Chapter 151 NOT THIS CONVERSATION

Chapter 151 NOT THIS CONVERSATION

GABRIELLA

"Why exactly would I do that, sir?" I asked, doing my best to still keep my voice professional.

"Because," he replied without missing a beat, "I need someone to grab my ear thermometer from that drawer."

He gestured vaguely toward the other side of his desk. "And I might be forced to use your assistance for once."

I stared at him. Well. That was probably the closest thing Dr. Samil had ever said to please help me.

"Right." I walked around the desk toward the drawer he'd pointed at.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "That one."

After digging through an alarming amount of paperwork and what looked suspiciously like three missing pens from the entire hospital, I finally found it.

"Here." I held it out to him.

He took it without a word and slid the thermometer into his ear before pulling it back out a few seconds later.

His brows pulled together slightly. "I think this thing is broken."

The comment sounded more directed at himself than me. I probably should've left then. Clearly I wasn't getting approval for early leave today. Not with him looking like this.

Still… The tiny knot of concern in my chest refused to disappear. Maybe it was the nurse in me, maybe it was basic human decency or perhaps it was because despite being an unbelievably frustrating human being, Dr. Samil still looked like someone who should probably be in bed right now instead of sitting in an office pretending to be functional.

"May I?" I asked, holding out my hand.

He didn't even look surprised. He simply handed it back to me. Like this was the obvious next step as if I should've suggested it ten minutes ago.

Honestly, that attitude alone almost convinced me to hand the thermometer back and walk straight out of the room. But that would've been petty. And I was an adult. I released a quiet breath and walked around to his side of the desk.

"You're welcome, by the way," I muttered as I took the thermometer from him.

His lips twitched slightly. "I didn't say thank you."

"Exactly my point." I shot back.

For some reason, that almost looked like it amused him.

I stepped closer, awkwardly trying to slide the thermometer into his ear without accidentally making any physical contact with him. Somehow, I managed it. The second the numbers appeared on the screen, I looked down at them.

My brows immediately pulled together. "Shit." The word escaped before I could stop it.

Samil shifted slightly in his chair, finally tilting his head back enough to look at me properly. "What?" His brow lifted slightly. "Don't tell me it's actually that bad."

I didn't answer. Mostly because I was too busy wondering how he was still sitting upright. Because a fever that high should've had him flat on his back somewhere under three blankets questioning every decision he'd ever made. Instead, he was sitting in his office arguing with me.

Without thinking, I lifted the back of my hand toward his forehead. He leaned back instinctively. I ignored him.

My fingers brushed against his skin for barely a second. Right. Definitely not broken. He was actually burning up.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched my expression. "That look doesn't exactly inspire confidence."

"That's because it shouldn't."

I lowered my hand slowly. "Your temperature is forty degrees, Dr. Samil."

His brows lifted.

"You're not okay."

"I figured," he muttered dryly.

I stared at him. "How are you even still here?"

"Years of practice."

"That's not funny." I said more seriously.

"I wasn't joking."

Honestly? That somehow, that felt worse. Part of me wanted to dismiss it as another one of his dramatic answers. This was Samil Ashford after all. The man who walked around this hospital like pressure bent itself around him instead of the other way round.

But the fever burning under my hand made it difficult to hold onto that version of him. "I think you need to—"

"I'm fine, alright…" The words stopped halfway out of his mouth. For the first time since I'd walked into his office, he looked genuinely confused. His eyes searched my face for a moment. Then one corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "Wait. Are you worried about me?" His voice dropped weakly.

My stomach immediately sank. Oh no. Absolutely not. Not this conversation.