Poppy blinked rapidly, the first emotion she felt being relief. She wasn't going to have her very own patient die. A bad review was something she'd never once had, and she wasn't ready to start now.
But then confusion settled in. "I thought…I thought you drowned..."
"Why would I drown?" Xavian raised a brow.
"Because you're in pain," she said sharply. "I—I've had some patients that had somehow developed suicidal thoughts, and you're in much more pain than they were. I mean... look at you."
"This isn't enough to make me attempt such a thing."
His tone was matter-of-fact.
She frowned but gave another sigh of relief. "That's good, that is good. I was just worried, okay?"
"And why would you worry about me?" He finally let go of her hair, and Poppy winced, rubbing into her scalp.
"Because you're my patient. I may not like you enough as a person—"
"Mutual."
She scowled at him and grounded out, "But you're still my patient, and I will take care of you."
The man snorted, dipping his head back into the water. But she grabbed the collar of his soaked shirt, pulling him back up with as much strength as she could muster. "No more of this, you've soaked enough."
"And who do you think you are to decide that?"
Poppy responded softly, looking directly into his eyes, "Your caregiver."
The man's face grew hard, and he slapped her hands off. "Do not touch me unless I permit you to. Get my pills and get out of my room."
"I would have loved to do that and get out of your face, but I can't," she said, grabbing his entire hair and rinsing it, before picking the band he'd tossed to the floor earlier and wrapping his hair up. "You're going to get out of this tub, Mr. Winslow, and then I'll make you some soup, you'll eat it, and have your pills. Then after that, I'll gladly take my leave and return tomorrow. How does that sound?"
His face was screwed, eyes boring into the water that was at his waist level, completely in disbelief of this woman doing as she liked. Who'd ever spoken to or handled him this way?
"Stand up," she ordered him.
Xavian cocked a brow at her. "You little—"
"Stand up, Mr. Winslow."
She got up to her feet and wiggled a finger at him. "Come on, stand up."
"Poppy—"
"Or do you want me to help you? Too tired to do it on your own? Well." Poppy reached to grab his arms, but he slapped her hands away and stood up by himself.
She bit back the grin that almost emerged on her lips and kept her bag aside on the sink counter.
"Wait here for me."
"Why?"
She didn't answer him, turning around and leaving the bathroom. Xavian gripped the edge of the counter and lifted his head to stare at himself in the mirror. He hated how pathetic he looked, how low his condition was dragging him, but he didn't have enough time to wallow in self-pity because Poppy returned, carrying a folded set of clothing.
He studied her. "Did you go into my closet?"
"I did," she answered casually, dropping the clothing on the countertop. She faced him and pointed at his soaked clothes. "Take them off."
"What?"
He blinked at her.
Her lips twisted. "Don't worry, if you're too scared, I can always wait for you outside." She turned, heading to the door to get out, but he stormed after her, banging the door closed with his hand. Poppy stayed trapped between him and the door and slowly turned around to look at him.
"Um… Mr. Winslow?"
"Why don't you do it?" Xavian said, gesturing to himself. "Go ahead, strip me yourself."
She blinked at him, swallowing so thickly it hurt her throat. "I…I don't think I should do that. I mean, you said I can't touch you unless with permission."
"And I'm giving you permission," he said. "You're my caregiver and my head hurts so bad it's hard holding myself on my feet."
"I should…take your clothes off?" she asked, praying he'd say no, but her breath caught in her throat when his response came out as a 'yes.'
Her taunting was nothing but a joke, why was he trying to get back at her?
She'd only gone with the witty style to get him to act, but now he was intentionally turning it against her. Still if he was expecting her to back down or something, he was really underestimating her, after all, he wasn't her first patient anyway. This was just her giving him her utmost care. And if he thought she would be frustrated successfully, he was wrong.
"Fine, I'll do it."
Grabbing the first button of his shirt, she popped it open and kept going further down until the last button came undone, allowing her to pull the shirt off.
Silence.
He was hot.
Shitty personality, but he was hot.
Perfect amount of muscles, broad shoulders, body littered with gorgeous tattoos. Her eyes ran to his face, stilling at the fact that he was watching her, those bright golden eyes, hard to read. He was really so handsome with a generous amount of stubble, her fingers ached to touch.
Snap out of it, this is my patient! Boss, please forgive me.
"Ahem! Should I take your pants off too?" she asked, this time her voice a bit scratchy.
"Go ahead."
Her fingers came around his belt, unbuckling and pulling it off.
By now, her heart was pounding inside her chest. She looked at him for any sign for her to stop, but there was none. So she popped open the button of his slacks and grabbed the zipper.
Just before she could unzip, her phone in her bag began ringing, and the both of them glanced at the counter.
She let go, stepping back to grab her phone, but Xavian snatched her wrist, pulling her right back to her spot.
"Finish your work, Poppy."