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even as she flailed her wrist back and forth from the obvious pain , megan still managed to bellow , `` get the hell out of here . |
now . '' |
dev stared at her in shock as he rubbed his jaw . |
`` crazy bitch , '' he muttered , before stalking off . |
when megan turned to him , her glowering expression faded to one of concern . |
`` you 're bleeding ! '' |
she cried , rushing for him . |
his hand came up to grip his cheek . |
surprise flooded him when he felt wetness . |
dev must 've hit him harder than he thought . |
he slid his jaw back and forth , causing him to grimace at the popping sound . |
`` come here , '' megan said , grabbing his hand . |
she started leading him over to one of the examining rooms , but he jerked back . |
`` i do n't need all this fuss . '' |
megan shook her head . |
`` we need to get you cleaned up . '' |
resignedly , he followed her into the room . |
for the first time in a long time , he found himself on the opposite line of care . |
he eased down onto the examining table . |
`` really , megan , this is n't necessary . '' |
as she busied herself taking out gauze , cotton balls , and antiseptic , she replied , `` quit your bitchin ' . '' |
she glanced over her shoulder at him . |
at what must have been his incredulous expression at her word choice , she grinned . |
`` that 's right . |
just shut up and let me take care of you . '' |
`` when you put it like that , how can i not ? '' |
he teased . |
her laughter warmed his heart . |
deep down , he was pleased to find her so attentive to him . |
she obviously really cared about him if she insisted on cleaning him up . |
or was she just attentive because she was a great nurse ? |
but then there was the fact she punched dev for insulting him . |
of course , that was also mortifying . |
did that mean she questioned his manhood since he did n't go toe-to-toe with his brother ? |
god , what she must think of him now . |
as he allowed megan to treat his cuts , his thoughts turned to dev 's last verbal punch . |
he grimaced about dev 's alluding to the fact he was in love with a ghost . |
was that what stopped megan from believing his attraction to her ? |
was she really hiding her commitment phobia behind a belief that he was still completely in love with his wife ? |
his feelings gave him away when megan asked , `` are you hurting ? '' |
`` no , i 'm fine . '' |
when she gave him a skeptical look , he replied , `` it 's more the fact that i 'm angry than i am physically hurt . '' |
`` so what exactly was all that about ? '' |
she asked , as she dabbed some antiseptic along his jawline . |
he winced when the medication hit the broken skin . |
`` my brother is angry with me . '' |
megan snorted . |
`` no shit . '' |
she held the cotton ball frozen as she eyed him curiously . |
`` what i 'm wondering is what got him so fired up that he would stomp into a hospital , call you out , and then punch you ? |
you are the last person on earth i would imagine being in a fight . '' |
`` the reason is so cliche , '' he murmured . |
`` enlighten me , '' she urged . |
`` he 's a petulant child who did n't get his way-he 's lashing out at me because he thinks it 's all my fault . '' |
`` i heard the name mia . |
was it all about a woman ? '' |
`` yes , that 's why i called it cliche . '' |
he sucked in a harsh breath before filling megan in about what all had transpired between him , dev , and mia . |
`` wow , '' she murmured , when he finished . |
`` i suppose that is all one can say about the situation . '' |
`` you were awfully kind to take care of her like you did-i mean , with both her abusive ex-boyfriend and dev . '' |
he shrugged . |
`` what else was i supposed to do ? |
i cared for her , and i wanted to see her happy . '' |
at the look that flashed in megan 's eyes , he quickly added , `` there was no amorous love between us . |
i was happily married at the time , and she desperately needed someone to be strong for her . '' |
megan cupped his unhurt cheek in her hand . |
`` you really are the most decent man i 've ever known . '' |
`` i do n't know about that , '' he murmured . |
`` you truly are . '' |
she shook her head . |
`` no wonder women are so crazy about you . |
it 's one thing for you to be so good-looking and a smart doctor , but then when you add in the fact of how sweet , caring , and compassionate you are , it 's like you 're a triple threat . '' |
she turned to throw the cotton ball into the trash can . |
his heartbeat thrummed louder and louder at her words while he sat unblinking and unmoving . |
part of him wanted to rail at her for not seeing him like all the other women did . |
if she truly saw what others did , then she would want to date him , would n't she ? |
why could n't she see how good he could be for her ? |
when megan met his tense gaze , she jerked back and momentarily faltered by dropping the piece of gauze in her hand . |
she quickly deposited the soiled one in the trash and then got another one . |
`` so this mia chick , she 's run off with some drummer , huh ? '' |
she asked , clearly trying to change the subject and lighten the mood in the room . |
`` not just any drummer . |
a famous one at that . '' |
`` really ? |
what band ? '' |
pesh 's cocked his head as he tried remembering . |
`` something train . '' |
megan gasped . |
`` not runaway train ? '' |
he snapped his fingers . |
`` that 's it . '' |
clapping her hand to her chest , megan 's eyes widened . |
`` you know someone who knows aj resendiz ? '' |
pesh laughed . |
`` i suppose i do if you consider that 's mia 's fiance . '' |
`` that is so wild . |
i love that band . '' |
`` i 'll see if i can get you an autograph . '' |
with a squeal , megan said , `` really ? |
Subsets and Splits