“Maybe.”
Her eyelashes flickered, then her eyes opened. “Hey.”
Ian pushed away from the door and walked to her bed. He took her hand, needing the connection.
“I see my grandmother bullied the staff to get you back here.”
“Yes. Well, she lied.”
“She often does,” she said with affection.
“I’m sorry.”
“About what?”
“Vivian.”
“Did you try to seduce her?”
“Uh, no. She was a trainee. Plus…kind of boring. She never gave me hell.”
“Is that a fact?”
“Yeah. She’s also boring.”
“She’s a nut job who broke multiple laws trying to gain your attention.”
“Yeah, but she was predictable. I mean, who wouldn’t obsess over me?”
“Anyone with a brain.”
“And she had some very boring eyes.” He leaned closer to her as if sharing a secret. “They were both the same color.”
She pressed her lips together as he watched those tears fill with tears.
“Don’t cry, love. You know how I feel about that.”
There was a knock on the door, and he kept hold of her hand as he straightened to face whoever was there. A man in scrubs stood there. He looked to be in his twenties, with short blond hair and dark eyes.
“I’m Jon, one of the nurses on duty,” he said pointing to a white board hanging by the door. “We will all have our names there and will change them each shift, so you know who to expect. Just wanted to check her vitals and make sure you didn’t need anything.”
Ian kept hold of her hand. “No worries.”
“You must be the fiancé,” he said, looking over her chart. Lila’s hand jerked in his. The woman was going to have to get used to being called that, because it was going to happen. Even if it took him years to prove himself to her, he wanted her as his.
Ian avoided her gaze as Jon went about his work.
“You’re looking good,” he said. I think they’ll move you to another room in no time. That way you can have more people visit.”
With a wave and a smile, the very helpful Jon made his way out of the room.
“Just what did he mean by fiancé?”
He finally looked at her. He could demand that she be his, but he knew better. “It was the only way I could get back here. It was your grandmother’s idea.”
Her pensive look eased. “Oh, okay.”
Still keeping his hand in hers, he grabbed a chair and pulled it over. “You look really tired. You might want to take a cat nap.”
