Chapter Twenty Four

Pulling the door open, she tried to smile in greeting as she wrapped the rag tighter around her hand and resisted the urge to rub her shin. In front of her stood a man covered in what seemed to be oil. "Eddie? Were you on an oil rig?"

"No, I was helping a friend and a damn hydraulic hose broke. I got the most of it, saved the floor though." He smiled and Kelleigh forgot her hand, her shin, and his messy appearance. Underneath the mess, he had the kindest brown eyes and a gentle smile that immediately warmed her heart.

She stepped back to let him in, stumbling of course, over something in the process. Eddie immediately shot out a hand to steady her then noticed the rag around her hand. "Now, what have you done to yourself here?" He took her hand, saw the blood seeping through the cloth then unwrapped the rag. Kelleigh was momentarily struck speechless at his immediate concern and gentle touch. Shaking her head as if to clear it, she began to explain, "I was trying to turn on the light and slid my hand against a piece of sheet metal. Then you knocked so I just wrapped a rag around it."

"Well, let's see what we've got here." He led her over to the utility sink by her injured hand. Dumbstruck, she followed him without protest. Turning on the water, he released her hand. "I've got to wash my hands again. If I get hydraulic fluid in that cut, it will hurt like a buggar." Kelleigh smiled in response. She hadn't realized that he was Canadian. The colloquialisms were something that was going to provide entertainment for her, she was sure.

"Now then, let's see." He pulled her closer and put her hand into the stream of water. It stung and she instinctively pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry. 'Tis a bad cut. We've got to rinse it out, see if you need stitches." Even more gentle than before he took her hand and brought it back under the water. Kelleigh sucked in her breath and closed her eyes in response to the sting of the water. It wasn't as bad this time. "Aye, you'll be alright. It's done bleeding now. Seems like a clean cut. We'll just wrap it, shall we?"

Kelleigh opened her eyes to find Eddie looking at her. He had deep brown eyes, shining nothing but kindness back at her. She hadn't felt that kind of feeling from a man in so long that it became mesmerizing. She found herself simply gazing back at him, wordless.

Seeming to catch himself, Eddie blinked then turned toward the workbench. Grabbing the stool, he slid it over to her and guided her onto it. "Where do you keep your first aid kit?"

"First aid kit?" she dumbly repeated. It was as if his eyes had stolen all intelligence from her.
He smiled in response "Did you hit your head too? First aid kit. We need to bandage your hand."

"Oh, um. Yeah. I don't have one out here, it's, there's one upstairs under the sink." Realizing that he'd never been to her house before, she rose to go get it. "I'll go get it." As she rose, she used her injured hand for leverage, winced, and then wavered just a bit. She didn't think that he even noticed but he did. With a hand on her shoulder, he pressed her back onto the stool. "Just stay where you are. I'm sure I can figure it out."

Feeling like a foolish and weak woman, she could only gesture toward the door into the house. "Through that door, turn right, up the stairs, turn left. Door at the end of the hall. Under the sink." She hadn't gotten all of the words out and he was already through the door.

Giving into her feeling foolish, she rested her head on her good hand and closed her eyes. Here I sit, she silently grumbled, trying to sound competent and knowledgeable and I cut myself then get lightheaded like a swooning debutante.