I was about to make sure Ethan King never stepped foot in this place again.
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Ten
Istood outside room 137 with sweaty palms and a dry tongue. A whirlwind of emotions was rocking through me and I didn’t know what I was going to say to him, or do to him.
Mount him? Slap him? I was almost mad at myself that I’d let myself fall for someone again. Caring for someone was nice, until it brought you pain.
“I can see your feet,” Ethan’s raspy voice came from inside.
Fuck.
I opened the door, plastered a fake smile on, and entered the room.
“Hey. How are you?” He looked pale, an IV in his arm and hospital sheet across his lap.
He held my gaze with his cobalt blue eyes and tracked me as I crossed the room to stand by his side. When I was close enough to touch him, I instinctively reached out and held his hand.
“I’m fine. But how are you?” There was concern laced in every word. This wassoEthan. He almost died and he was concerned with how I am.
“That was scary,” I admitted, chewing my lip.
He reached up, tilting my chin so that I would meet his gaze. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
The tears came then; the shock had worn off and now it was time for the emotional release. A sob formed in my throat and he opened his arms so that I could fall into them. Careful not to sit on his IV, I sat on the bed and let him hold me.
“I’m supposed to be the one comforting you!” I laughed into his chest as I wiped my tears.
He chuckled. “Nah, I like it better this way.”
Sitting up, I brushed the tears off my cheeks again.
“Starting tomorrow, I’m making you a med chart. You put an X next to short acting or long acting. Okay?”
He grinned. “Yes, Nurse Hailey.”
I sighed, staring at his chest. “I … thought you were going to die.”
His arms wrapped tighter around me. “I’m not going anywhere.”
That simple statement put me at ease and I didn’t know how badly I needed to hear it.
* * *
While Ethan showered allthe hospital gunk off, I ran to the pharmacy and the AT&T store. An hour later, I walked in with the bag holding Ethan’s new four-hundred-dollar device and my new six-hundred-dollar iPhone. Yep. I’d just put a grand on my credit card.
Fuck it.I didn’t know Ethan’s financial situation, but I knew he had to work hard to keep up the lifestyle he lived. I didn’t want him to have to worry about money at a time like this.
When I walked in to the kitchen and saw Ethan sitting at the table, hair still wet from a shower, my inner nurse kicked in. He waited patiently, watching me, as I read over the instructions and pulled out the sensor that needed to be imbedded under his skin.
“Lift up your shirt,” I commanded.
A sly grin crossed his face and I blushed.
I held the device up and clarified my intent. “So I can put this thing on.”
He lifted his shirt over his head and took it off completely, dropping it on the table. And all the oxygen got sucked from the room.
