Chapter 7 Aroused Desires

Kathie was worried Jonathan might be feeling unwell, but it turned out he had something else on his mind.

She placed a hand on his shoulder and teased, "Need a hand with that?"

Jonathan's face lit up with a smile, clearly pleased with himself. "Well, I wouldn't want to impose, Dr. Cavendish. But if you insist..."

Kathie pulled out a silver needle with a mischievous grin. "It's no trouble at all. One poke from this, and I guarantee you'll never have those kinds of thoughts again."

Jonathan quickly covered himself, realizing that Kathie, with her medical skills and fiery temper, was not to be trifled with.

"I was just kidding! You didn't take me seriously, did you?" he asked anxiously.

"Are you sure you were joking? If you're really that uncomfortable, I can help ease your pain." Kathie smiled sweetly, but there was no humor in her eyes.

"No need. It's late, and it's not appropriate for us to be alone together. You should head back."

"Smart move."

Kathie rolled her eyes and left, her soft voice lingering in Jonathan's mind, keeping him awake long after she was gone.

As dawn broke and birds chirped outside, Jonathan opened his eyes and struggled to sit up. He tried to move his legs but felt nothing. Had she lied about being able to heal him?

He slapped his legs in frustration, feeling no pain, and angrily threw a glass from the nightstand, shattering it on the floor.

The noise alerted Kathie, who rushed in to find him fuming.

"Breaking a glass means you'll have to pay for it. And let me remind you, this kind of behavior disturbs others and could scare my kids. Do it again, and I'll kick you out," Kathie said angrily.

Jonathan thought, 'This woman is both stingy and fierce, and now she is threatening to throw me out.'

"You said you could heal me. Why can't I move my legs?" he asked.

"Sir, I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker. Healing takes time, especially with serious injuries like yours. The fact that you can sit up and move your arms is already a miracle. If you doubt me, I can send you away right now," Kathie retorted.

She crossed her arms, clearly not eager to deal with a difficult patient.

Jonathan realized he was being impatient.

"As a doctor, can't you be a bit more compassionate?" he said.

"If you want a doctor to coddle you, go to a VIP room in a fancy hospital where pretty nurses will chat with you. If you can't do that, then behave," Kathie retorted.

Jonathan was furious, but Kathie couldn't help but laugh at his frustration.

"Alright, your condition requires time to heal. I keep my promises. If I say I'll heal you, I will. Just relax and cooperate with the treatment," she added.

He had no choice but to endure for now.

Kathie pulled back the covers to examine him, only to see his morning erection. Her face turned red as she looked away.

As a doctor, she had seen this before, so why was she flustered now?

Taking a deep breath, she turned back to find Jonathan watching her with amusement.

"Dr. Cavendish, you should understand that morning erections are normal for men. This isn't me teasing you," he said.

When she didn't respond, Jonathan's deep voice filled the silence again. "Could you bring my wheelchair over and help me to the bathroom? I'm a patient, after all."

Kathie, annoyed but efficient, brought the wheelchair, carefully helped him into it, and assisted him in the bathroom.

She spoke up, "My caregiver fees are quite high."

"Don't worry, name your price," he replied casually.

This woman was always talking about money, but he would pay her whatever she asked.

Kathie liked the sound of that. After tidying up his room, she went to prepare breakfast.

As soon as she left, a cute little girl peeked in. "Good morning, Mr. Handsome!"

Jonathan's heart melted at the sight of her. He felt an inexplicable fondness for these three kids.

"Good morning, Eileen," he replied.

"Do you want some milk? Mommy says it helps you grow tall."

Jonathan, already six feet tall, didn't need to grow any more, but he nodded at Eileen's concern.

Eileen brought him a bottle of milk and climbed onto the bed to feed him.

Kathie walked in to see her usually reserved daughter smiling and feeding him milk with a straw. "Eileen, get down. What did Mommy tell you about staying away from strangers?"

Eileen shook her head cheerfully. "He is a good person. He won't trick me."

Kathie sighed, feeling her previous lessons had been in vain.

"If you give him the milk, what will Mommy drink?" Kathie asked.

Eileen grinned. "You both can share."

Kathie wouldn't drink after someone else. She gave Jonathan a warning look, picked up her daughter, and took her out for a stern talking-to.

After breakfast, Kathie started preparing today's medicine. Just as she finished, the phone rang.

Seeing the familiar number, she felt a mix of emotions as she answered. "Grandma."

"Kathie, is that really you? Where have you been all these years? You disappeared without a trace and didn't contact us. Have you forgotten about your family?"

Though her grandmother's voice held a hint of reproach, it was mostly filled with joy.

"I'm sorry, Grandma. It's my fault. How could I forget you? I've missed you so much."

Kathie hated her biased father and her hypocritical stepmother, but her grandmother had always loved her dearly. She had planned to visit her once she was settled, but things kept getting delayed.

"If you miss me, come back. Tell me if you're being mistreated. With me around, I won't let them bully you."

"Okay, I'll come see you as soon as I finish up here. Grandma, take care of yourself."

Kathie had expected her family to contact her after seeing Shirley yesterday. They knew her parents couldn't persuade her, so they sent her beloved grandmother instead.

They wanted Kathie to come back so she could divorce Randy, allowing Shirley to marry him.

Kathie hung up and turned to see Jonathan listening intently.

"Don't you have any manners? How can you eavesdrop on someone's call?" she said indignantly.

Jonathan, unbothered, wheeled himself over. "Do you call it eavesdropping when it's out in the open? You said it was time for my medication, and when you didn't come, I had to come find you. I just happened to catch you on the phone."

Kathie remembered and handed him the bowl of medicine. "Since you're here, drink it yourself."

The foul smell hit his nose, and the dark liquid made Jonathan's hair stand on end.

"This medicine is too bitter. Can't you give me something more normal?" he said.

"No, you need to drink it now. If it cools down, it loses its effectiveness." Seeing his reluctance, Kathie teased, "I thought you were tough. Are you really afraid of a little medicine? My three kids are braver than you."

Jonathan sighed and took the bowl, knowing he had no choice but to drink it.