Claimed

Don’t panic. They’re probably all at work. And if anyone does question you, you have no idea what they’re talking about.

James put the thought firmly from his mind. He had a patient to tend. He got a stack of towels from the linen closet. He used one to mop up the puddle of blood from the floor tiles, and slid the rest of them beneath her leg to elevate it. He pushed the wet strands of hair from her face and leaned close to her ear.

Gently, he shook her shoulder. “Kelsey. Kelsey, honey. Open your eyes. Everything’s okay. You shot your leg, but it’s just a flesh wound.”

She moaned as he lifted her head and placed a folded towel beneath it. Her eyelids fluttered but didn’t open. “Stay calm, stay calm,” James murmured, not sure if he was talking to Kelsey or himself. He threw a washcloth in the sink and ran water over it, squirting some liquid soap on it as well. He retrieved the first aid kit from the cabinet and returned to Kelsey’s side. Crouching again beside her, he carefully unwrapped the makeshift tourniquet from her leg.

The bleeding had stopped, which was an excellent sign that the damage wasn’t too severe. He carefully blotted the torn flesh with the damp cloth and applied a thin layer of antibiotic cream. Finally he wrapped a thick padding of gauze and bandages around her calf to hold the wound closed while it healed.

As he worked, James was surprised to realize any vestige of the rage he’d experienced the night before due to her callous rejection had evaporated. He would be bigger than that, he told himself. Kelsey needed him. He would nurse his darling girl back to health. In the process she would come to understand how much he loved her, and she would be grateful for his care and devotion. From there, it would only be a short journey to love—he was sure of it.

Just as he finished applying the bandages, Kelsey came to with a sudden cry. Her eyes fixed blankly on his face and then she winced with pain. “What happened? Oh my god! You shot me! You shot me!” She began to wail.

“Shh, Kelsey, hush, it’s okay. You’re okay. I’m taking care of you.”

Kelsey tried to twist away from him. Maneuvering himself so he was sitting behind her on the floor, James hoisted her upper body so she was leaning against his chest, and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He nuzzled her damp hair. “See what happens when you’re a bad girl? You could have killed one of us. Luckily the bullet just grazed your leg.” He kissed the side of her neck. “Now you need to calm down. You don’t want to make it start bleeding again, do you?”

Eventually Kelsey stilled in his embrace, her wails quieting to a steady whimper. James cradled her in his arms, a sense of deep well-being pervading him. He kissed her neck tenderly. Her bare breasts were perfect, her skin was so soft. He held her tight.

“I want to get you into the bed, Kelsey. I’m going to carry you, okay? I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just going to lift you into my arms and carry you into the bedroom. Don’t try anything stupid, okay? Promise?”

She nodded and he released his tight hold of her. Standing, he bent over her and lifted the lovely, naked girl into his arms, careful not to jar her wounded leg as he carried her into the bedroom.

He laid her carefully on the bed. She was trembling, though from cold or shock he wasn’t sure. He would have liked to stare for hours at her gorgeous body, but he reached for the covers and pulled them over her. When he reached down to stroke her cheek, she closed her eyes and turned her head away.

Poor darling, she was overwrought.

James stretched out beside her on the bed. Kelsey turned back toward him, her expression beseeching. “You can’t keep this up. You can’t keep me here. Jesus, James, this has gone way too far. Surely you can see that. Please, please, just let me go.”

Her voice had risen to a hysterical pitch. She tried to fling the covers from her body. She pushed ineffectually at James, and when that didn’t work, she tried to scoot down to the end of the bed. Alarmed she was going to hurt herself, James reached for her, catching her in a tight bear hug as he forced her head down to his chest.

“Kelsey, Kelsey, you need to calm down,” he urged, as he pinned down her arms against his body. “You need time to rest and recover. You have to lie still.”

Finally he let go of her. He pressed her gently but firmly against the mattress, making sure her head was comfortably resting on the pillows. “You’re being a bad girl again, Kelsey.” He smiled to take the sting out of his words and kissed the top of her head. “If you struggle like that again, I’ll have to tie you down.”