Alexandra crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from Mark. Mark stood several feet away from her. All the humour and teasing had drained from his face as soon as he had seen the bruise. The bruise looked angry and reached from just above her hip until her collar bone. It covered almost half her stomach.

“Oh my god, Alex. I’m so sorry. I’m such a jerk! You must think I’m real stupid.”

Alexandra grinned at his choice of words and responded like she remembered.

“No, not real stupid.”

Mark looked at her and realised she made a joke. He laughed softly.

“Okay spread your arms. Let me look at the whole bruise.”

Alexandra looked at him with wide eyes. He motioned her to lift her arms and after a few seconds of hesitation, she covered her eyes with her hands and raised her elbows higher. She could feel her cheeks burning intensely.

“Okay, I’m going to touch it. Don’t be worried.”

Worried? Was he kidding? Alexandra was absolutely too embarrassed. She felt his cold fingers on her naked skin. She looked at him through her fingers.

“Can you warm your hands up? You’re making me break out in goose bumps again.”

Mark nodded and rubbed his hands together. He gently inspected her ribs. Pressing here and there, asking her if it hurt.

“Of course it hurts!”

Alexandra said as she flinched again. Mark nodded and stepped back.

“Okay, I think you are very lucky. It doesn’t seem like anything is broken. But in order to tape it in and apply the bandage, I think you need to loose the bra.”

next chapter