A desire to seem too tough to mind a little old bee sting was overwhelmed by an even stronger yearning to experience Richard’s bedside manner. Being his patient made her all gooey inside. “They both kind of throb.”

“They’ll yell at you for a few hours, no doubt.” He rifled through the first aid kit and removed a little square packet. “I gave Sam my last ice pack. Do you have one?”

She nodded.

“Apply it for twenty minutes or so, and then smear on a layer of this cream. Do another round before you go to bed.” He handed her the packet.

A fresh current of pain pulsed down her arm. “Thanks.”

“I recommend an antihistamine pill, too.”

The sound of Sam wheezing looped, unbidden, in her mind. She drove a fist into her lap. “I should never have let him out of my sight.”

He caught her hand. “Don’t blame yourself. He’s all right, and you were a champ.”

“Thank goodness you were prepared.” She collapsed sideways into the seat. “You carry an epi-pen in your car?”

“Pediatric and adult.” He gave a small smile. “My dad gave me that kit. He took his old, leather doctor’s bag everywhere. Fully stocked. I think he could have done a tracheotomy on the fly. Mine is a little more up-to-date.” Pressing his thumb into her palm, he massaged in a slow circle.

With a soundless sigh, she softened her shoulders.

“He told me never to leave home without it. Not a bad piece of advice.” Closing his fingers around hers, he leaned closer. “We made a pretty great team. You were better than some of my nurses. We had a rhythm.”

She curled into the seat. Supple contours enveloped her like they were molded to fit her body. “I guess we did.”

In his eyes, the admiring spark dimmed to a steady smolder. “Let’s get together again soon. And this time not by chance.”

“Sure. Definitely.” Why was her head spinning? Possibly bee venom?

He stepped back and offered a hand. “I really don’t spend that much time in the library.”

Reluctant to move, she pressed her shoulder into the seat and heaved upward. He helped her down like she was the Queen of England. Landing with a jolt on her stung leg, she yelped and then shook off the pain with a laugh. Just then, she could have had a root canal without novocaine. His touch was a natural anesthetic.

He gave her hand a quick squeeze. “We’ll eat inside like grown-ups. No small children or trips to the ER. A real date. What do you say?”

Dating a doctor was every girl’s dream, right? At least in 1964. Even today, to meet a stable and accomplished guy who literally swore an oath to care for other people? Dreamy to the max.