“You’re pretty special to me,” she said softly.
“You too.” And she was, but there were complications, like his lifestyle and Ryan. But earlier that night, none of it had mattered when he’d entered her, their bodies crashing together, smacking and sliding against each other. They’d fucked over and over until the sheets were wet from their frenzied passion.
After they’d both calmed down, he’d kissed her sweetly, and she’d whimpered and curled around his body. And that’s when he’d made love to her. Long, slow strokes fueled their passion, and when they’d come together, he knew he’d experienced something he’d never had with any other woman. The smell of her hair, the taste of her mouth, the feel of her skin seemed to course through him, electrifying him and everything around him. Her essence gripped him; she captivated him.
And he could never let her go.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Hailey stood inthe doorway as a man in his late forties in a crumpled sports jacket ambled down the hall. His shoulders were slumped, and it looked like he’d never polished his shoes. A tall, young deputy followed after him as they disappeared around the corner.
“I wonder what’s going on,” Hailey said as Shelly approached the room. Hailey stood back and let the nurse walk in.
“How’re you doing, Patty? Are you sore from your physical therapy? Mica said you did great today.”
“I’m very sore. Mica worked me hard.” Patty smiled.
“What’s going on here? I see a couple of cops around.” Hailey glanced down the corridor again.
“There was an accident late last night,” Shelly said as she handed Patty a pain pill.
“What sort of accident?” Hailey asked.
“Susan tripped and fell down the stairs. Kingsley found her in the stairwell when he went downstairs to take his break. He said it was awful.”
“Is she all right?” Patty asked.
“She died. Must’ve broken her neck. Kingsley said she was dead when he found her.”
Patty’s hands flew to her mouth. “Dead! Oh my God. How dreadful.”
“I just spoke to her the day before. I can’t believe it,” Hailey said.
“We’re all shocked by it. Corporate will send a replacement, of course, but it’s always hard to get used to a new person in charge. Well, let me know if you need anything.” Shelly whirled around and left the room.
“She didn’t seem too broken up over it,” Hailey remarked as she watched the nurse go into another room.
“I don’t think she and Susan got along that well. Shelly’s very good friends with Dee, and Dee and Susan didn’t see eye-to-eye on many issues of patient care,” Patty said.
“I know you’ve told me this before, but refresh my memory. Who’s Dee?”
“The DON—director of nursing. She’s a lovely woman whose poor husband was just diagnosed with cancer.”
“Why didn’t Dee like Susan? I thought Susan was real nice, and I loved her accent.”
Darting her eyes around the room, then back at the hallway, Patty said in a low voice, “She didn’t like the way Susan drank on the job.”
“Susan was an alcoholic?” Hailey asked, wide-eyed.
Patty nodded. “I felt so bad for her. I think it was all the stress of running this place. She was constantly pressured by corporate to show increases in earnings, but she also had to provide quality care. It was a hard juggling act. I bet she was drunk when she fell down the stairs. A few months back, she slipped and fell, but she only got bruised up. Poor, poor, Susan.”
“Wow… I didn’t know. When you get out of here, you should write a book.”
“How’s one of my favorite patients doing?” Dr. Daniels asked as he walked into the room.
Patty beamed. She always did when she saw the handsome doctor. Hailey was convinced she had a crush on him and wished she were twenty-five years younger.
“I’m doing great. Mica gave me quite a workout,” Patty said.
