Page 10 of Healing the Leonid Doctor's Heart
Abigail’s cheeks flushed.Oh, yeah. The sex part. Him and me. Doing the biological things that are necessary to make cubs. But it would be medical, and respectful. Probably brief. An action between friends, like helping dress someone who has a bad bout of interplanetary flu.“It’s not inappropriate. Is it?”
“Abi, that doesn’t answer the question!” he hissed.
“I can’t believe anything so wonderful would ever happen to me. That I would have a desire—to be a surrogate—and that desire would mesh with yours. What a happy coincidence.”
Marcus nodded at her. “Fate. Miraculous, some would call it,” he said, eyes suddenly closed over.
“So, I’m not one to throw away a miracle. Let’s look into it!” Abigail said, clapping her hands together once, hoping her broad smile would outshine the nervous shaking in her voice. Too old to be scared. Right?
“Okay! Let’s look into it!”
“Yes!” She held out her hand.
Marcus clasped it in both of his paws and pumped her arm so hard she thought he might pull it off. “Yes!” he roared.
Dax pushed his head through the examination bay door, not bothering to ask permission. “Doc! Abigail! Wendy and the baby are trying to rest, and Talos is going to come over here and tear you to pieces if you wake the baby! Shhh!” He put a finger to his lips and glared.
If there was something the sweet, young man couldn’t quite manage, it was looking serious. His pursed lips and lowered brows only made a loud guffaw of laughter burst from her.
Abigail bit her lip and tried to muffle the laughter, but Dax didn’t help, throwing up his hands and practically pouting!
“Geez! Doc, what’d you do to her?” Dax demanded.
Abigail and Marcus exchanged a look. This wouldn’t be secret for long, but for now, she really hoped Marcus wouldn’t tell everyone. What if she couldn’t get pregnant? What if she took off her clothes and he found her so unattractive he couldn’t even fathom sexual intercourse with her, a puny human, when his wife had been one of those gorgeous Servali Queens?
“Hm? Nothing. I just... We’re just celebrating our friendship. This is my friend, Abigail.”
“Ohhh, shit. Did you take something, Doc? Is one of the anesthetic tanks leaking?” Dax eased his way in, biting his lip and reaching for the exam light in his pocket. “Say ‘ah.’”
“Stop that!” Marcus shooed the young man away. “I didn’t take anything. We’re perfectly healthy.”
“Yes, we’re grand. It’s not every day you find out someone you admire so much considers you a very dear friend.”A friend who will share a child with you...
Dax cocked his head in confusion. “Wait, Abigail didn’t know you liked her? I thought everyone knew that.”
“You have patients to see to,” Marcus said quickly, launching at Dax with his paws outstretched.
Wait. Likes me?
She felt like a silly schoolgirl with a crush. Of course, Dax must have misunderstood.
But Dax ducked under Marcus’ arm, shaking his head. “I thought you two were a couple since like—I don’t know. Pretty much the start. You always sit next to each other at dinner. Around here, that’s like putting on an engagement ring.”
Marcus glowered at his assistant. “That’s enough, Dax.”
“I’m sorry! It’s just obvious to anyone with eyes—no offense, Abi.”
The Leonid grabbed Dax by the collar, steering him back towards the exit. “Sometimes it’s just friendship.”
“Oh, I guess. Maybe at your age. No offense, Marcus.”
“Offense has been taken,” Marcus snarled. “Speaking of age and a basic inability to notice what’s right in front of him, I’m sure thatyou’venoticed that Skyla is waiting for you to formally acknowledge your feelings for her?” Marcus crossed his arms.
“Me? Skyla? No! No, no, Doc. We’re just friends. She’swaaaayout of my orbit, and I’m no fool.”
Marcus scrubbed his hands through his mane. “With respect, you are a colossal fool. She likes you, idiot. I mean that in the kindest possible way, Dax. Go read up on Canid courtship signals, particularly the way females act when they want a man to take action. And mind your own business.”
Abigail watched Dax sag into the nearest chair, toppling empty hemoanylzer tubes and specimen cups sitting in their sterile rows as he did so.
