Brody

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I froze halfway in rising from the bed. The bed that I’d practically been living in for two weeks. “I’m going to take a shower.”

“You are not,” Shay said as she hustled to my side. “And you’re supposed to call me if you need to get out of bed.”

Shay had taken the overprotective nurse routine to the extreme. It was mostly adorable, but I was beginning to go stir-crazy. “I’m taking a shower, getting dressed, and going downstairs. I might even take a walk.” I needed some of that fresh island air and would maybe venture to my studio. My fingers had been itching to paint.

“That’s too much. You need to rest—”

I cut Shay off by framing her face and laying a hungry kiss on her lips. “I’m fine. A few headaches. A little dizziness here and there. But I’m healing. And if I don’t start moving around, I’ll never make a full recovery.”

She laid her hands on my forearms, squeezing. “I just want to make sure you’re being careful.”

“I am. It would be impossible for me not to be with this crazy nurse I have at my bedside.”

She arched a brow. “And who would that be? Should I be jealous?”

I kissed her temple. “She’s smart, gorgeous, and cooks like a dream. The only thing I’m waiting for is her to wear that naughty nurse outfit I suggested.”

Shay chuckled but softened into my hold. “You know I harp because I love you.”

“I know. But it’s time for phase two of my recovery. The doc said I could start getting up and around more.”

Bell’s father was a semi-retired physician and had made the trip out to Harbor twice to give me follow-up exams. Shay had hovered then, too, asking a million and one questions. I think Dr. Kipton had been tempted to suggest she look into nursing school.

Shay sighed. “Okay. Shower, but be careful. When you get downstairs, I’ll have lunch ready.”

I knew it took a lot for her to walk out of the bedroom and descend the steps. Shay had lost too many people in her life, and the idea of something happening to me was almost paralyzing. I’d have to go slow getting back into our normal routine. Not just for my recovery but also for hers.

The spray of the shower was a little piece of heaven on Earth. Shay had forced me to take baths for the past two weeks. They would’ve been amazing if she had joined me. But instead, she’d hovered around, waiting for me to pass out. I grinned into the stream of water. She loved me. And her worry showed me just how much.