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Nino returns, and passes the first aid kit to Aidan. He takes my hand out of the water’s stream and the blood starts to pool fast again.
“This might need stitches.”
“No, I don’t want to go to the hospital!”
He doesn’t make any comment about this, and I have a feeling that I might not have a choice in the matter. He pours some hydrogen peroxide over it and lets it bubble and fizz out the germs. Then he rinses again and presses a clean towel against the cut.
He applies pressure. Our gazes are locked. I’m not sure if my heart is beating right now.
It must be. I’m still here.
“Will there be anything else, Mr. Stryker?” Cora asks.
“No. Leave us,” Aidan says. Then we’re alone in the kitchen.
“I hired Claude on full time,” I say. “He’s living in the cottage.” I feel like now is a good time to tell him, when he’s all concerned about my injury.
He nods. “If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
“Okay.”
After several minutes of holding my hand tightly in his, putting pressure on the wound, he lifts the towel to check it. The blood has slowed considerably. He rinses it once more and wraps my hand in a bandage, tight enough to keep the pressure on, but not tight enough to hurt circulation.
“Do you do this a lot?” I ask.
“Probably more than is healthy.”
He puts the first aid stuff back in the kit, and then puts the food away. When he returns to me, he brushes a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Maddie, you know you don’t have to be afraid of me, right? I would never harm you.”
He seems so sincere and open right now.
“I want that to be true.”
“It is true.”
He looks at me and it’s like he’s staring right into my soul. I want to fall into it and believe this beautiful dream could be real.
Suddenly something in Aidan’s demeanor shifts as though he’s just remembered something.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve got something I need to go take care of.”
“Now? It’s nearly ten o’clock.”
“I won’t be long, I promise.”
He does that signature move of his, that fierce but somehow gentle grab behind my neck, pulling me close. He presses a kiss to my forehead and then starts to leave.
“Aidan?”
He turns. “Yeah?”
“Do you… do you have someone else on the side?” I hate that the idea of this upsets me.