Nurse
Cordia was storing up a supply of bandages, as well as other medical supplies, in a little cupboard in the corner of a room off behind the staircase. Even though she didn’t feel it would be proper to shut the door, she didn’t think anyone would be coming back that way, and they would have a little privacy. She took one of the lanterns out of the foyer as she passed so that she could see to light the lamps in the room. For some reason, she felt a little nervous as she entered. She went about the business of lighting the place up and getting out her supplies.
“Where do you want me?” Will asked.
“Well,” she said looking around the room, “why don’t you have a seat on the table there so that I can see it a little better.”
He did as he was told, and she slowly walked over, setting her supplies and the original lamp down beside him.
“I was wondering how I was ever going to get you alone,” he said quietly.
“Probably only have a few minutes before someone comes looking for us,” she said, giving him a bashful smile. She was standing so close to him now, she could smell that familiar scent of his cologne. She had spent so much time remembering that smell. And she could see that he had shaved and cleaned himself up since his long journey. “You’re probably going to have to take off your shirt,” she said, shyly.
Lost in her eyes, he had temporarily forgotten the purpose of their rendezvous. Nodding obligingly, he began to unbutton.
Cordia didn’t know if she should help him or just wait. She looked up at him and saw how intently he was staring at her. He unbuttoned the last button and took his arms out of the sleeves.
His chest was just as she had imagined it would be. Strong and muscular. Even with his bandaged shoulder and the scar on his collarbone, she could not have imagined a more perfectly formed man. “Oh, my,” she said under her breath. She could tell by the expression on his face that he had heard her. Crimson spread up her neck, warming her cheeks. Timidly, she smiled and tried to clear her mind so that she could perform the task at hand. “All right,” she said. “I’m going to have to remove this old bandage. It might hurt a little.”
“I know, Cordia. It has been changed a few times before,” he said quietly, grinning at her.
She nodded, knowing he was just giving her trouble. As she slowly removed the old bandage, trying her best not to hurt him by pulling off the scab, she became extremely aware of his breath on her neck. She had to stop for a second. “You’re making this a little difficult,” she said quietly.
“You’re making this intolerably difficult,” he replied.
She attempted to continue removing the old bandage, but just as she almost had it off, he began to kiss her lightly on her neck, then beneath her ear. She leaned into him, their arms around each other. She ran her fingers across his chest and down his stomach as his lips finally found hers. She kissed him back, passionately, completely forgetting what it was she had come there to do—until, her hand caught the old bandage and ripped it right off, along with part of the scab that had been covering the wound.
Will sat up sharply, obviously in pain. He didn’t say anything, but then he didn’t have to. She knew what she had done. He looked at her face then and could see that she was about to cry. Her hands covered her mouth, her eyes wide with alarm. “I’m all right,” he said, and then he had to smile because she was looking at him as if she had nearly killed him.
“I am so sorry,” Cordia said. She was also embarrassed. She had never kissed a man like that before, certainly never had her hands on a man’s bare chest—and she had been anything but graceful doing it.
“I’m not harmed,” he assured her. “Are you all right?”
She nodded then. “Yes. Here, let me finish this before I accidentally poke your eye out or worse.”
That he couldn’t help but laugh at. “I’m sorry, Cordia. It was my own fault for kissing you when you weren’t expecting it.”
“I should have been more careful,” she muttered as she gently rubbed the ointment on his now slightly bleeding wound. “Can you imagine me doing something like that to a freshly injured soldier?” she thought aloud.
“Well, I should hope you won’t be doing that with any other soldiers,” he replied, being careful to give her more room to finish her job so that he didn’t reach over and kiss her again.
She rolled her eyes at him. “That’s not exactly what I meant,” she said—knowing full well he knew what she was trying to say. She neatly finished replacing the bandage. “There,’ she said. “That should hold for a while, but I will probably need to change it again tomorrow. I don’t think it did much good to rip it open like that.”
“I guess if I have to let you change it again tomorrow, then I’ll just have to find a way to bear it,” he said smiling. He started to put his shirt back on.
“Do you think having the wound reopened was worth it?” she asked slyly, turning around to put her supplies back in the cupboard.
He finished buttoning his shirt and crossed over to where she was standing. “Cordia Pike, I’d be willing to get shot every time you kissed me if that was the price I had to pay.”
She turned to face him, his hands on her waist, and she was looking deeply into his eyes. “Well, Mr. Tucker,” she said softly, “I will remember you said that. I’m a pretty good shot.”
“I bet you are,” he said kissing her one more time.
Hearing footsteps in the hall, she pulled away, just in time.
“Cordia? Will?” It was her mother. “There you are. I was wondering if you needed some help, it was taking so long.”
“Hi, Mama,” she said, hoping her hair was all in place and that her mother could not tell what it was that had made them tarry. “I had some trouble getting the old bandage off. But I got it. We’re done.”
“Good. I know your father would like to talk for another hour or so, but don’t you think Julia probably ought to be heading home? She’s starting to look a little tired, and I know you wouldn’t want her to get worn out,” she said as they walked back toward the parlor.
“I’m sure you’re probably right, Mama,” she said. Sure enough, Julia looked like she was about to fall asleep.
They all said their goodbyes, and Mr. Pike said he would like to do this again before Will went back to join the Union forces. He had found Will’s insight fascinating and had enjoyed talking with the young man. Cordia suggested that they all have dinner together the next evening and invite the Adams family, which they all agreed to. Then, Cordia stood outside and watched them as they rode into the distance. She knew she would sleep well that night, dreaming of Will Tucker.
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