Sanctuary

pressing ever so gently on his larynx. He quickly decided to stop making obscene suggestions to me and the nursing staff. Now you want to look at the lilies again, Brian.”
    He paled. “What have you got behind your back?”
    “Just look at the lilies.”
    “Oh, Christ.” He turned his head, then a moment later yelped and jerked.
    “Brian, that was the alcohol swab. This’ll be over in ten seconds. You’re going to feel a prick.”
    He hissed. “A prick, my ass. What are you using, an upholstery needle?”
    “There, all done.” She smoothed a bandage over the needle prick, then sat down to wrap his hand. “Keep this dry. I’ll change the dressing for you when it needs it. In about ten days, two weeks, we’ll see about taking the stitches out.”
    “Won’t that be fun?”
    “Here.” She reached in the pocket of her smock and took out a Tootsie Pop. “For being such a good boy.”
    “I know sarcasm when I hear it, but I’ll take the sucker.”
    She unwrapped it for him, stuck it in his mouth. “Take a couple of aspirin,” she advised. “The local’s going to wear off quickly and it’s going to hurt some. You want to get ahead of the pain, not chase it.”
    “Aren’t you going to kiss it?”
    “I suppose.” She lifted his hand, touched her lips lightly to the gauze. “Be more careful with your kitchen tools,” she told him. “I like your hands just the way they are.”
    “Then I don’t suppose you’d object if I moseyed on over here later tonight, wrestled you one-handed to the floor, and tore your clothes off.”
    “I don’t suppose I would.” She leaned forward until her lips met his, then with a little sigh lingered there. “The sooner the better.”
    Brian glanced over at the examination table, and his grin spread slowly. “Well, since I’m here now, maybe you should give me a complete physical. Haven’t had one in a couple, three years. You could wear your stethoscope. Just your stethoscope.”
    The idea made a nice curl of lust slide into her stomach. “The doctor is in,” she began, then came back to earth when she heard the outside door open. “But I’ll have to give you an evening appointment.” She eased back, then stood to remove the tray. “I’ve had a morning full of chicken pox, and that’s my next patient.”
    He didn’t want to go, he realized. He wanted to sit there and watch her. He wanted to study her, the competent way she handled her instruments, the brisk and graceful way she moved. So he stalled and did just that.
    “Who’s got the chicken pox?”
    “Who under ten doesn’t, is more like it. We’re at seven and counting.” She glanced around. “Have you had it?”
    “Oh, yeah, the three of us got it at the same time. I think I was nine, so that would have made Jo about six, Lex just under three. I guess my mother went through a couple of gallons of calamine.”
    “Must have been great fun for all of you.”
    “It wasn’t so bad, after the first couple of days. My father went over to the mainland and brought back this huge box of Lincoln Logs, at least a dozen coloring books, and that jumbo box of Crayolas, Barbie dolls, Matchbox cars.”
    Because the memory made him sentimental, Brian shrugged. “I guess he was desperate to keep us all occupied.”
    And to give your mother a little peace, Kirby mused. “I imagine three sick kids are pretty hard to handle. Sounds like he had the right idea.”
    “Yeah, I guess they worked through it together. I used to think that was the way it was with them. Until she took off.” Telling himself it didn’t matter, he stood up. “I’ll get out of your way. Thanks for the repair job.”
    Because his eyes looked suddenly sad, she framed his face in her hands and kissed him lightly. “I’ll bill you. But the physical we’ve scheduled ... that’s free.”
    It made him smile. “That’s quite a deal.”
    He turned to the door. He didn’t look back at her, and the words just seemed to come out before he considered them or knew they were there. “I think I’m falling in love with you, Kirby. I don’t know what we’re going to do about that either.”
    He walked out quickly, leaving her staring. She eased herself down on her stool and decided her next patient was just going to have to wait another moment or two. Until the doctor got her breath back.
     
     
    JUST before sunset, Kirby took a walk on the beach. She needed some quiet time, she told herself, just a little space to think before Brian