“Stop talking and be a doctor, McBride. There’s no way you can do both.” Ethan’s voice was weak but at least he was still talking. “About that uniform, Smith. It sure might help me some if you undid a few of those buttons.”
She couldn’t help it, she laughed. Even injured and pathetic he was flirting, and she loved it, and that right there was the problem. The guy just pushed all her buttons. She loved the way he looked and spoke, loved the way he talked dirty to her. There was no way in hell she would ever act on it…not ever, but it was fair to say that Ethan Gelderman was possibly her ideal man.
“So I want notes, Annabelle, and pictures if you can manage it, because I’ve never been to Texas, or met any of his family, so you can be my eyes and ears.”
“Sure thing, Jake. I’ve got it covered.” She reached out a hand and pushed the hair back from Ethan’s forehead, simply because she could and because he looked a bit lost and vulnerable. The big, strong Texan wasn’t quite so big and strong right at that moment.
“You going soft on me, Smith?”
“It’ll pass.”
“Shame,” he sighed, looking into her eyes. “I kind of like the idea of you going all soft over me.”
Jake snorted behind them, thinking that Ethan was making a joke, but Annabelle knew different. The look in those blue eyes was not an amused one; in fact, it was deadly serious, and that scared her enough to move to Jake’s side and start helping him.
They worked quickly and had Ethan patched up minutes later. Jake had given him a shot and written a prescription for some painkillers and antibiotics.
“I’ll watch him tonight, Annabelle, and make sure he’s not going to go all weak and faint or anything. Then I’ll send him home tomorrow so he can get his suit cleaned in time for you to arrive next week,” Jake said, helping Ethan up off the bed.
“Do you want me to fly back and get you, Annabelle?” Ethan looked at her, and she fought the urge to touch him again. He was pale and shaky and she wanted to wrap her arms around him and cuddle him, but instead she dug her toes into her shoes and stayed right where she was.
“Buster’s got to go to Hope for supplies or something, so he’s driving me, but thanks, Ethan.”
“Okay,” he said as they made their way out to reception. “But if you come to your senses and want to pull out, then just let me know.”
“I won’t,” she said. “Because these guys are relying on me to snoop out all the information I can on your family.”
He turned to look at her and she saw that he wasn’t smiling. In fact, he looked like she usually did when someone asked her things about her family.
“In that case, I’m pretty sure you should stay here in Howling, because believe me, there will be nothing good to report.”
He walked away from her then, and out the clinic’s front door, leaving Jake and Annabelle watching him.
“Look out for him, will you, Annabelle?” Jake said, brushing a kiss against her cheek. “He’s always been there for me, especially that one time when I really needed him."
“Sure thing,” Annabelle said remembering the story Branna had told her about Ethan getting Jake out of a building, that was being bombed when they were in they army together.
Walking back into the treatment room she wondered just what the hell was waiting for them in Texas, and whether she should take Ethan’s advice and pull out now.
“It’s a strange thing, you and Tex heading to a wedding in his home town, Annabelle.”
Buster Griffin was taking a rare day off and driving to Brook. Annabelle was seated beside him because today she and Ethan were flying to Texas to his sister’s wedding.
“It’s even stranger that you left off your apron for the day, Buster.”
His lips moved slightly, just a small twitch that suggested he was smiling. “Have to do shit, Annabelle. Shit that can’t be put off any longer.”
“Well, I have to go with Ethan because I owe him, and you know how I feel about owing people stuff.”
“So you want to tell me why you owe him and what’s been biting you lately?”
“Nothing’s been biting me.”
“Annabelle, I’ve known you since before you were potty trained. I can tell when you’re not right.”
She looked out the window at the scenery flashing by the car.
“I haven’t told anyone this, but he sold my car for me.”
