2. Prescription For Love

Since she’d waste more time arguing, Abby stepped forward with her hand out, palm up. “Your verdict, Dr. Rivers?”

Flann cupped Abby’s hand, her fingers a gentle cradle. “Not too deep, but your whole palm is scraped up. You ought to put some antibiotic ointment on it when you get downstairs.”

“I will.” Abby pulled her hand away when Flann showed no signs of letting go. They’d probably only been touching for ten seconds, but her whole arm flashed with heat. Why attention from a woman she barely knew could rock her so completely left her as shaken as the trembling in her depths. The need that pulled at her when Flann focused on her was foreign and terrifying and bittersweet.

Everything she’d forgotten how to want. “You need to keep your leg dry.”

Flann held up a big sheet of adherent plastic. “Jeannie got me this. I’ll wrap it around the dressing.”

“You’ll need help with that.”

“I’ll get Jeannie to do it.”

“I’m right here.”

“If you don’t mind.”

She minded the idea of Jeannie doing it a lot more, for some reason. “Just give me a minute to get dressed.”

“Sure.” Flann leaned against the tile wall.

Really. As if she couldn’t tell when she was being teased. Abby pointed. “Flann. Out.”

“Oh,” Flann said, her smile widening. “Just checking.”

“Well, you can stop. I’ll call you.”

Flann laughed and backed out. Abby wanted to be outraged at Flann’s outrageous presumptions and her interminable flirting, but she wasn’t really. Flann’s exuberant confidence and relentless charisma made her feel young in a way she couldn’t remember ever feeling. She must’ve, once, before she’d made a colossal mistake that had left her pregnant and also given her the greatest gift of her life. She’d lost her youth, but she’d gained so much more and had not one iota of regret. Still, Flann’s playful seductiveness woke something in her, and allowing herself a few moments’ secret pleasure couldn’t do anyone any harm. But the moment was over. She pulled on the scrubs over her bare skin and stepped into the clogs. “Ready.”

Flann came back and dropped scrubs and more towels on the floor. She untied the pair of scrub pants she’d gotten from Harper and let them slide to the floor.

The shower enclosure was steamy and very quiet. They were very much alone and Flann was not her patient now. Flann’s legs were tanned and toned, and a little bit of bare, lean midriff showed above the black briefs. Flann was a very sexy woman, and Abby was not immune.

“Okay, how do we do this?” Abby kept her gaze firmly on Flann’s face.

Flann held out the eighteen-inch square of adherent plastic. “You hold both corners on your end, and I’ll peel off the backing. Keep it tight so it doesn’t wrinkle, lay it down over the bandage, and wrap it all the way around. Make sure you get skin on both sides of it so it sticks.”

Abby had to crouch in front of Flann again, and she ordered herself back into physician mode. She grasped the plastic as directed, Flann peeled off the thin paper backing, and Abby pressed the adherent film to Flann’s thigh. Flann’s muscles jumped. “I’m sorry. You’re tender, aren’t you?”

“I’m okay. You’re doing great.”

Abby carefully wrapped the plastic around Flann’s thigh, completely enclosing the gauze bandage she’d placed earlier. When she was done, she looked up. “All right?”

Flann’s teasing grin was gone. In its place was an expression Abby had never seen directed at her before—a dark flash of hunger that flared in the shadows of Flann’s gaze.

“Really good.” Flann brushed a strand of hair from Abby’s cheek. “You do have good hands.”

Flann’s fingertips were soft and warm, and heat flowed down Abby’s body. She leaned into Flann’s palm and Flann’s fingers slid over the edge of her jaw onto her neck. Her nipples tightened. Abby swallowed. “I should get downstairs.” “I’ll be right down.” Flann didn’t move.

Abby rose. They were inches apart. Flann’s lips parted, full and moist.

“Abby—”

“Don’t forget,” Abby said, slipping around Flann. “I expect you to check in every two hours.” She didn’t wait for Flann to answer.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN