All Novel Romance
Chapter 3
The air was tense and icy.
Gwendolyn clutched her rapidly beating heart and shifted uneasily before asking tentatively, “Are you awake?“–
Howard lay with his eyes open but was otherwise motionless and silent.
Gwendolyn tentatively reached out to cover his eyes with her hand, feeling a slight tickle in her palm.
Slowly. Howard closed his eyes.
She sat on the edge of the bed, breaking out in a cold sweat. With a guilty conscience, she meticulously cleaned the lipstick marks on Howard’s face and then covered him up with the duvet as if hiding evidence.
Still, he didn’t wake.
This reassured Gwendolyn that it must just be an involuntary reaction of a comatose patient.
The sound she thought she’d heard must have been her imagination.
Sitting bored by his side, she eventually dozed off as the night deepened.
In the middle of the night, she shivered into a ball, her dreams taking her back to a similarly
frigid night years ago. Turning in her sleep, she instinctively embraced the
her, missing the moment when Howard opened his eyes once again.
Dawn broke with a clamor.
Gwendolyn was roused by the noise, her eyes heavy with sleep.
warm body beside.
Marina stood by the bed with a washbasin, commanding, “Mrs. Chadwick, could you please. freshen up Mr. Howard?”
“Me? Freshen him up?”
“Of course.”
“Who did it before?” Howard had been in a coma for a month.
“Usually a nurse, but no outsider can compare to his wife.” Marina stated firmly, leaving no room for argument.
Dressed in a vibrant wedding gown, Gwendolyn pursed her lips in resignation and took the towel from Marina. She wrung it out and began gently cleaning Howard’s handsome face. His eyes remained tightly shut, his lashes motionless. Last night had indeed been an illusion.
Gwendolyn couldn’t help but notice his striking features, her cheeks flushing red. Under Marina’s vigilant supervision, she wiped over his brows, lips, neck, and chest. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
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With every inch the towel touched, her fingers followed.
“Mr. Howard likes to be clean. Please be thorough. After cleaning his body, you need to apply body lotion to keep his skin moisturized. A full–body massage morning and evening is
essential to prevent muscle atrophy.”
Under Marina’s sharp gaze, Gwendolyn couldn’t cut comers. She consoled herself by pretending Howard was just like any patient she had treated before.
With that thought, her actions became more meticulous and professional
Marina nodded in approval.
Gwendolyn massaged his wrist, unfolding his fingers with the towel His hands were pale. slender, and well–defined.
“Hmm?” She felt a strong pulse beneath her fingertips and voiced her confusion.
“What is it?” Marina asked.
Gwendolyn shook her head. With a knowing look, Marina said. “You and Mr. Howard are legally married. Don’t be shy.”
Marina handed Gwendolyn another towel “You haven’t wiped down there yet.”
Down where?
Gwendolyn’s cheeks blazed like the setting sun.
“He is a patient! Just a patient!” Gwendolyn comforted herself inwardly.
Mr. White had taught her that a great healer should remain calm and detached without desire or distraction. She must treat each patient as inert as a stone.
Taking a deep breath and releasing her heated breath, Gwendolyn cautiously sid the towel beneath the sheets, moving down from his abdomen, the muscle contours palpable even through the thin fabric.
Her mind muddled, she couldn’t help but think what an excellent speeimen he make for
acupuncture practice.
Suddenly, her wrist was seized by a cool hand.
A soft but firm and slightly irritated male voice whispered near her ear, “No need… to wiDE
down there.”
Marina’s basin clattered to the floor. After a moment of shock, she screamed and ran out of the room, ‘Madam, Mr. Howard is awake!”