It was the second time within an hour that she was in tears and it was his fault. "Please don't cry, Sue. This is supposed to make you happy."
"I am happy," she countered, her eyes filling with tears once again as her gaze slid around the room. "You did such an amazing thing for me and look what happened to you."
"This?" he queried, holding up both hands now wrapped in gauze. "This is just a minor inconvenience so no more crying. You are supposed to be smiling."
"Do you know how scared I was when the hotel manager found Lucy and me on the beach? He told me you had been taken to the emergency room. I thought it was your heart. We couldn't get there fast enough." She clamped down on her lip to keep it from trembling. "When I walked in your room to find you lying in bed, your eyes closed..."
"Sue?" He used one wrapped hand to gently urge her head up. "I'm fine. I've had an allergic reaction to the sap of a plant. The doctor is going to take another look at my hands tomorrow and probably take the bandages off. By the wedding, I'll be good as new."
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, sighing. "I know. I understood what the doctor told me." Tilting her head back she offered him the only smile she could muster. "Thank you for the flowers, Jack. They truly are beautiful."
"Care to thank me like a proper girlfriend?" His challenge was accompanied by a comical wag of his eyebrows. He puckered his lips, closed his eyes, and waited.
She giggled at his antics, but stood on tiptoe to deliver a chaste kiss before stepping back quickly. When he sent her a mock scowl, she batted her eyelashes at him. "You did say 'like a proper girlfriend.' I'd say that was proper."
Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, he tried to pull her close only to wince.
"Oh! I almost forgot. You need to take your pain medication." She pulled from his arms and busied herself finding his prescription in her purse. She opened a bottle of water and approached him. "Open up."
He did as he was told, dutifully swallowing the pills with the water she held to his lips, snorting when he had them swallowed. "I guess I'm going be down for the count in a little while if that is anything like what they gave me in the emergency room."
She nodded, biting back a smile. "I think it is even more powerful, if I read the doctor correctly. Plus he gave you something to help you sleep since he knew you would be uncomfortable tonight."
"Then we better get started," he informed her, heading toward the bedroom door.
She stood where he left her. "Started with what?"
"I'm filthy and I smell like a hospital," he informed her, holding up his hands. "I can't do anything on my own with Q-tips for hands. I need you to help me."
"Oh," she nodded, taking a tentative step toward where he was waiting. "You need me to get your clothes for you."
"In a minute. But first I need your help getting out of these clothes and into the shower."
"But...but...but you can't get your bandages wet," she choked.
"I know," he answered patiently, an impish gleam appearing in his eyes. "That's why you'll need to shower with me….to be my hands, of course."