She'd already removed a part of Kurt's bandage across his butt, but didn'tseem all that surprised that I asked her. She probably figured thatit was bound to happen, what with me standing around, awkwardly,peering over her shoulder while she swabbed and taped.
"Have you changed dressings before?" she asked.
"I've replaced bandages, applied ointments, changed diapers,inserted catheters..."
Kurt winced and shook his head "no," a small groan of despairissuing from his downward face in the pillow.
I patted his hand. "Don't worry, hon."
"You sound like the reincarnation of Florence Nightingale," saidthe nurse, handing me clean white compresses and a tube ofantibiotic ointment. "Let me get you rubber gloves and he's allyours."
"I've been thinking a lot about what we talked about before yougot hurt..."
The skin where he'd been wounded had started to heal shut, but thesurrounding area was still tender and red, the areas where he'dbeen taped and taped again, sore and inflamed. I cut the compressa little bigger than usual so that I wouldn't hurt the damaged skinand taped it down.
"...and I'd like you to take you up on the boyfriend angle, ifyou're still interested." I moved my head back and examined myhandiwork. Nice work. George Clooney, eat your heart out.
Kurt shook his head and I heard his audible "no."
That was a surprise. "Why?"
He moved his head from the pillow and responded with "I'm not ready for a relationship."
"Really?" I said. "Okay." I didn't know where to go from there.It wasn't the answer I expected. "I'm a little disappointed."
He gingerly turned around and faced me, his gorgeous eyes staring medown. His arm and shoulder bandage clean across his broad back.
"I'm just kidding, Hugs."
I stared him down. I wasn't sure if he really meant it and suddenly I wasdetermined to find out. We locked eyes, our stares lingering.
"I have a request," he said, coyly.
"Yes?"
He leaned forward and said with a whisper, "Kiss me."
And that's exactly what I did.
