulled her hands into his lap. “Keep your palms facing up, and try not to move too much.”

“That’s a weird motto.”

Nic shushed her, but she could tell he’d found her amusing.

She watched him open an antiseptic wipe and take her right hand in his. His touch was gentle but firm, and she couldn’t help butmarvel at how big his hands were next to hers. A familiar heat crept up her neck.

The corner of Nic’s mouth twitched up, but the smile didn’t fully form. He finished cleaning the dirt from the skin around the scrapes and reached for the next item.

Alexys shifted so she was facing him fully, careful to keep her hands upright. She sat directly in front of him, knee-to-knee. Her heart was hammering against her chest.

“This one is probably going to sting.” He looked up at her, and the concern in his eyes took her by surprise. “It’ll disinfect your hands, but it’ll burn. I need to clean out any dirt that may be in the cuts.”

“Do what you need to do,” she said, her voice coming out more breathless than she intended. “You’re the nurse.”

Nic snorted. He gripped one of her wrists in his right hand and began cleaning with the alcohol wipe.

The pain was raw, it zipped down the nerves from the tips of her fingers to her elbow. She immediately tried to jerk her hand away and hissed, “Fuck’s sake, that hurts!”

“I know, I know.” He didn’t relent in his cleaning or in his grip on her wrist. “I’m almost done.” Nic’s thumb rubbed soothing circles on her inner wrist. He brought her hand up to his lips and blew gently on her palm. Their eyes locked. Every protest died on her tongue as she watched him soothe the pain in her hand. The corner of his mouth quirked, but it was so fast Alexys wasn’t even sure it happened. He lowered her hand back to his lap and asked, “Are you ready for me to clean the other one?”

“Not even a little bit,” she answered immediately. “That shit burns.”

This time he did smile. It was lopsided and wonderful and did terrible things to her. “I did warn you.”

“This is why I don’t ask for help. It’s literally painful.”

He rolled his eyes and fished another alcohol wipe out of his first aid kit. “Accepting help is a basic human necessity, Keane. You cannot go through life entirely on your own.”

Alexys frowned and muttered, “I never said I wanted to.”

Her petulance was interrupted by the burning of her other hand. She hissed and jerked, but Nic once again held her wrist in a firm grip. Alexys surrendered and let her forehead drop to rest against his shoulder.

“You’re a terrible patient,” he said with a soft laugh. “It’s notthatbad.”

“Liar. It’s the worst.” She felt him lift her hand and closed her eyes to brace for what she knew would come next.

His warm breath blew across her palm, and goosebumps broke out over her skin.

She kept her eyes closed. Tried not to shiver. Failed miserably. Alexys felt Nic’s laughter when he blew on her hand again and caused her stomach to perform a full somersault.

“Quit doing that.” Alexys lifted her head so she could properly glare at him. “Give me my hands back. You’ve done enough damage.”

“Oh, good. She’s back.” Nic’s smile was far too mischievous for her liking. Like he was enjoying an inside joke she wasn’t privy to. “I was worried a little antiseptic had robbed you of your spark.” The word “spark” struck her, and Alexys could feel her traitorous heart swell. It sounded like admiration, and she liked the idea of Nic admiring her more than she was ready to admit.

“I can’t be taken down that easily.”

The look he gave her said just how little he agreed with that statement.