AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Is that the idiot who hit me?” The man came off the table and was headed out of the bay before Elijah could stop him. “Call Security,” he barked at the nurse as he followed the man.
When he got to the next bay terror filled him. Helena stood between his patient and another man of similar size. Either one could swat her out of the way like a fly.
“You need to go back to your room,” Helena was saying as she pushed against Elijah’s patient’s chest in an effort to protect her patient.
“You’ll hear from my lawyer,” her patient was saying.
“Mr. Wojciech, please sit down,” Helena said in a forceful voice.
Elijah rushed to them. Where was Security? “Gentlemen, this isn’t the place to have this discussion.”
Helena gave him a look as if to say, I’ve got this.
“This jerk hit me.” Elijah’s patient pointed a finger over Helena’s head at the other man.
“No, you hit me.” The man leaned toward him.
She gave his patient a pleading look. “Please go back to your room.”
“I’m going to sue you!” Helena’s patient shouted, just before he clutched his chest.
Elijah managed to catch the man before he collapsed on top of Helena. She turned around and grabbed her patient, helping Elijah get him to the floor. As Helen started to check his pulse, Elijah stood and pushed the button on the wall. When the unit secretary answered he said, “Get security in here now.” He told the other man, “Now you go to your room and stay there.”
With the help of the others, he and Helena got her patient back on the bed. He soon woke and was talking. He would be spending a couple of nights in the hospital for tests.
“You okay?” he asked Helena.
“Yeah.”
“Good. I’ve got to go check on my patient now.” What he really wanted to do was forget about his Hippocratic oath and do some bodily harm instead. Helena could have been hurt. Which for some reason bothered him more than it should. Reminding himself strongly that he was a doctor, Elijah entered his patient’s cubicle to find it empty.
He went to the desk and asked where the man had gone.
“He walked out,” Lauren told him.
Elijah nodded. That figured. It was probably just as well. He needed to check on Helena. Lauren handed him a chart. “There’s a patient in Trauma One waiting.”
So much for checking on Helena. “On my way.”
He saw her a few times, going in and out of a room, but they had no time to talk. The shift was ending when he walked up to the desk. Helena was filling out a report. “So have you recovered from the excitement earlier?”
“Yes, but I’d like to speak to you about that.”
She sounded like it was something serious. “Okay. You want to talk here or elsewhere?”
“I’d prefer for this not to be overheard. Let’s do it in an on-call room.”
He nodded. “I’ll meet you as soon as I’ve given my relief person report.”
CHAPTER FOUR
HELENA HAD MADE a mistake. She realized it the instant Elijah stepped through the door of the on-call room. The space was too private, too small, and there was too much of Elijah. Having no choice now, she had to get through it. She’d been sitting in the only chair but stood when he entered.
“You were great out there today. Not that I didn’t expect you to be, but those weren’t easy cases. We made a good team,” Elijah said, sounding like he was coming off an adrenalin high after spending a day dealing with constant life-or-death situations.
“Yeah, it was some day. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I don’t need you micro-managing me. I’m a qualified ER doctor and can handle my cases without you coming to the rescue.”
“Uh?” He cocked his head to one side in disbelief.
Her hands went to her waist. “I can take care of my patients without any interference from you.”
“Like when you were standing between two men twice your size? Or when one of them almost fell on you?”
“I would’ve figured out something. But you were also there when the hemothorax came up. I know what to do without you checking on me. You’ve arranged the schedule so we’ll be working together all week and I want you to let me do my job without any interference from you.”
Elijah lowered his chin. It was covered in five-o’clock shadow, giving him a sexy look that had Helena looking at the door. Unfortunately, he was standing between her and it. “So let me get this correct. You don’t want any help from me?”
“Not unless I ask for it.” And she wouldn’t.
“Even when I know you need it?”
She stood straighter. “Yes. I’m a little surprised you’d be interested in doing so since you told me last night you didn’t believe in fairy tales. So why would you want to ride to my rescue?”
He pursed his lips, crossed his arms over his chest and studied her thoughtfully. “So is this all about punishing me for what you thought was my bad behavior?”
“I don’t like to be manipulated. Your actions today made me feel that way.”
Elijah took a step closer. “I didn’t mean to.”
Helena moved back. Her legs bumped the chair.
With another step he entered her personal space. His gaze held hers as a smile formed on his lips. “What can I do to get you to forgive me?” His hands came to rest on her hips.
She pushed against his shoulders. “I’m not playing.”
His head came toward hers as he spoke softly. “Neither am I. I didn’t realize I was stepping on your toes.” Her eyes dropped to his mouth. “I thought I was helping. As for the schedule, I can’t say that I’m disappointed it worked out like it did.” His lips were almost touching hers. Her heart fluttered in anticipation. “This way I get more chances to do this.”
Elijah’s mouth claimed hers. He pulled her tight against him as his tongue dipped in. She shivered, her hands clutching his scrub shirt. Divine feelings she’d felt during his kiss came rushing back. She wanted to bask in it while she could.
This...she didn’t know what to call it was what had teased, grown, pushed at her all day long when Elijah was around. She wanted another kiss, wanted him. But where was all this madness leading? Elijah wasn’t just the celebrated hospital playboy but his family was important in the city. Why would he have any real interest in a girl not in his social circle, who enjoyed nights by the fire and reading? Who wanted a home and family. She might lose another baby and she needed someone who would stand beside her. She had to have stability.
They weren’t right for each other. He knew where she stood and he made it clear in no uncertain terms that he wanted none of it. He was flash and she was steady flame. This had to stop. Now.
Helena pushed hard against his chest. “We can’t do this.”
Elijah grinned. “But you like it.”
She couldn’t argue with that. “Just because I like something it doesn’t mean I should do it.”
He brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “Beautiful Helena. Let yourself go.”
Helena almost purred at his touch. “It’s just lust.” She’d experienced that before and it hadn’t ended well.
“Is that a bad thing?” His voice was soothing.
“Yes. My body doesn’t know what my mind knows about you.”
He chuckled low in his throat. “I’m really that bad?”
The whisper of his breath across her lips made her shudder. Why must she be so attracted to him?
“See.” His lips feathered over hers.
She sighed softly. Her body ached to press against his.
“A few kisses...” The tip of his tongue caressed her bottom lip.
She groaned when he pulled away. His confident smile warned her of the plea
sure he could give. Her knees wobbled in response.
“...won’t kill you.” He dared her with a look to agree.
She said nothing, just stared into those sexy blue eyes pulling at her, teasing her. Eyes filled with desire. And that spelled danger.
