Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 105868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“Actually, I’d like some privacy.” He winked at Ivy. “Although you’re the prettiest nurse I’ve ever seen.”
Ivy blushed a pretty red. Even so, her gaze swung to May and her body appeared alert. “I don’t mind staying.”
Yeah. The woman had excellent instincts.
“I’m sorry, but it’s a personal matter, and I only feel comfortable discussing it with my doctor,” Kyle said smoothly.
“I’m not your doctor,” May retorted. “I’m here on an emergency basis because, apparently, if I had to guess, you punched a wall. But I’m not your doctor. Can’t be. Sorry.” She wasn’t. Not at all. Her blood thrummed, her body buzzing like it wasn’t fully her own. She knew the feeling of a warded-off panic attack better than anyone. Her chest felt tight and she could barely keep her hands steady.
“I think I should stay here,” Ivy said. “Believe me, anything you say is confidential.”
May cut her a quick smile. She’d been smart to hire the nurse.
“I have a medical issue, and you’re the only doctor in town. I might be a United States senator, but my taxes do help pay your salary,” he said, watching May.
Irritation clocked through her. “As a United States senator, you don’t pay taxes.”
Ivy gasped softly. “Is that true? Do senators not pay taxes like the rest of us?”
Kyle chuckled, relaxed, as if this were cocktail conversation instead of a standoff in a cramped exam room. “No, it actually is not true. That’s a rumor. Not even remotely true. I’m subject to federal and state taxes, as well as Social Security, Medicare taxes, and all the other taxes everybody else has to pay. You hear this myth a lot. I think it’s because before 1984 we didn’t have to pay Social Security or something like that, but we do now.”
Ivy leaned back against the counter. “I bet you have good work-related benefits, though.”
He nodded. “We do. We have housing allowances that are very limited, some travel deductions, and decent retirement plans. But other than that, we pay just as many taxes as anybody else.”
“Oh,” Ivy said, mollified. “I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah, a lot of people believe that old rumor. It’s all right.” His humor faded, replaced by intensity. “Now please, may I have a medical consultation?”
May crossed her arms. The posture was defensive and she knew it, but she didn’t care. “Unless it’s an emergency, no. I can’t be your doctor, Kyle.” She wouldn’t be. Ever.
“It is an emergency.”
May looked him over. His breathing was even. No tremor. No pallor. He appeared just as healthy as ever. “You don’t seem to be in distress.”
“Like I said, it’s a matter I can’t wait to discuss with my real doctor, and it could be an issue.” He cast what could only be called an apologetic glance at Ivy. “It’s very personal. If you don’t mind.”
Ivy waited, watching May, her expression both curious and intense. Definitely loyal.
Silence ticked around the room for a moment. The clinic walls were thin, the winter wind scratching faintly at the windows. Somewhere down the hall a heater clicked and then sighed.
May knew Kyle. He wouldn’t leave. Sure, she could get Ace to toss his ass out. The thought of Ace stiffened her spine. She had backup if she needed it. If she so much as squawked, Ace would be in that room in a hot minute. Oh, he had all sorts of issues, but she trusted him on that level. “Fine. It’s okay, Ivy. Please go make sure Ace isn’t bleeding all over my waiting room.” Hopefully he’d stuck around.
“Sure. I guess I could give him a bandage,” Ivy said.
May chuckled, the sound lighter than she felt. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. He’s being stubborn. Go ahead and put some gauze on him. In fact, if you want, you could apply the butterfly bandage.” She hadn’t even thought to turn Ace over to her nurse. Interesting.
“Okay.” Ivy brightened, already pivoting toward the door.
May watched her go. What was that about? Ivy seemed way too excited to slap a bandage on Ace. Not that she could blame the younger woman. To be truthful, the guy was hot. The door swung shut with a soft thud, and silence pooled in its wake, thick and uneasy.
May cleared her throat. “All right, Kyle, what’s your emergency?”
He just stared at her for a moment.
“Kyle?” she repeated, eyebrows lifting. Maybe it was his heart. She hadn’t thought he had one.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t find you, even if you fled to the middle of nowhere?” he asked.
Ah. It was this discussion. “I honestly didn’t think you’d look.”
“I searched for you for quite some time.”
“Yeah. Well, here I am. Do you have a medical emergency or do you not?”
His jaw hardened.
May took an automatic step back. She wasn’t stupid. The overhead lights cast hard shadows along his cheekbones, turning his expression into something carved and cold.