Page 51 of Dark Shaman: Love Found
"I was excellent at it. It requires similar skills to nursing, like reading people, managing difficult personalities, and cleaning up messes."
"Is that what I am? A difficult personality?"
"You're definitely something." She turned them around. "But I've had much worse patients."
"Now I'm offended. I pride myself on being the worst."
"You'll have to try harder, then. I once had a Guardian who I had to tie to a bed so he wouldn't walk out of the operating room."
"Kinky."
"Medical restraints." She smiled. "Can you do another round?"
Tim nodded. His legs were shaking now, his muscles protesting the unprecedented activity. But Hildegard was beside him, close enough that he could smell her perfume and feel the warmth radiating from her body. That was motivation enough.
This deep in the clinic, with no one around, he was acutely aware of how alone they were.
He could kiss her.
The thought came unbidden, sending his heart rate spiking in a way that had nothing to do with physical exertion. If he just turned his head and closed that small distance between them, he could finally do what he'd been fantasizing about since she'd first called him Sleeping Beauty.
"You okay?" Hildegard asked, apparently noticing his distraction. "Need a break?"
"No, I'm good," he lied, forcing his feet to keep moving.
They reached the door, and as Hildegard put in the code to open it, Tim leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath without being too obvious about it. His whole body was trembling with exhaustion, but there was also exhilaration.
"You did great," Hildegard said, sounding proud of him as if he had done something worth mentioning. "Tomorrow, we'll go a little farther."
"Looking forward to it," he said, and meant it.
They made the return journey slowly, Tim's energy flagging with each step. By the time they reached his room, he was leaning heavily on Hildegard, her arm solid around his waist.
"Straight to bed," she ordered, helping him sit on the edge. "You pushed hard today."
"Worth it," he managed between breaths.
"Do you want to undress?"
He didn't have the energy. "No, I'm fine. Maybe later."
She busied herself checking his vitals, fingers gentle on his wrist as she counted his pulse. This close, he could see the way her eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks.
"Hildegard?"
"Hmm?" She didn't look up from his wrist.
He wanted to say something meaningful, something that would convey how he felt about her, but words tangled in his throat. The guy with the sharp tongue was suddenly tongue-tied.
"You smell nice," he said.
She looked up, her blue eyes meeting his, and for a moment, something passed between them—understanding maybe or recognition.
"Thank you." She helped him settle back against the pillows.
16
RUVON
