The shower
ordeal, complete with its embarrassment behind her, Mercedes scrutinized Dr.
Whipple, gauging his sincerity and squaring her shoulders to defend her
position. She wasn't bailing on Trevor or his care. She intended to do whatever
therapy he needed to recover, just not his 'private man stuff.'
"I'm
not a nurse and if you want me to build a trust between Trevor and myself, it
can't happen again. Once was humorous but twice would be demoralizing for both
of us."
"Then
we will make some changes."
Whatever
the changes were that Dr. Whipple intended to make, they couldn't come soon
enough. Mercedes convinced Cedric to come to Trevor's home about the time
Trevor got up to help him with his daily toilet for the next few days.
On a
morning Mercedes couldn't sleep, she arose and dressed. Her reflection in the
mirror showed dark circles under her eyes. Sleep consistently eluded her since
that first night when Trevor had fallen and needed her help. She tied her hair
up in a messy bun, put on a cool lavender top and clean yoga pants. She took a
moment to collect her thoughts and strengthen her resolve to be professional.
Her first item of business this morning was to check on Trevor.
She eased
his bedroom door open just far enough to see him. He lay on his back, the bed
sheet covering his lower torso and legs. His well-tanned chest was bare to the
warmth of the open air. She stood there, transfixed. She closed her eyes long
enough for her memory of the water from the shower running down his chest,
swirling its delicate fingers around the trail of hair from his chest to his,
well… She felt heat rush to her cheeks. …His nether regions. Her eyes popped open as if to capture the
fleeting image in the reality of the moment.
He looked
so serene. Sleeping, like he was now, he didn't appear paralyzed but like a
tanned god, even though in a relaxed state, his pectoral muscles appeared well
defined. A sexy gathering of chest hair
decorated his chest just as it had in the shower. In the dim light of his room
the hair appeared a slightly different shade from his beard. She hadn't noticed
that before, she'd been too entangled in keeping her eyes off his bits. If she
stepped closer, she could touch the stubble of his beard. She willed her feet
to stay put, as a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. His beard wasn't all
she could touch.
Don't get
involved, she told herself. Her reprimand did little good. Tiny Porsche needled
her incessantly about giving up what could have proven a regular private ogling
session. The tiny minion even hinted at the possible fringe benefits.
Mercedes
rubbed her fingernails across the tips of her thumbs wondering what it would be
like to rake her fingers through his chest hair and the narrow trail of sparse
hairs. Just as on that morning in the bathroom with guaranteed privacy, she
looked but managed not to touch. She licked her lips, moistening them. With a
sigh of longing, she stepped back, pulling the door shut just enough to block
out the light from the lights in the great room.
Time to
start the coffee. Scott, Trevor's new day nurse, would arrive within the next
hour. She reached for a blend of roasted French vanilla and started the coffee,
savoring its rich aroma.
