STAY

Two

I had set everything out, his eyes flashed open at the sound of me putting the bowl down on the table and he frowned, yet again. "You just move when I tell you okay?" I said to him. He nodded. I wrung out the warm wet wash cloth and started with his face. Gently wiping his brow and nose and what skin was visible on his cheeks. His beard covered half his face. His eyes were closed and I was able to take in his features. He was pretty, beautiful actually, as I ran the cloth around his neck, I had to mentally shake myself from letting my mouth hang open in awe. I dropped the cloth into the water again and said, "I'm going to pull off your gown, your waist will stay covered by the sheet, okay?" I said matter of factly. He opened his eyes and nodded, he didn't shut them this time, instead watching me curiously as I pulled off the gown, leaving it to one side so I could untangle the IV line after. The sheet was covering his bottom half. I grabbed the wash cloth again and started wiping down his arms first, then his chest and stomach. I couldn't fail to notice how firm and muscular his chest and stomach were. A light smattering of hair ringed his nipples and the middle of his chest. A small fair line leading down past the sheet. I exhaled quietly as a strand of my hair fell out of my bun and across the right side of my face. "Are you hot?" He said shattering the silence. I blinked, "uh yeah a little, the rooms are always really warm, sick people are always cold, so it's good for them, not so good for us" I said smiling. I didn't want to say the sight of his naked torso was making me hot. Jesus, I didn't even like the guy. Yet all of a sudden he was getting me hot and bothered?? What the fuck was wrong with me? I gave people washes all the time!! "Ok so I'll get you to roll onto your side, why are you shaking your head? It'll be fine" I said as he shook his head vehemently. "No, I can't" he said firmly. "Well I have to get that sheet out from under you, I'll give your back a quick wash and then your legs and we'll be done" I said cheerfully. "No" he said again. "Press your button sweetie, you'll be okay" I said gently. He exhaled closing his eyes for a minute. "Roll towards me I'll do the left, then we'll do the other side" I said. He pressed the button and lifted his hand, I took it and gently pulled him towards me. He winced and I heard him groaning slightly as he turned fully onto his side, he suddenly let go of my hand and grabbing hold of my waist, anchoring himself against my stomach. I gasped, "hurry up" he said through gritted teeth. I nodded and reached over running the cloth quickly over his upper and lower back and down over his left butt cheek. "Okay let go and roll back" I told him. He let go and rolled onto his back, I watched him breathing hard, trying to deal with the pain. "Almost done" I said as I pulled the dirty sheet out from under him, exposing the clean one underneath. "Come around this way, so I can hold onto you, please" he said. I nodded quickly moving around to the other side of the bed. We did the exact same thing, he held me a little firmer this time. I heard him sniffing, "Are you smelling me?" I said with amusement as I ran the washcloth over his firm butt. I could feel the muscles tensing through the thin wet cloth and i had to force myself to move quickly. "Yes, you smell of strawberries, it's nice" he mumbled into my stomach. "Well thanks" I said with a small laugh. "You can let go now" I said. He moved his arm and rolled onto his back. I pulled up the sheet so that it was now just laid across his lap and I washed his thighs and legs. I picked up the fresh hospital gown and helped him put it on, pulling it down over the sheet. Then I took away the sheet and covered him with a clean one, all without exposing anything under the sheet. I took his hand and put the washcloth into it and walked around the bed collecting the dirty linen. "Why did you give me this?" He said clearly confused. "Ah, I missed a spot" I said, my eyes briefly flicked down to the sheet covering his waist. His eyes widened in surprise, "I'll just give you a minute, you can finish" I said turning away piling all the towels and linen. I turned back after a minute or two and he held out his hand giving me the washcloth. "Good boy" I said with a giggle. He raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress a smile, "no one's called me a good boy in a very long time" he said in a low voice. Before I could reply there was a knock at the door. "Come on in" I called out, I watched as four people filed in, his family I assumed. I finished setting the IV and passed him the nurse call bell. "Buzz if you need me, I won't be far away" I told him quietly. He nodded and turned his attention to his visitors. I went to the desk opposite the room and sat down catching up on some computer work. A shadow suddenly loomed over me and I looked up. "Hello, I wondered when you'd make your round" I said smiling. One of the resident doctors, Drew, stood there grinning back at me. He sat on the edge of the desk. "I have been busy, but I haven't forgotten you" he said. "How's your patient? I hear he's been difficult" he whispered. I shook my head, "nope, he's been fine for me, he's given me no trouble" I said glancing over, I noticed Jared watching me through the window. "Well you have a knack of making all your patients like you" he said smiling. "Haha, not all of them unfortunately" I said shaking my head. Drew had been there for about six months, he was kind of cute and was always making flirty comments to me, I kept expecting him to ask me out, but so far nothing. "Well I wouldn't mind being sick if you were looking after me" He said, I was saved from replying by the sound of the IV machine beeping loudly from Jared's room. A second later his call bell sounded. "Duty calls" I sighed and stood up heading in. I turned off the bell and walked over to the machine, trying to find the reason it was beeping. I followed the tube from the machine down to his hand. His wrist was in an awkward position so it had kinked the tube stopping the flow. I straightened it out laying it flat on the bed. "Keep your wrist straight, or it'll alarm again" I told him. "I'm in pain" he said with a grimace. "You haven't pressed your button" I said. "I have, it's not working" he said with a whine, he closed his eyes leaning his head back into the pillows. I checked the machine, he hadn't pressed it, but I wasn't going to argue with him. "Maybe we should leave" said one of the visitors. A woman, she was beautiful, slightly older with gorgeous long grey hair. "No mom, it's okay" said Jared opening his eyes. "We'll go, you need your rest, we'll come back tomorrow and I'll call you in the morning" she said leaning over and cradling his cheek before kissing him on the forehead. He nodded. "See ya baby brother" said the other guy, the brother and the mom. I wondered who the others were. They all said their goodbyes and headed out. "I'll get you something more for pain" I said, he nodded closing his eyes. I got him some more meds and walked in, as it was late, I started flicking off most of the lights. "Why are you turning off the lights?" He asked, almost alarmed. "It's 9.30, just what we do, would you like them on?" I said stopping at his bedside. "No it's okay" he said accepting the tablets, I held the cup for him while he took them. "What time do you finish?" He asked. "Uh in about an half an hour" I said. He nodded, "Are you back tomorrow?" "Yes, in the morning. The surgeon said you can get up tomorrow" I said. I was straightening his sheets and tucking him in as I talked. "Yeah, I don't know ..." he said trailing off, a deep frown marring his beautiful face. "What are you worried about?" I said sitting on the side of the bed. "Pain, not being able to move easily, I'm afraid of being restricted" he admitted. "It'll take time and physical therapy, but you'll be fine" I reassured him. He nodded, "we'll see I guess". "Hi Genevieve!" said a voice from the doorway. I turned to see my night duty replacement, I grinned. " I'll be right there" I said getting up. "I'm going to hand over and I'll come say goodnight" I said patting his arm. He nodded, I turned to see him watching me as I walked out.