The Magic In Your Touch

Chapter 2

Nathan recalled everything he could, though most of it was fuzzy. Mike Vaughn came to stand by his wife just as Nathan got to the part where his attacker threatened him and called him a fag. Nathan watched as all the color drained from Amy’s face and Mike started shaking with rage.

Mike took Amy’s place at the head of the examining table. “You’re sure that’s what he said?”

“No doubt.”

Mike turned to his wife. “How soon can you find another pair of doctors to buy out your practice?”

Amy was right behind him. “Shouldn’t take long. This is a new practice, so most anyone could step in.”

Nathan sat up, grimacing as fresh waves of sickness washed over him. “Look, you two, we’re not selling out just because some bigot took a shot at me. Even if I was scared enough to leave, which I’m not, you don’t have to go, too. You just bought your first house, dammit.”

Amy started to speak, but Mike cut her off. “Do you always have to be so damn logical? There is no way in hell you’re leaving without us. Likewise, if you stay, we stay. You’re family, man. That’s the whole reason we all moved here from Atlanta together in the first place. If you want to stay, then we’ll just have to find the bastard who did this.”

Amy took her husband’s hand and reached out to Nathan with the other one. “He’s right, you know. We are a family. The sheriff is on his way, so let’s wait until we talk to him before we decide what to do. In the meantime, let me check your vitals and reflexes again.”

Mike went out into the lobby to wait for the cops while Amy examined Nate. As she worked, she talked about getting a call from the alarm company and coming to check it out, only to find him lying in a heap on the porch.

Nathan could feel her fear and hated the jerk who hit him even more for scaring Amy. Still, he didn’t exactly relish having to talk to the sheriff.

He had seen enough of police responses to gay-bashing to know that he was just as likely to get some homophobic prick who could care less whether or not the world had one less fag in it. He suppressed a groan as he heard a large engine pull into the parking lot. The cavalry had arrived.

Amy insisted Nate stay put, so he was forced to wait while Mike spoke to the sheriff. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Mike was clearly angry.

The man was probably trying to deny that the whole incident even happened. When Amy finished her exam and opened the door to let the guy in, Nathan prepared himself for a sixty-year-old codger with a beer-gut and a bald spot. The 6’3” stud who walked in the door was not what he expected.

The man had the bluest eyes Nathan had ever seen. His hair was midnight black with not a hint of gray, the perfect foil for his left-over summer tan. Even through his kaki uniform shirt and tight jeans, Nathan could tell the man was built.

He stuck out a calloused hand, first to Amy, then to Nathan. “Sorry it took me so long to get here, folks. I was out on another call when my dispatcher told me what happened. I’m Sheriff Brandon Nash.”

His voice was rich and smooth. Nathan wanted him to keep talking just so he could hear it again. His next words made Nathan want to scream for him to shut-up.

“Your friend out there tells me you think you were the target of a gay-bashing, Dr. Morris. I have to tell you, I find that hard to believe.”

Anger coursed through Nathan’s blood, driving away all thoughts of pain. He moved to the side so that the swelling of his face and jaw was visible under the harsh fluorescent lights of the exam room. “Does it look like I did this to myself, Sheriff Nash?”

Nash didn’t flinch. “No, sir. There’s no question that you were attacked. I just wonder if maybe you were mistaken about the motive. This town is pretty tolerant towards gays and lesbians.”

“The man who jumped me called me a faggot and told me I was dead if I didn’t leave town. Doesn’t exactly sound like the Reed County Welcoming Wagon, now does it?”

The sheriff’s handsome face never changed expression. “No sir, it doesn’t. All I’m saying is, could it be possible that someone would want this to look like a gay-bashing? Do you have any enemies?”

Amy and Mike, who had been listening from the open doorway of the exam room, rushed to defend Nathan’s character, but Brandon Nash’s blue eyes never left Nate’s face.

It was almost like he was searching for something. Nathan found himself growing uncomfortable under the scrutiny. He decided to relieve the tension by lashing out.

“To answer your question, I don’t have any enemies that I know of, other than my parents, who hate me because I’m gay, and my brother who avoids me because he’s afraid my queerness might be contagious. None of them would touch me, though. They’d be too afraid they might catch something from the ‘unclean homo’. I think you’re overlooking the obvious. Maybe the good people of Reed don’t want a faggot for a doctor. Did you ever think about that?”

For the first time since the interview started, Nash’s eyes flashed with irritation. He put his notebook down on a nearby counter and looked Nathan straight in the face.

Since Nate was still seated on the exam table, they were about level, even though Brandon was a good four inches taller standing up. He edged closer to the table until they were almost nose to nose.

Nate could feel Brandon’s breath on his face, could smell peppermint, coffee, and some kind of aftershave that made him want to nuzzle his face in the man’s neck.

To his horror, he felt himself getting hard. He could only hope the sheriff didn’t notice. He needn’t have worried; Nash’s eyes never broke contact with his own.

“No, it never occurred to me that the people of Reed might not want a ‘faggot’ for a doctor. After all, they elected one sheriff.”

The room fell into total silence. Amy and Mike may have been speechless, but Nathan was absolutely stunned. Nash was the only one who seemed to be enjoying himself.

“Now that we have established that I am probably the last person in the world to ignore a gay-bashing, let’s get on with this so I can file a report.”

Nathan answered the sheriff’s questions, all the while wondering about the man asking them. He was sexy enough to make even a straight guy look twice, but that wasn’t what drew Nathan to him.

Brandon Nash had some quality that made Nate want to get to know him, to find out what he liked, what made him feel good. God, he wanted to get that man into his bed.

For a guy who hadn’t had s*x with anyone other than his right hand, the feelings of lust that hit him came as quite a shock. It was probably all just wishful thinking, anyway. A man who looked like that was certain to have a boyfriend, maybe even a life-partner. He was so lost in thought, he didn’t hear Nash’s last question.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?”

For the first time since the interview started, Nash gave him a genuine smile. “I said, are you sure we shouldn’t take you over to the hospital to have you checked out? Chicago’s only about a thirty minute drive from here.”

Nathan was about to decline when Amy spoke up. “I think you should go to the hospital. I’ll feel a lot better if you do. My exam was pretty thorough, but I still think you should have an MRI.”

Mike nodded. “I agree with Amy, dude. I’ll drive you.”

Mike reached for his keys, but Sheriff Nash stopped him. “My shift ended about half-an-hour ago. I can take him and get the doctor to sign a report on his injuries.”

Nathan felt himself loosing control of the situation. He hated it when people talked about him like he wasn’t even in the room. As desperately as he wanted to get to know Brandon, he wasn’t ready to spend an hour alone with him, especially when he was half-addled from a blow to the head.

“Amy already checked me out. She can fill out your report.”

Nathan’s stomach turned over as Amy started shaking her head. “No. I really think you should have an MRI. I can write the orders and you can take them with you.”

Nathan’s jaw hardened. “Fine, then. Mike can drive me.”

He turned around just in time to see Amy nudge Mike in the ribs. “Honey, don’t you remember that proposal you have to have ready for your client tomorrow?”

“Huh?” Another nudge to the ribs, this one harder. “Oh, you mean the proposal I was working on when the alarm company called.”

He gave Nash an apologetic grin. “I’ve been offered a junior partnership at a firm in Chicago. Not a bad commute, and the pay is damn good for a guy who just passed the bar a year ago. Of course, if I don’t turn in my work on time. . .”

Brandon nodded. “Wouldn’t want that to happen. I’ll take Dr. Morris to the hospital. Don’t worry about it.” He gave Nate an apologetic smile. “Afraid you’ll have to ride in the ‘sheriff-mobile’. My car’s off having some detail work done.”

Before Nathan could protest any further, he found himself being hustled into a state-issue SUV with the sexiest man he’d seen in a long time. Not even a head injury could stop the feelings of longing when they hit.