“Yeah, I can see that.” When Maggie smiled, his whole body felt lighter somehow.
“But you do make a good point. A man is always better with a good woman beside him.” He let his gaze hold hers just long enough to see the lovely flush darkening her cheeks again. Her eyes lowered shyly. Something strong and powerful coursed through his veins, made his dick as hard as stone.
As much as he would have liked to continue expressing his ideas on the matter, he felt the little warning telling him not to overdo it. He’d given her enough to reflect on. He’d planted the seed of suggestion, now he just had to let it take root.
“So,” he said, firming his tone into what Maggie had dubbed his ‘doctor voice’. He hadn’t realized he had one, but if it gave her another excuse to tease him, he would ensure he used it more often.
“I’ve left you something for the pain. Two tablets every eight hours, with food if you can manage. They’ll make you sleepy, so no operating heavy equipment or driving, right?”
Her lips twitched. “Got it. Keep the tractor in the barn.”
He grinned back. “Exactly. And for today at least, consider yourself on bed rest with bathroom privileges.”
“Don’t you think that’s a little much?”
“Not at all. Concussions don’t always present themselves right away; you need to be very careful for the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours. If you would let me take you down to the hospital we could do a quick, painless scan and know for sure –“
Maggie was already shaking her head (though slowly and with great care). “Not happening. I already told you. I’m fine, just a little sore, that’s all.”
Damn, but the woman was stubborn. His lips thinned a little. She was lying through her teeth. He could see the pain in her eyes, see the trouble she had focusing or following anything on her right side. Not to mention the stillness with which she held herself, as if even the slightest movement was difficult. Yet she resisted him thoroughly on any and all suggestions to get checked out. He’d even assured her he would do the tests himself if that would make her more comfortable, but she refused to even consider it.
“Right. Then you won’t mind if I stop back this evening to check in on you?”
Something sparked in her eyes, then disappeared as quickly as it had come. She looked down at her hands. “Michael... Just so you know, I don’t hold you or your brothers responsible for what happened last night. It was my own fault. It was stupid and careless and clumsy, but it was an accident.”
Michael bristled as her meaning sank in. “Is that why you think I’m here, Maggie? Out of fear of litigation?”
“No, probably not,” she admitted, her shoulders lifting in the slightest of shrugs. “But perhaps you do have a little bit of chivalrous knight in you.”
Just that quickly, his irritation faded away. When it came to Maggie, he wanted to be exactly that. It defied a rational explanation, and he refused to analyze it too thoroughly just yet. She needed someone, whether she admitted it or not, and for whatever reason, he wanted to be that person. Even Maggie recognized that about him at some level. The problem was that she probably thought he felt that way about all women, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Would he provide care for another injured woman in the same situation? Absolutely. Would he stay the night, make her breakfast, and try to anticipate her every need? Hell, no.
“Perhaps. Does that bother you?”
She studied him carefully for a few minutes before answering. “No. I rather like it, actually. It suits you.”
In the span of a heartbeat, the heaviness lifted and he felt light again. “Then, my lady, I am satisfied.” He bowed deeply, making her giggle. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way - I’ve programmed my private number into your cell and house phones. I want you to call me immediately if you feel any dizziness or nausea, or if you begin to experience blurred vision.” He continued on, listing a myriad of other symptoms.
When he reached the end of his lengthy instructions, Maggie lifted up a hand and saluted him, though the little smirk she wore as she did so let him know exactly how much she intended to follow them.
Michael exhaled. Maggie was going to be a handful and a half.
He tingled with anticipation.
*
Maggie managed to remain on the couch for a good several minutes after the sound of Michael’s car faded away. Then she pulled back the comforter, tucking it around George with a kiss to the hound’s head.
“He’s going to come back!” she told him. “Of course, maybe he was just saying that. Maybe something will conveniently come up and he won’t be able to make it.”
George opened his big, sad eyes and gave her a look of reproach.
“No, you’re right. If he said he’s going to come back, he probably will. I just can’t read too much into it, that’s all.”