“Right. Let’s test you again in five minutes and see how you are. Now I want you to lie on your side away from me and curl your legs up to your chest.”
She gave him a suspicious look. “Why?”
“I’m going to take your temperature.”
“But why do I need to roll on my side away from you for you to put the thermometer in my ear?”
“Because I’m going to use a rectal thermometer.”
“Can’t you just use the ear thermometer?” she complained.
“Nope. This is more accurate and since you’re chilled, it’s what I’ll be using. It won’t hurt.”
“Oh God, I can’t believe this is happening,” she groaned as she rolled over and curled her legs up.
“Good girl,” Doc praised. “Linc, do you want to sit on the sofa with Marisol so you can comfort her?”
Linc didn’t say anything as he raised her up then sat with her head in his lap. She tried to look up at him, but the angle wasn’t great. She felt Doc raise the blankets then lower her yoga pants.
He parted her bottom cheeks.
She squeaked.
“Relax,” Doc told her. “Linc? You still with us?”
“Sorry,” Linc muttered, then he glanced down at her, running his fingers over her scalp. “Just relax, Mari-girl. It will be over with quickly.”
Something wet and cool was pressed to her back hole, the thermometer was pushed inside her. She shuddered. It didn’t hurt, but it was the fact that Doc was doing it.
“Good girl. You’re doing well,” Doc told her kindly. “Did you go outside just dressed in a hoodie and yoga pants?”
Linc growled as he asked that.
“Yes. I wasn’t planning to be out long. I was just going to wash the windows then get down.”
“Bet you won’t do that again,” he replied as he slid out the thermometer. “Linc will see to that. Temperature is fine.”
Linc let out a relieved sigh as Doc fixed her pants. She rolled over and Linc slid out from under her.
“I have some good news, your new pump and monitor will be here tomorrow or day after. I’ll let you know when and you can come to my clinic. Also, Caley was very happy with your beta reading. I think she’s going to ask you if you’ll do it for all her books.”
“Really?” Happiness filled her and she smiled up at Linc. But he just stared down at her tensely, as though he wasn’t listening to them.
She pushed back the blankets, feeling stifled. He reached down and pulled them back up.
“Linc, I’m too hot.”
“Leave them. You could have gotten hypothermia. You could have frozen to death up there. Or fallen and broken your neck. You could have had a seizure. Gone into a coma.”
Doc sighed then had her check her blood sugar again. “Linc, Marisol could use a warm drink. Maybe a small hot chocolate.”
“Shit. Fuck.” Linc stomped into the kitchen.
“Hmm, he doesn’t usually swear much.”
She winced. “He’s upset.”
“That much is obvious. You’re in a world of trouble once you’re feeling better, sweetie.”
Yeah, that’s what she figured too.
“Your blood sugar is better, though. Eat something. And keep a close eye on it, okay?”
Linc returned carrying her baby bottle filled with hot chocolate.
“Linc,” she groaned.
He just glared down at Doc who was packing up. “What’s going on? Is she okay? Does she need to go to the hospital?”
“Nope. Keep her warm but not too hot. I think six blankets might be overkill. We just tested her blood sugar level and it’s gone up. Just keep a bit of an eye on her today but she’s going to be fine.”
“Really? You’re sure I shouldn’t do anything else for her?” Linc asked.
“Well, given her behavior, she’d benefit from a hot ass,” Doc said dryly.
She gasped and glared up at the doctor.
“Oh, she’ll get that. Once she’s feeling better,” Linc agreed. “I’ll walk you out.”
He handed her the baby bottle. “Drink, teeny.”
32
Marisol waited until they’d both left to take a few sips from the bottle. She hugged Princess Nana tight. It was a relief to be off that roof. Even if she did have a punishment coming to her. She pushed back the blankets with a sigh. She was way too hot.
She heard voices murmuring in the hallway and even though she knew she shouldn’t, she found herself tiptoeing out so she could listen in.
“She’s going to be fine, Linc. She’s been managing her diabetes on her own for a long time. And I know you’re helping her even more. This was just a mistake.”
“She could have slipped off that roof and died. What if it had been hours more until someone found her. I could have lost her.” There was a broken note in his voice and she froze.
“That didn’t happen. You didn’t lose her.”
“But I could have. How am I supposed to fucking close my eyes tonight and not see her falling to her death?”
“Just don’t think about it.”
“That’s great advice, Doc,” Linc said sarcastically.
“Archer is the words man. You want flowery advice, go to him. Look, I get it. But you can’t spend your life thinking of what ifs. You’ve got to appreciate what you have right now. Take care of her, but don’t smother her. Watch her, but don’t obsess over her. Got me?”
“She is everything to me. If I lost her, I don’t know what I would do . . .”
The words hit her hard. She could hear the starkness in his voice.
“Because you love her.”
“Of course I fucking do. I’ve never felt like this about anyone.”
“Scary fucking thing loving someone. But you can’t protect them from everything. Coddle her. Spank her. Make her promise not to climb up on any more roofs. Then keep moving forward. Don’t let this eat you up or you’ll push her away.”
“I thought Archer was the one with the good advice.”
“Archer is the one with the flowery fucking advice. You want to talk about your emotions, go to him. Me, I’m the practical one. I’ll tell you when to pull your head in and stop being an ass. Go back to her. You need to watch her closely for a few days then that’s what you do. But like I said, don’t let it consume you. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Thanks, appreciate it.”
“I take payment in beer or scotch. None of those froufrou drinks.”
She scrambled back to the sofa as she heard the door open. She grabbed a blanket and pulled it over her lap. She was picking up the bottle as Linc walked back in. He frowned as he looked at the drink.
“You haven’t drunk any.”
“I had a bit.”
He had her scoot down so he could sit behind her on the sofa, then he drew her onto his lap and grabbed the bottle. She lay back against his arm as she slowly sipped the warm drink.
Finally, he pulled it away from her and stared down at her. “You scared me today.”
“I know. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to help you. I knew you wanted them clean and didn’t have time to do it.”