Page 60 of When She Loves
“Ready?” Doc asks.
She stares at the syringe. “No.”
I run my thumb over her upper arm. “Don’t look at the needle. Look at me.”
She huffs a breath before she obeys. Our eyes lock. She’s so close that I can count her freckles. She looks tired and worn out, but she’s still fucking stunning.
My wife.
My gaze drops to her lips. The doctor is saying something, but I can’t hear him over the whooshing inside my ears.
Kiss her.
Cleo sucks in a breath. “Ow.”
I tear my gaze away from her face and down to her belly.
“Just one more,” Doc says. “Okay, done. Now, I’ll sew you up.” He pulls out a needle and some medical thread.
When Cleo sees them, her eyes widen. “I’ve never had this done to me before,” she says, sounding panicked. She presses into me. “Oh fuck, oh fuck, ohhhh—”
Doc squeezes one of her wounds shut and pushes the tip of the needle into her skin.
Cleo jerks. “Fuck! That hurt!”
I have to bite back a curse aimed at Doc. My nerves are stretched taut.
“I haven’t even pierced your skin,” the man says.
“I’m pretty sure you did.”
Doc blows out a frustrated breath. “This is going to take a long time if you keep jumping every time I bring the needle close to you.”
Do something.“Do you want me to do it?” I ask.
Slowly, she turns to look at me. “You’ve done this before?”
“Yes. Many times.” Sometimes, I don’t have the luxury of having Doc a fifteen-minute drive away. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve had to stitch myself or Nero up.
I ease my arm from around Cleo and get off the bed. “I’ll take it from here, Doc. It’ll make my wife more comfortable. Why don’t you go downstairs for a bit?”
He nods. “I’ll be back in fifteen to check on how you did.”
I take Doc’s spot and pick up the needle.
Cleo squeezes her eyes shut. “I feel like such a coward.”
“A lot of people are scared of needles.”
“You’re not. You’re not fazed by any of this, are you? You were so steady back at the restaurant.”
Is that what she thinks? I didn’t feel very steady when I saw her lying on the ground covered in her own blood.
I shake off that uncomfortable thought and refocus on the task at hand. “Take a deep breath.”
She scrunches up her face. “I think I’m going to throw up.”
“You’re not. This will only take a few seconds. Breathe, Cleo. I know you’re strong enough to handle this.”
