Page 12 of Fracture

She nodded, lifting her hospital gown out of the way while Karli looped the bra around Lorelei’s stomach. It wasn’t too tight, but after days of not wearing a bra, and five fractured ribs, it wasn’t comfortable either.

“Are you okay?” Karli asked.

“I will be, but that’s just different. It hurts like a bitch.”

“What can I do?”

Lorelei shook her head. “Nothing. I just have to heal. It’s not going to be fun until I am.”

Karli was still while Lorelei inhaled slowly and exhaled again. She did it five or six times before the pain was tolerable.

“Okay. Let’s see if we can get these girls in the sling. I don’t think I can do it myself. If you want to call a nurse, I won’t be offended.”

“Oh, please. I can lift a boob or two. Drop your gown and we’ll make it work.”

Lorelei eased the gown from her body, the rush of cold air on her bare flesh lifting her nipples to peaks. She moved to get her arms into the straps of her bra. Karli held the strap away, guiding Lorelei’s arm through the strap. Together they eased the strap up and Lorelei positioned her breast in the cup.

Karli moved to the other side just as someone knocked on the door. Before either of them could say anything, the door opened and Vinnie walked in.

“Are you—Shit!” He slapped his hand over his eyes. “I’m sorry. I should have waited. I’ll be back.” He ran into the door trying to back out of the room with his eyes covered, then closed his hand in the door.

Lorelei looked up at Karli, and both women burst out laughing.

“Did you see his face?” Karli asked. “He looked like a tomato.”

“Oh, don’t make me laugh. Ow. That hurts. And my boob is still hanging out.”

Karli choked down her laughter. “Sorry. Okay, let’s get you into your bra so we can let your guard dog back in.”

“He’s not my guard dog.” The thought made her smile.

“Uh huh.”

With her bra in place, Karli helped Lorelei pull the tank top over her head. When she was dressed and settled on the bed again, Karli opened the door to let Vinnie in.

“Are you sure?” Vinnie asked before he walked into the room.

Karli said something Lorelei couldn’t hear.

Vinnie grunted a response, then moved from the door into the room. His gaze was glued to the floor. “I apologize for not waiting until you said I could walk in. I should have thought it would take you a while. I’m truly sorry.”

“Vinnie.” She waited until he looked at her. “It’s okay. They’re just boobs.”

He choked on his next breath, and his cheeks went even redder. He nodded and moved around the bed, keeping his distance.

Lorelei smiled at Karli, and they both laughed softly.

Another knock on the now open door brought the doctor into the room. “I see you’re ready to go. Have you made your plans for where you’ll be for the next few weeks?”

Lorelei shook her head. The doctor dropped that bomb on her the day before, when they talked about her getting the hell out of the hospital. Dr. Jones said Lorelei could not be alone for longer than an hour or two for at least two weeks, maybe longer if she wasn’t improving beyond that. Besides the memory, her broken ribs were going to restrict her from doing most basic functions alone until they were mostly healed.

Dr. Jones pursed her lips and raised her brows. Then she slid her gaze to Vinnie.

He crossed his arms and met the doctor’s gaze.

“Lorelei can’t be alone. She has to have someone with her for the majority of time for the next two weeks. If that can’t be arranged, she needs to go to a rehab facility?—”

“I’ll do it,” Vinnie blurted. He uncrossed his arms and moved toward Lorelei. “If she’s okay with that. If you’d rather stay with Karli or Adam or any of the other people in Niagara Falls, I don’t want you to feel like you can’t.”

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