Page 23 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

Rachel chimed in. “That’s why she knows I’m not a suitablematch.”

“She’s right. I ran her blood but it’s not close enough. Jimmy’s body will reject her bone marrow. I’d like to test yours to see if it would be a goodmatch.”

“What do I have to do?” Bradyasked.

“I’ll draw some blood and test it to make sure you’ll be a good match. We don’t want Jimmy’s body to reject the transplant. That would be a disaster in his currentstate.”

“Disaster? Is that a medical term?” Brady asked with a hint ofsarcasm.

Rachel inwardly cringed. “I’m sorry.He’sjust—”

“—I just want to make sure she knows what she’s doing. I don’t know her at all and I’m trusting her to take my blood and possibly operate on me. I’ll be dammed if I don’t get to ask her a fewquestions.”

The doctor held up her hands. “Hang on. He has a perfectly reasonablequestion.”

Brady huffed. “So, do you normally try to scare the shit out of your patients, or is that honor reservedforme?”

“Brady!”

Dr. Landry smiled. “It’s okay. I’ve encountered all kinds of reactions from patients over the years. There isn’t much that you could do, say, or ask that I haven’t already heard. It’s perfectly understandable to benervous.”

“I’m not nervous,” Bradysnapped.

Rachel rolled her eyes but kept her comments to herself. She couldn’t risk having him backoutnow.

Dr. Landry said, “Let’s go to an exam room and we’ll draw some blood. I can tell you more about the procedure while wedothat.”

Brady shoved out of his chair and stood impatiently by the door. Rachel glanced at Dr. Landry, who flashed her a subtle look that said,Don’t worry, I’ll take careofhim.

Dr. Landry led them to the exam room. “Would you like her to waitoutside?”

Rachel opened her mouth to protest but before she could say anything, Brady shook hisheadno.

“She cancomein.”

After breathing a sigh of relief, she followed them into the room. Brady rolled up his sleeve while the doctor prepared a tray of wicked-looking needles and testtubes.

Dr. Landry said, “You’ll feel a pinch but that’s about it. While I’m drawing your blood, I need to tell you about the risks associated with thesurgery.”

Brady said, “I already looked them up online. I could have bleeding complications or even die. I’m well aware of what can happen, but I’m willing to taketherisk.”

Rachel looked up to find Brady staring directly at her. The expression on his face wasn’t friendly. He was still clearly pissed that she’d kept Jimmy a secret and that he had to go through a dangerous medical procedure to try to save him. Or maybe he was just pissed at her for being in his life. She dropped her gaze to the floor. How would she ever get him toforgiveher?

Dr. Landry said, “Because you’re a shifter, I’m going to have to administer a drug to keep you from shifting during the operation. Provided you’re a match, ofcourse.”

“Of course,” heparroted.

She continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “If you shift mid-procedure, you’ll put yourself and all of the staff at risk. You could die. We could die. So to prevent that from happening, I’d like your permission to give you the drug today. Wait until tomorrow morning, then try to shift. If you can shift, then we’ll have aproblem.”

“Sounds reasonable,”Rachelsaid.

Bradygrunted.

The doctor unlocked a refrigerated cabinet and retrieved a syringe filled with milky liquid. “This one might hurt a bit. Rachel, come over and holdhishand.”

Both Rachel and Brady whipped their gazes toward the doctor then at eachother.

“NO!” they saidsimultaneously.

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