Wrong thing to do. He quickly turned his head and lost his breakfast.
“Chris, you all right?” Tuck called.
Chris’s arms shook, but he managed to stick a thumb up again.
“Do you think something is broken?”
Think? Heknew.He kept his thumb up.
Chris could hear them mumbling. Then he heard the sweetest words ever.
“Help is here, man. They’re sending someone down.”
He heard the rappel system and opened his eyes in time to see a rescue worker and basket being lowered.
“Sir, I’m gonna get you up and to the hospital.”
“Compound fracture,” Chris gritted out.
“I see that, sir. We’ll get you taken care of.”
“Erykah,” he rasped.
“Is she your wife?”
“Tell my friends...” He breathed, trying to keep the nausea at bay. “Get Erykahnow.”
“Take it easy, sir.” The man spoke into his radio. “He’s asking for someone named Erykah.”
“Roger that,” the radio crackled.
Knowing that Erykah would come, Chris closed his eyes and let the dark soothe him.
“Chris? Chris? Wake up for me.”
A soft hand rubbed the side of his face. He didn’t want to wake up, because then the pain would attack him again, but the voice sounded so worried. He willed his eyes to open, and light shined right into his retinas. He winced and closed them again.
“No. Open them again for me. I’ll shade you.”
He did as the voice instructed and stared right into Erykah’s beautiful eyes. “Erykah,” he murmured.
“I’m here.”
“Leg’s broken.”
“I saw. We’re almost to the hospital. I called ahead since I have a license to operate there.”
Of course she did. She was amazing. “Save my leg.”
“It won’t come to that. No one’s losing a leg tonight.”
He tried to grin, but it took too much effort. “You operate.”
“I...” She sighed. “They may not let me. We know each other, we ... welikeeach other.” Nervousness shined in her gaze as if she wasn’t assured of his feelings yet.
He’d worry about that later. “But you’re the best.”
She stroked his face, saying nothing. Chris didn’t know if that was a yes or if she was thinking. Either way, he kept quiet.
