Travis was talking about his early days as a doctor, unaware that Olivia's hand inched closer to his.
Travis jolted when he felt prickles at the tips of his fingers.
"Can I touch your hand?" Olivia asked.
In less than a heartbeat, Travis' hand was palm up. "Of course you can, Olivia. But… don't force yourself." It took everything in him not to grab her hand and hold her, and he wanted to hold the rest of Olivia also.
Travis remembered Damon's words from the hallway. Damon told him to man up and stop vomiting. Something along the lines, "Look at you, like a pampered human girl who smelled something icky and got collywobbles. Get your shit together, Travis. Your mate needs you. This is not about you…"
Travis knew that Damon was right. This was not about Travis. It was about Olivia and her overcoming the trauma of abuse.
Normally, Travis would be the one to advise others about physical and mental health, but it seemed that when it came to his own mate, Travis turned stupid to the point of needing Damon to remind him of what was important.
Considering that Damon's EQ was negative, Travis realized that he needed to step up his game.
If he gave in to his instinct, he would scare the female more, and she will see him as another abuser, a guy who can't respect her wishes and boundaries.
Just saying he won't do anything against her will was not enough. Travis needed to show it.
Olivia inched closer until her palm was over Travis'.
"What is your wolf doing?" She asked.
"My wolf…" Travis shook his head. "You don't want to know."
Olivia bit her lip nervously. How could she not know? She remembered when she met Luis, her wolf was urging her to pounce on her mate, and she was confident that Travis felt the same, yet he was holding back. For her.
Olivia licked her lips nervously. "You don't need to contain your instincts."
Travis' heart cracked. He lifted his free hand and cradled her cheek gently, and he didn't miss that she stiffened upon contact.
"No matter what my instincts are urging me to do, it won't be good if both of us are not enjoying it, Olivia," Travis said. "I am sorry that your first mate was a monster, and I'm sorry I don't have the power to erase your past, but I give you my word that I will devote my life to healing your scars; physical, mental, and emotional ones. I will be patient until you are ready to open up and accept me completely. There is no need for us to rush into anything. Take your time."
Oliva's vision was blurred from tears. It has been a long time since a male spoke to her about consent and healing.
"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Travis asked while caressing her cheek with his fingers.
Olivia blinked her tears away and looked at him.
Travis realized that this would require another approach. Olivia forgot how to stand up to herself, and she would never tell him if something was wrong. That Luis bastard broke her.
Travis pulled his hand away, and Olivia felt the loss of this touch. It was warm and gentle, and she didn't hate it, but she didn't dare ask for it back either.
"How about we come up with a signal?" Travis suggested. "It can be something subtle."
Olivia didn't understand. "A signal for what?"
"For when you want me to stop. Will you be alright with…" Travis thought for a moment. "Touch your ear."
"What?"
"When I am making you uncomfortable, touch your ear. Like that, I will know that I need to stop whatever I'm doing. You won't need to explain, and I won't ask questions. What do you say?"
"I can try."
Travis smiled. This was progress. "Is it alright if I hold your hand?"
Olivia nodded.
"If you don't want it, you can touch your ear," he reminded her.
"Holding hands is fine," Olivia confirmed.
Travis held Olivia's hand between his, and he savored the sensation of the sparks that prickled his skin.
"Why don't you tell me about yourself?" Travis asked.
"I thought that Talia told you already."
"Your voice is like music to my ears. Please, tell me whatever you are willing to share."
This compliment caught Olivia by surprise, and her face exploded in fierce blush.
Travis panicked when the heart rate machine started beeping frantically. "Did I do something wrong?"
He pulled his hands away, but Olivia was quick to grab his hand.
"No, no," Olivia said. "It's just… what you said… it was nice."
Travis exhaled helplessly. "You better get used to it."
"To what?"
"To me being nice."
Olivia was flustered. "Why would you be nice to me? Look at me."
"I am looking at you, Olivia. Your eyes are pure, and there is not a shred of malice inside you. You smell of sweet mangoes, and I can assure you that I never saw a more beautiful female in my life, and I believe that I never will."
The machines were going crazy again, and the door flung open to show two nurses. Jill and Cathy.
Cathy pushed buttons on the control panel to lower the volume. The beeping was deafening.
"Doctor Travis," Jill called sternly. "How can you just sit there and not assist the patient?"
Travis smiled goofily. "What do you say, Jill? Isn't she the most beautiful female on the planet?"
Jill huffed. "Are you flirting with…" She stopped when Cathy swatted her arm.
"What?" Jill asked Cathy who was giving her eye signals Jill didn't understand.
Eventually, Jill got it and shouted, "Did you finally find your mate!?"
"I did," Travis said. "This is Olivia, my mate. Olivia, the noisy one is Jill, and the perceptive one is Cathy."
Olivia blinked, unsure how to respond to this.
Jill's face darkened. Why did he call her the noisy one?
"Listen, Doctor…" Jill's next words were muffled in Cathy's palm.
"We apologize for intruding," Cathy said with a knowing smile. "Doctor Travis, if you can verify that patient's health is not in danger, maybe you could disconnect her from the machines." She started dragging Jill out. "If you need us, you know where to find us." Cathy and Jill disappeared behind a door that closed behind them.
Travis turned to look at Olivia. "Will you be OK?"
"With what?"
"With me giving you a checkup."
Olivia shrunk under the blanket.
Travis lifted his hands defensively. "Take your time. I promise to be gentle."
Olivia thought that she was silly. Yes, he was her mate, but he was also her doctor, and somehow… his proximity made her feel safe. She shouldn't make him unwanted because someone else hurt her before.
Travis' eyebrows shot up when he saw Olivia pushing the blanket lower.
"Can I examine you?" He asked to what she nodded.
"Let me know if any of this is uncomfortable." Travis moved slowly by checking her pulse and blood pressure, and then he asked her to lie down.
"I will lift your gown to inspect the incision. You can raise your arm if I'm hurting you," Travis said with so much tenderness that Olivia felt like crying.
She didn't dare to look down, but she felt the breeze and then his fingers pressing slowly around the area that was covered with gauze.
Travis swallowed hard. That was his mate, right there, and she was perfect in every way possible, but he couldn't pretend that he didn't see her ribs sticking out to stretch her skin covered in bruises. Luis was lucky to be dead.
