Page 27 of Protecting Gina

Cass nodded. “Absolutely. I know that guy is still out there, so it’s not safe for you to be alone. Also, you need to rest, and I want to keep an eye on you.”

Gina’s smile grew wider. “You’re such a good person.”

Cass shook her head. “This is how it’s supposed to be. We’re supposed to help our friends.”

Gina sniffled a little, and Wave wondered if she’d ever had anyone help her out like this. Cass was a good person. Whatever crap their mother had put her through, and he was sure she’d been through a lot living alone with their mother, Cass had turned out good.

Wave moved to the other side of the bed, seeing that she was still hooked up to an IV and other monitors. “I’m glad you’re going to be able to get out today.”

Her lips tipped up in a smile. “But are you okay with me staying with you?”

He didn’t even hesitate before answering. “Absolutely.” He didn’t add any qualifiers. The desire to keep her safe was up there, but also his desire to have her near was high. He wouldn’t push her for intimacy, but he wanted it.

Gina didn’t know if Wave meant to imply interest, but the way he’d looked at her after he’d said absolutely made her think he wanted her around more than just for her safety. With Cass right there, he may not have wanted to say more. Cass didn’t need to know they’d slept together because they might not ever be that way again.

She couldn’t believe that she’d already had sex with Wave. She wasn’t a prude, but she also didn’t hop into bed with random guys. But hopping into Wave’s bed had been magnificent.

The heart monitor sped up, and she blew out a breath, trying to calm down. The last thing she needed was for Cass to realize why she was excited.

“We should let you get some rest,” Wave said.

Cass turned to Wave and lifted her eyebrows. “I’m staying for a while. I can catch a ride home. I’ve done it enough over the last month.”

She thought Wave would tell Cass she needed to leave, but he only nodded. “Okay. I have some stuff I need to take care of. If you want me to come pick you up later, send a text.”

“Sure.”

Wave squeezed her hand before he hugged Cass, then walked out. After he left, Cass pulled the chair away from the wall and took a seat.

“I can go get anything you want. Are they allowing you to eat?”

“Not yet. I think they want to do the CT scan to make sure I don’t have to go back into surgery.”

“Ouch. I hope you don’t have to go back under the knife.”

“Yeah. Hopefully I’ll be okay. I hate being in the hospital. I mean, I am a nurse, so I know what happens. Not that it’s bad. I just don’t want to spend my free time here when I could be doing something else.”

Cass laughed with her, then sat back. She closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. Having someone here with her was nice. She’d been with patients who had no one come visit. That was sad. She’d also seen patients angry when certain people showed up. It was hard to ignore the gossip spilled in the halls around nurses' stations. She personally liked families that were calm and loving. Sometimes the people who sat quietly beside the bed, not feeling the need to say a bunch of words with little substance, were the best families to take care of.

She heard the door squeak open, and a nurse came in. “We’re going to take you to get the CT scan. If the doctor gives his okay, you can get some food. We have chicken or beef tips. What would you like?”

“I’ll take the chicken.”

“Good choice. I’ll make a note of that. The CT scan shouldn’t take long. They’ll work you in since you’ve been admitted.”

“Thank you.”

“Sure thing, hon.”

Cass stood, so she didn’t have to crane her neck to see her. “Are you okay if I just stay in here?”

“Yes. Maybe I’ll be able to eat, and then I can get out of here.”

The nurse laughed. “It will be late this afternoon before you can leave. Hopefully they won’t want to keep you. But they might.”

Gina nodded. “I really hope they don’t want to keep me. This experience hasn’t been too bad, but I don’t want to stay in this place forever.”

The nurse smiled and shook her head. “Yeah, I agree. I wouldn’t want to be stuck here forever either. But this place isn’t the worst. Glad you’re on the mend.”