“On it,” Rex promised.
After the doctor left the room, the nurse gave Kimo her discharge orders and asked what pharmacy she wanted the antibiotic sent to.
Kimo gave her the information and asked, “So, I can leave?”
Nurse Bowman nodded. “You need rest to recover from your ordeal.”
“I need to find my friend. It’s more likely her ordeal is worse than anything I’ve experienced.”
The nurse nodded. “You can’t help her if you pass out again.”
“Can I take the hospital gown with me, seeing as I have no other clothes?”
The nurse’s lips twisted. “Absolutely. Sorry about the wetsuit, but it’s protocol to cut away restrictive clothing.”
Kimo sighed. “I get it. Thanks for everything.”
Nurse Bowman glanced toward the door. “Oh, good. Your wheelchair has arrived.”
“I can walk out,” Kimo insisted.
Nurse Bowman shook her head. “Hospital rules. You’ll be escorted out in a wheelchair. I assume your bodyguard will take it from there.”
Rex nodded. “I’ll take it from there.”
Kimo pressed her lips together. “Seeing as I don’t have my car or street clothes, I’m at your mercy.” She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, exposing her bare backside to him.
Rex’s lips quirked on the corners. “Do you want me to secure the gown in the back?”
“I do not,” she said, reaching behind her neck to fumble with the ties.
“Here,” Nurse Bowman hurried around the opposite side of the hospital bed and tied the strap at her neck and halfway down her spine, pulling the edges together to cover her naked back. “Take it easy getting up. You might feel a little dizzy.”
Rex came to stand beside her and offered his arm.
Kimo frowned at him and pushed off the bed. “I can handle this.” As soon as her feet hit the floor, her knees buckled.
Rex’s arm shot out, wrapped around her waist and pulled her body against his. “Just go with it,” he murmured. “Handle things later.”
She didn’t fight him—she couldn’t at first.
The orderly brought the wheelchair close enough that all she had to do was turn around and sink onto the seat. A scowl marred her pretty face.
“I don’t like being weak.”
“You’ve had a bad day,” Rex reminded her. “I’m sure you’ll be back wrangling sea turtles and octopuses after a little sleep.”
“He’s right,” the nurse said. “Rest.”
Rex almost chuckled at the mutinous frown pulling her eyebrows into a V.
The orderly turned the wheelchair and rolled it out into the hallway and to the exit. “I’ll wait with her while you bring your vehicle around.”
Rex frowned. “I don’t want to leave her.”
The orderly shot a glance over his shoulder and then nodded. “Look, I’m not supposed roll patients out into the parking lot.”
“That’s okay,” Rex said. “I’ll take her from here.”
