“Nope. I had a really hot shower, so I’m trying to cool off,” Quick said easily.
“Oh, okay. Of course. You should be comfortable in your own home.” Cayson cursed under his breath and turned around to let the device finish booting up the software. He noticed the tablet screen moving annoyingly as he tried unsuccessfully to punch in his identification and password. He was shaking. Shit. Stop it. Stop it. Be cool. Otherwise, he’d find his ass back on the curb again. Roman “Quick” Webb was just another patient. The thought was barely formed before Cayson was telling himself how much of a lie it was.
“I’m not making you uncomfortable, am I?” Quick asked, running his large hand across the top half of his chest, his nipples responding immediately. That voice. Fuck. Deep and sensual. He imagined Quick whispering in his ear. That decadent, gravelly baritone could probably bring him to the brink of orgasm without him even being touched. How he’d love to test that theory.
“No. I’m fine,” Cayson lied, swallowing a huge lump of nothing in his throat. He dropped back down and fumbled through his bag again. Gloves! He’d put on gloves to limit the skin on skin contact. Start with the basics. Still urging himself to stay calm, Cayson took out a traditional blood pressure cuff and slid it up Quick’s corded forearm and over his tattooed biceps. The cuff was barely large enough. Cayson probably squeezed the bulb harder than needed, but he appreciated the distraction for his hands. The Velcro crackled and popped as it inflated, but Cayson masterfully adjusted the valve and was able to get a good reading on the gauge. He recorded the numbers and jotted a couple notes down on a small pad. He’d record the details properly in a file later.
Back down on one knee next to Quick’s plush armrest, Cayson continued his thorough exam. With his stethoscope secured around his neck and the ear pieces snug in his ear canals, he gently placed the diaphragm over Quick’s lungs, applying a little pressure on the bell. He whispered softly, “Breathe deep for me, Roman.” Sharp green eyes focused on his every move as Quick’s chest rose and fell with his breaths. He usually didn’t mind being scrutinized, he was too damn good at his job to be nervous, but Quick’s undivided attention had him shaking like a leaf. Cayson listened for any wheezes or crackles, satisfied after a minute or so that Quick didn’t have any constrictions or fluid in his lungs. He listened longer to the lub-dub sounds of Quick’s heart, noting no murmurs. Last was his abdomen.
Cayson angled his face away from Quick’s eyes and tried to calm his hands, but when he moved down Quick’s torso, he became too aware of how sexy his body was. Just examine him like normal. Cayson gingerly placed the bell of his stethoscope over the fine, straight hairs covering Quick’s rippled stomach. Even through his gloves, the hair was silky and smooth to the touch. Cayson groaned inwardly. No matter how much he tried to avoid touching, his wrists and forearms continuously grazed Quick’s belly while he listened. He needed to focus on the distinctive gurgling of the stomach, not how much hair was below that low-riding waistband.
Cayson closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to will his erection to stop growing, because when he’d braved a look further down Quick’s body, he noticed a pretty prominent bulge through those thin pants. What the hell? Was Quick fucking with him so Cayson would slip up and then Quick could throw him out again? Deciding to ignore it, Cayson yanked off his stethoscope and moved on to the X-ray tablet. He needed to get this exam over with. He’d make sure Quick wasn’t dying and then hightail it out of there before he got his feelings hurt… like usual.
Scribbling hastily in his notepad, Cayson picked up the tablet and pushed the necessary keys to start the imaging. He slowly moved the tablet over Quick’s chest and stomach, paying extra close attention to the clear images on the screen. He noted each bone in his upper torso. Glad his mind was fully focused, Cayson quickly found the small, hairline fractures on ribs seven and eight, but no other signs of breaks or floating segments. That was a very good thing. Duke and Vaughan could rest assured that Quick would heal and be on his way to kicking ass again in no time. He wanted to tell him to be careful. Don’t take stupid risks. There was a shortage of gorgeous, older men in this world, and it’d be a damn shame to lose him or Duke.
Cayson removed the latex gloves with an audible snap before he asked Quick to roll over onto the side without the fractures. He palpitated the area around some significant bruising, but Quick didn’t make a sound. “Any tenderness here?” Cayson asked, pressing a little more firmly around Quick’s kidneys.