Page 311
He laughed softly and laid his head back on the pillow as she came around the gurney and lifted up the gauze.
“Been in a fight,” he replied vaguely.
“Hmmm,” she cocked an eyebrow and threw the bloody gauze in the trash, realizing her stomach had a giddy quiver to it. “I hope you won.”
He gave her a faint nod, studying her intently. God, if she wasn’t the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. When those pale green eyes looked at him he felt as if he were being sucked in by some huge unseen vacuum. He thought he had forgotten how to breathe when he had first caught a glimpse of her. All he could think was that it was a good thing his vitals had already been taken, because he knew his blood pressure was now through the ceiling.
Jeremy put on a pair of pretty glasses she always used for close-up work and settled down on a stool, entirely aware of his hot eyes on her. With sweaty palms, she cut away a good portion of his pants in an attempt to gain a clear field, but finally gave up and cut the entire pant-leg off.
When she examined the wound closer, she was aware that his legs were as big around as small trees and an involuntary shudder went through her. She tried to ignore the tingling in her fingers when she touched his skin. Unnerved and disturbed by her less-than-professional reaction, she cleared her throat and tried the stern approach.
“Well, commander,” she noted the insignia chain hanging around his neck. “It’s a clean wound, alright. I hope you got the guy who did this to you.”
He was laying on his back on the gurney and put his hands over his face in a weary gesture. Jeremy’s heart nearly stopped at the pure size of his arms.
“Will I live?” he deliberately avoided answering her statement.
“You will.” She went over to the counter and began putting a few things together. “A few stitches and you’ll be done.”
He looked over at her, her back turned to him. Dressed in her nursing uniform, which could be less than flattering, she wore it like a goddess. She had the most fantastic ass he had ever seen. He was quickly coming to realize that this woman was physically perfect and he fought off the urge to groan with sheer pleasure. He was disturbed with himself for the reaction; he simply wasn’t the leering type.
“Great,” he replied with a sigh, still watching her and wanting to keep the conversation going. What else could he say to hear her respond in that sweet, honeyed voice? “By the way, what’s to do in this little town of yours?”
She glanced over at him. “Where are you from, sailor boy?”
He smiled. “Norfolk’s my base. How long have you been stationed on the coast?”
She came back over to him with a hypodermic and a few other things. “Ever since I got out of nursing school, about six years,” she swabbed his skin with alcohol. “My dad was in the Navy and insisted I join up, so I really had no choice.”
He didn’t flinch when she injected him. “Same here,” he said. “My brothers and I had to go the same route – Annapolis and a naval career. My dad would have disowned us if we had chosen anything else.”
She smiled for the first time and his heart thumped madly against his ribs. “Maybe we have the same father,” she said, concentrating on her task.
“Doubt it,” he was staring openly at her. “My dad didn’t breed offspring as beautiful as you.”
Her cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink as she gave him a stitch. “Strange you should say that, since my dad always called me Ribs. I don’t equate ribs with beautiful.”
“Ribs?” he repeated, amused. “Why in the hell did he call you that?”
She flicked her eyes to him, embarrassed, as she threaded another stitch. “Because they always stuck out. When I was a kid, I used to like to run around with my shirt off and my ribs were so defined they looked like steps. I looked like a poster child for the Starving Children of the World.”
He grinned broadly. “Do you still run around with your shirt off?”
She fought off a grin. “None of your business.”
He laughed softly, watching her lovely face as she concentrated. Whatever she had shot him full of was taking effect and making him drowsy and he was having difficulty focusing. Wildly curious to know her name without asking, he thought he could be cool and read her nametag without her noticing.
She glanced up at him and saw him blinking his eyes rapidly, staring at her chest. He had gorgeous golden eyes.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Oh… nothing,” he replied sheepishly, laying his head back down. So much for being cool. He only hoped she didn’t think he was staring at her boobs.
“Trying to see my ribs?” she raised a disapproving brow.
He shook his head, fighting off a grin. “No, I swear it.”
She smirked, turning back to his leg. “My name really is Jeremy. It’s not a misprint.”
