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"Ben, go back in the living room," Zack says as he walks toward me

"Is Kate okay?" Ben asks in a small voice

"Sure I am," I tell him with a brave same and dinner will be ready soon"

"I want to see," Ben whines, and takes a step closer

"Ben…living room…now," Zack says in a stern voice He doesn’t pull that voice out often for Ben, but when he does, it gets results Never once considering further argu roo out of the kitchen, Zack is takingthe paper toay "Let me see it"

I turn my head to the side "How bad is it?"

"Not bad," he says after a h h for stitches, but you cut it good I think a Band-Aid will do, though Wait here and keep pressure on it"

Zack turns and heads back through the living rooine that’s where he keeps his first-aid kit I hold the paper towel tight toto throb a bit

Zack is back in a flash and has peroxide, gauze, and a Band-Aid in hand

"Jesus, Kate…you’re as pale as a ghost," he says as he approaches ainst the counter with one hand and holdbaby," Zack teases, and his calm surety coupled with levity in thishold of one of rasps his supplies in his other hand, he leads , I kick one of the chairs back and take a seat Zack pulls another chair out and faces it toward

I hold ently removes the paper towel froit "Just hold it there"

I do as cootten as the heat of Zack’s leg penetrates his jeans, the paper towel, and my skin It’s the first time I’ve ever touched his body and I’m immediately overwhelmed

My mind is in a haze as he uncaps the peroxide and pours it over the cut He picks up a gauze pad and holds it to the cut, soaking up the liquid andsure the skin is dried sufficiently Then he opens a Band-Aid and says, "Lift your hand a bit"

I do, , which is so very stupid, and watch as he wraps the Band-Aid snugly around the end of er With one hand he takes hold of es of the bandage

Looking up at me, he says, "There All better"