“The nurse called ahead, so your prescription should be waiting when we get there.”
“I heard you the first time you said it.”
His face cracked in a smile, the first since he’d received the call that she was injured.
Natasha. Ambulance. Hospital.
That was all he’d gotten from the call. He didn’t know who’d made it, and he didn’t care. He’d called Gina from the car, since she would be able to reach Natasha’s other friends and family. Home had been on the way to the hospital, so he’d made a quick stop there, then broken all kinds of traffic laws to reach her.
Seeing her in the hospital bed like that, looking tired and wan, dark bruises spreading over her swollen foot and up her leg . . . He’d wanted to gather her tight in his arms. Fuck whatever anyone else thought. The fear and worry had been tempered by crushing relief. She was awake. She was alert. She was mostly okay. The urge to touch her had been overwhelming, and he’d only held back by diving into action and harassing the staff.
Nothing broken, the doctor had said. Likely not even a ligament tear, but just in case, she had to stay off it.
She wouldn’t like that.
Dimitri grinned and shot a glance at her in the rearview mirror. Lucky for her, she had someone who would take very, very good care of her.
After a quick trip into the pharmacy, he opened the back door. “Hey.”
Her eyelids fluttered. After a moment, she gave him a bleary-eyed stare.“¿Qué pasa?”
“Got your meds.” He held up the container and shook it.
“Dios te bendiga.”She stretched out a hand toward him, palm up.“Dame las drogas.”
He laughed and shook out the pills, checking the instructions on the side. “When was the last time you ate?”
At her bland stare, he cursed and wrestled a box of protein bars out of the plastic bag. “I knew it. Here, eat this.”
She scrunched up her face in a way that was really cute and rubbed a hand over her eyes. “Ay, Macho, no los quieroI don’t want those.”
“Stick to Spanish, sweetheart.” She had to be exhausted and in pain. It was easier at those times to slip into your first language. “I’ll figure it out. And you’re going to eat one, or you’ll kill your stomach. These pills say to take them with food.”
She grumbled, but took the protein bar he’d ripped open. He waited until she’d taken three bites, then handed her the pills and a large bottle of water.
“Keep eating that, and drink the water. I’ll drive us home.” He closed the back door and climbed into the driver’s seat. When he looked back at her, her eyes were closed.
“Tasha . . .”
“Hmm?”
“You’re going back to sleep, aren’t you?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Eat another bite. Please.”
With a heavy sigh, she lifted the protein bar and shoved half of it in her mouth. “Only because you said please,” she mumbled with her mouth full. Her eyes drifted shut again as she chewed. “Take me home?”
His heart squeezed. Damn, he was so in love with her. Didn’t she know he’d give her anything she asked? “Of course,Kroshka.”
Her lips curved.“Gracias.”
When he pulled up to his house, he parked in the driveway, angling so he could bring her in through the front door. First, he ran to open it and disable the security system, then he went back and carefully opened the door she was propped up against.
He’d expected her to put up a fight when he attempted to carry her, but she poured into his arms, body limp. He was carrying her through the living room before she managed to rouse herself enough to complain.
“I can walk,” she said, slurring.
