Loving Bella. Renee Ryan

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      While Ethan babbled, Shane took the opportunity to check for broken bones. “Tell me if it hurts when I press on your leg.”

      “What’s your name?” Ethan asked once he wound down his list of reasons for seeing the Tower of London.

      Eager to hear her response himself, Shane turned an ear in their direction and ran his hand across Ethan’s leg.

      “I’m Bella,” she declared.

      Italian for beautiful. The name suited her. Shane moved his fingers along the boy’s kneecap.

      “Bella,” Ethan said, his face scrunched in confusion. “I’ve never heard that name before.”

      She released a tinkling laugh, the sound as clear and musical as her singing. “It’s short for Isabella.”

      Holding back a grin at the look of adoration in the young boy’s eyes, Shane moved to the calf.

      “Actually,” she said. “My full name is Isabella Constance O’Toole, but you can call me Bella.”

      Ethan jerked.

      Shane froze. “Did I hurt you?”

      Ethan ignored the question. “O’Toole? That’s Pastor Beau’s last name.”

      Laughing again, she gave the boy a dazzling smile. “I know. He’s my brother.”

      Shane took a quick pull of air into his lungs. Of course she was the reverend’s sister. The similarity was hard to miss, now that he looked. They had the same golden hair, same tawny eyes, same memorable, aristocratic features. Perhaps that explained the odd sense of recognition every time their eyes met.

      Shane finished his exam by searching for any obstruction or object lodged in the wound. Satisfied at last, he hopped to his feet and lifted the boy in his arms. “Let’s get you inside.”

      “Don’t leave me, Miss Bella.” Struggling, Ethan reached out his hands to her.

      “Not to worry, Ethan.” She rose and closed her fingers over his. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re my priority right now.”

      A burning throb knotted in Shane’s stomach. There was a time in his life when he would have given anything to hear those same words uttered directly at him.

      Closing his mind to the unwelcome thought, Shane repositioned the boy in his arms. Without being told, Miss O’Toole grabbed his medical bag and stuffed the scissors inside.

      The three of them entered the kitchen, Miss O’Toole leading the way. Shane shouldered the door shut behind them and then took a cursory look around.

      The room was empty. Unusual for this time of day. But before Shane could speculate further, Marc entered with an armful of clean linens and set them on the center counter.

      “Where’s your wife?” Shane asked.

      Marc shot him an apologetic glance. “Laney and Mrs. Smythe went shopping for supplies. And Megan is upstairs organizing the children for naptime.” He began rolling up his sleeves. “That leaves me as your only helper at the moment.”

      “And Miss Bella, too,” Ethan added.

      “And Miss Bella, too,” Shane said without looking at the woman. He found looking at her distracted him.

      Setting Ethan on the counter, he picked up a cloth off the pile Marc had set down.

      Using the clean water out of the bucket, Shane washed the blood from Ethan’s wound, revealing good news and bad. The good news—the cut was indeed free of any debris. But the bad news was as disheartening as Shane had feared. The large gash would need stitching to close the wound.

      A crash from upstairs had all three adults jumping. Marc shook his head in resignation. “I better check on that.” He turned to Miss O’Toole, who was standing slightly back but within eyeshot of Ethan. “Looks like you’ll have to assist Shane without me.”

      She stepped forward, her gaze filled with fierce determination. “Of course. I’ll do whatever is needed.”

      Marc smiled at her, a look of relief filling his features. “Thank you.” He leaned over Ethan, touched the boy’s arm. “Hang tough, little man. No doubt your parents will be here soon. In the meantime, Dr. Shane and Miss Bella are going to fix you up.”

      Ethan’s lower lip quivered. “Okay.”

      After sharing a quick look with Shane, Marc left the room.

      Miss O’Toole smiled after him. “Nice man,” she muttered.

      Shane swallowed back a surprising kick of jealousy and rummaged through Laney’s sewing kit for a needle and thread. “Can you sew, Miss O’Toole?”

      His voice must have come out harder than he’d planned because she took a sharp step back, and eyed him with a healthy dose of wariness. “I’ve been sewing my own costumes since I was twelve.”

      “Good. I’ll need you to stitch the wound for me.” He spoke over her shocked gasp. “You’ll make individual stitches, knotting and cutting them off one at a time before beginning the next.”

      She slid a quick glance at the angry wound. Shivered. “Can’t you do it?”

      If only he could. But he knew the procedure would be painful, painful enough that Ethan would need holding down. “I’ll have to…keep him still.”

      Her eyes widened in instant understanding. “Oh.”

      Shane closed his fingers over hers. The unexpected warmth that spread from her palm to his had him quickly releasing her. “I’ll talk you through it,” he promised.

      She nodded, flexed the hand he’d just held. Nodded again. “All right, then.”

      Ethan whimpered at her declaration. “Will it hurt, Miss Bella?”

      Sighing, she trailed the back of her fingertips down his cheek. “A little, but I’ll work as quickly as possible.”

      “Fine.” Ethan squeezed his eyes shut once again and took a deep, shaky breath. “Do what you must.” The adult words were completely at odds with the childish hiccupping that followed.

      Shane passed the needle and thread to Miss O’Toole. With slow, deliberate movements, he placed one hand on Ethan’s shoulder and the other on the thigh of the boy’s injured leg. For now, he kept his touch light, and would only increase the pressure when needed.

      After threading the needle, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on the boy’s head. The lingering scent of jasmine and sandalwood brought a vague memory dancing on the edges of Shane’s mind.

      He shut it down.

      Miss O’Toole met his gaze with honest trepidation in her eyes. No coyness. No pretend confidence.

      Shane gave her a heartening smile. “Let’s begin.”

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