sex. When she came back, she had an armload of supplies and handed him two pills. “Swallow those.” She dumped the items on the bed and went to work, and even though it stung and Jim cursed several times, he could tell she was being as gentle as possible.
Watching her work, the way her fingers moved deftly but carefully over his leg and shot electric sparks through his body, Jim smiled. Maybe the scenario wasn’t perfect, and maybe they’d end up still hating each other enough to call it quits in a couple of weeks. But for now, he could handle all the bad blood between them to get the good. Moments like this were worth the hassle, and Jim thought that, maybe, it was the answer to healing his internal wounds as much as this little spitfire was intent on fixing the ones on the outside.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Susan sat in her car in front of the ostentatious house and stared at it. She wished she didn’t have to go in. But she’d made the commitment, so she heaved a reluctant sigh and grabbed her makeshift medical bag.
As she approached the structure, which was reminiscent of the White House, she curled her lip in disgust. She’d hated living here as a child, and she hated it now. Her mother had insisted on a house that stood out, and she’d gotten her wish, setting the family in probably the most unimaginative mansion she could find.
Susan knocked on the huge carved wooden door, something she doubted most people did when returning ‘home,’ and half-expected a butler in a shiny tuxedo to answer, bowing his bald head as he admitted her. Instead, her mother opened the monstrosity. Susan hadn’t thought the tiny woman capable of moving something that large and solid.
“Hello, darling!” her mother gushed, spreading her arms, bracelets jingling. She hugged Susan as if nothing was wrong and wore a bright smile.
Susan patted her mother’s back with her free hand and backed away as quickly as possible. “How is Dad this morning?”
Her mother’s face fell into a mask of pity. “Oh, darling, I’m so worried!” She moved aside, and Susan finally stepped inside the marble foyer. Her mother’s voice echoed off the empty walls and vaulted ceiling. “He didn’t eat last night, and he was in so much pain. He’s done nothing but doze this morning since breakfast, and his breathing is raspy.”
Susan traipsed after her mother, whose hands fluttered as she walked quickly. Ever the drama queen . They climbed the winding staircase to the master suite, and Susan stopped dead in her tracks.
That couldn’t be her father lying in the oversized California king bed. Amidst luxurious piles of pillows, the man in the bed was gaunt, pale, and seemed frail enough to break a bone just by turning his head. The man Susan remembered was large, muscled, and intimidating.
“Dad?”
He turned to look at her, coughing, and she could see the yellow tint of his skin when she approached. Jaundice? She swung her head around to scowl at her mother. “How long has he been sick?”
She recognized her mother’s guilt instantly as the woman stuttered and refused to meet her gaze. “I’ve told him for over a week now he should see a doctor. But he insists he doesn’t trust any of them.”
Her father laughed behind her, the sound rattling his lungs.“They’re all drunks,” he wheezed. “They’re going to tell me it’s because I drink too much. It’s compromised my immune system, and I just can’t seem to kick the damn cold. That’s all, sweetcheeks.”
Horrified and angry, Susan shook her head and addressed her mother in a cold tone. “It’s not even nine in the morning. Are you really serving him booze at this time of day?”
“It eases his pain, darling. I—”
“You’re an enabler,” she interrupted. Her brow wrinkled as she studied her father again. “Just because you made mistakes doesn’t mean all doctors are going to risk their careers like you
Watching her work, the way her fingers moved deftly but carefully over his leg and shot electric sparks through his body, Jim smiled. Maybe the scenario wasn’t perfect, and maybe they’d end up still hating each other enough to call it quits in a couple of weeks. But for now, he could handle all the bad blood between them to get the good. Moments like this were worth the hassle, and Jim thought that, maybe, it was the answer to healing his internal wounds as much as this little spitfire was intent on fixing the ones on the outside.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Susan sat in her car in front of the ostentatious house and stared at it. She wished she didn’t have to go in. But she’d made the commitment, so she heaved a reluctant sigh and grabbed her makeshift medical bag.
As she approached the structure, which was reminiscent of the White House, she curled her lip in disgust. She’d hated living here as a child, and she hated it now. Her mother had insisted on a house that stood out, and she’d gotten her wish, setting the family in probably the most unimaginative mansion she could find.
Susan knocked on the huge carved wooden door, something she doubted most people did when returning ‘home,’ and half-expected a butler in a shiny tuxedo to answer, bowing his bald head as he admitted her. Instead, her mother opened the monstrosity. Susan hadn’t thought the tiny woman capable of moving something that large and solid.
“Hello, darling!” her mother gushed, spreading her arms, bracelets jingling. She hugged Susan as if nothing was wrong and wore a bright smile.
Susan patted her mother’s back with her free hand and backed away as quickly as possible. “How is Dad this morning?”
Her mother’s face fell into a mask of pity. “Oh, darling, I’m so worried!” She moved aside, and Susan finally stepped inside the marble foyer. Her mother’s voice echoed off the empty walls and vaulted ceiling. “He didn’t eat last night, and he was in so much pain. He’s done nothing but doze this morning since breakfast, and his breathing is raspy.”
Susan traipsed after her mother, whose hands fluttered as she walked quickly. Ever the drama queen . They climbed the winding staircase to the master suite, and Susan stopped dead in her tracks.
That couldn’t be her father lying in the oversized California king bed. Amidst luxurious piles of pillows, the man in the bed was gaunt, pale, and seemed frail enough to break a bone just by turning his head. The man Susan remembered was large, muscled, and intimidating.
“Dad?”
He turned to look at her, coughing, and she could see the yellow tint of his skin when she approached. Jaundice? She swung her head around to scowl at her mother. “How long has he been sick?”
She recognized her mother’s guilt instantly as the woman stuttered and refused to meet her gaze. “I’ve told him for over a week now he should see a doctor. But he insists he doesn’t trust any of them.”
Her father laughed behind her, the sound rattling his lungs.“They’re all drunks,” he wheezed. “They’re going to tell me it’s because I drink too much. It’s compromised my immune system, and I just can’t seem to kick the damn cold. That’s all, sweetcheeks.”
Horrified and angry, Susan shook her head and addressed her mother in a cold tone. “It’s not even nine in the morning. Are you really serving him booze at this time of day?”
“It eases his pain, darling. I—”
“You’re an enabler,” she interrupted. Her brow wrinkled as she studied her father again. “Just because you made mistakes doesn’t mean all doctors are going to risk their careers like you
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