“You’re the last person I would attempt to toy with.” When he still hesitated, she whacked his knee with the reflex hammer. “Do it!”
Clint chuckled, but he wrinkled his nose and bared his teeth like he was told.
“Now, let’s do this simple eye test. Read the letters on the board to me.”
He didn’t see any use in the test, but he did as she asked. “Come on, Jensen. Have mercy on me. I really want the opportunity to speak with you.”
Jensen tried to steel herself. She didn’t want to go through this again. “Cover your left eye and tell me when you can see my finger.”
Jensen moved one of her fingers from the side of his head to the front until he spoke up.
“I see it.”
As she repeated it from the other side, he continued with his campaign. “Just a quick dinner. Drinks. Coffee. A stroll. You name it.”
“Hold your arms straight out.” He did so. “Now close your eyes, then touch your nose.”
As he performed the simple movement, he pleaded with her. “Even with Bethany in the hospital, I haven’t been able to think about anything other than seeing you again.”
There were a couple of other tests she should’ve done, but Jensen knew what the outcome would be. The man was coordinated. She knew how he could move, how he kissed, how he made love.
“Okay. I don’t see any problems so far. I’m going to take you down the hall and Willa will administer some written and oral tests.” Handing him his shirt, she tried not to look at his chest. She didn’t want to remember touching and kissing his golden skin and perfect muscles.
“Think about it. Okay?” He reached out to touch her shoulder and she jumped as if he’d slapped her.
“Someone will let you know the results of the tests, but I don’t foresee any problems.” Jensen watched him button his shirt easily without pointing out that the simple task was one of the recommended coordination tests.
“I’d ask you to call me if you changed your mind, but you’ve never called me. If I phone you, will you answer this time?”
Jensen stepped to the side to clear the path for him to leave the examining room. “I wasn’t in the office when you phoned.”
“That’s not the call I’m referring to.”
His comment confused Jensen. “What…”
Before she could formulate a question, Wilma appeared in the doorway. “I’m ready when you are, Mr. Wilder. First, I’ll take you to the lab. Mae will take some blood and we’ll do a few scans. After that, I’ll perform some tests to check your mental acuity.”
“All right. Thank you, Dr. Mistretta.” Clint gave Jensen a direct look before turning away and leaving the room.
The moment he was out of sight, all of the strength seemed to drain from Jensen’s body. She felt like she’d run a marathon. Clasping the side of the examination table, she bowed her head, trying to regain her bearings. “Damn.” Just that mental thought brought reminders of Clint and the day they learned to use a compass. She smiled remembering how they’d run from the friendly skunk. How many men would’ve taken the small animal as a pet? Not many.
Picking up her tablet where she’d recorded Clint’s test results, Jensen made her way to her office. Scott was already gone, but she saw he’d left a box containing her new phone. She sat behind her desk, acutely aware that the man she’d never be able to forget was just down the hall.
Why did he want to talk to her? She couldn’t imagine he was still interested in her – not after learning her secret. He probably just wanted to offer some type of apology or explanation to clear his conscience.
Well, she didn’t need that.
Despite the pain his shocked reaction caused, she’d played her own role in this drama. She’d taken advantage of him, keeping him in the dark about something that if he’d known – would’ve made all the difference. If she’d been honest from the moment they’d run into one another at the motel, Clint would’ve offered his condolences and possibly his friendship – and they would’ve moved on.
But no – she’d been selfish and led him on, knowing he was infatuated with her. Well now here she was, the one who was infatuated, and he was the one searching for a graceful exit.
As she agonized over the situation, Jensen took out her phone and plugged it in to charge. Seeing it power up, she activated the