LITMIR.BIZ

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damned old woman who thinks she’s my keeper thought I needed to come to the hospital. I’ve already told her I’m gonna fire her for this,” he muttered. “All I need is a good shot of bourbon. But she wouldn’t give it to me!”

      In spite of the situation, Nicci had to hide her smile. “You’re talking about Opal? The lady that keeps house for you?”

      “That’s her. Nosiest female I’ve ever seen.” He snorted, then pointed over her shoulder to where Ridge stood just inside the door. “And that young whippersnapper over there wants to jab me with a needle. He don’t know what I need. He’s still wet behind the ears!”

      Nicolette rubbed her hand gently across Dan’s chest. “Dan, Doctor Garroway is trying to help you. And he does know what he’s doing. The shot will help your lungs.”

      “Hmmp. Well, that stuff will make me go to the bathroom all night long. Nope—I won’t take it.”

      The old man stubbornly shook his head, and Nicolette turned a stern look on him. “You will take it or I’ll get Mother in here after you,” she warned. “And you know she won’t be nearly as sweet with you as I’m being.”

      He studied her through squinted eyes, then gave her a weak grin. “Honey child, you always were my little sweetheart. I guess if you say I need the shot, then I’ll just have to take it. I won’t like it, mind you, but I’ll take it. For you.”

      “That’s my guy,” she said happily, then leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I want you to get well. That’s why you’re going to do everything Dr. Garroway tells you. Okay?”

      He nodded and she placed one last kiss on his cheek before she straightened to her full height and motioned for Ridge to join her.

      “If you have the diuretic with you, I’ll give it to him,” she told the doctor.

      “The nurse took it back to the station.” He picked up the call button and quickly ordered the medicine back to Dan’s room. Once the RN returned with the prepared shot, Ridge instructed her to leave it with Nicolette.

      Quickly, before the old wrangler had a change of heart, Nicolette injected him with the medicine and promised him she would be just outside the door if he needed her.

      She and Dr. Garroway left the room and walked a short distance down the hall. Since it was long past regular visiting hours, the lights in the corridor had been dimmed and the hospital wing was quiet. Once they were far enough away from Dan’s door, Ridge paused and turned a grateful look on her.

      “Thank you, Nicolette, for all this trouble you’ve taken. It’s ruined your night and I feel badly about that. But Mr. Nelson will get well much more quickly now. I could have badgered him into taking the shot, but I didn’t want to put added stress on the man. And I’m not too proud to ask for help when help is needed,” he added with a grin.

      Apparently not, Nicolette thought, and the fact surprised her very much indeed. She’d figured that at his age, he would be a doctor who thought he walked on water and never needed help from anyone, especially from a mere physician’s assistant. It was nice to learn she’d been wrong.

      “Don’t worry about it,” she assured him. “Dan pretends to be grouchy, but he really has a heart as soft as a marshmallow. I don’t think he’ll give you any more problems about medication now.”

      He smiled, and even in the semidarkness, Nicolette could feel the punch of his charm. There was something sparkling and vibrant about the man, as though he loved life and wanted everyone around him to do the same.

      “Actually the old man is in good shape for his age. He may eventually need a pacemaker, but we’ll deal with that when the time comes. Uh, you say he worked for your family…what did he do?”

      Apparently he either didn’t know about the Sandbur or he didn’t associate her with the families who ran it. The idea that he was unaware she was a rich, ranching heiress was rather nice.

      “Ranch wrangler. You couldn’t find a better cowboy in Texas. He’s spent more hours in the saddle than you’ve been alive,” Nicolette told him.

      His brows lifted and he chuckled. “Come on now, pretty lady, I’m not that young.”

      And she wasn’t supposed to be a pretty lady. At least not to him. He was a professional, a colleague; he should be behaving appropriately.

      “Dan might argue that point,” she said briskly, then glanced pointedly at her watch. “I think I’ll go down to the cafeteria and wait around until the diuretic takes affect, just to make sure he begins to improve.”

      A grin dimpled Ridge’s cheeks. “You can go on home and go to bed, Nicolette. I’ll make sure Mr. Nelson is taken care of.”

      She was exhausted and needed to be resting, but she knew if she went home now she’d only toss worriedly in her bed. Doctors like him made diagnoses, ordered medicines and left the rest up to the nurses while they went on their merry way.

      Nicolette started walking toward the nearest elevator. “The nurses here are good, but I want to check on him myself.”

      He strode along beside her and Nicolette was intensely aware of his tall, muscular frame only inches from her and the faint masculine cologne drifting to her nostrils. For that one brief moment, she realized with a measure of disgust, she was no different from the nurses at the clinic; she would love to see all those hard muscles that must be hidden by his shirt and chinos.

      “Nurses. What about me?” he asked.

      Surprise caused Nicolette to miss a step. “Aren’t you going home now?”

      He looked at her with disappointment. “You really don’t think much of me, do you?”

      Whipping her attention to the end of the corridor, she grimaced. “I expect you’re going to have a busy practice, Dr. Garroway. You can’t stay up all night at the hospital and expect to give them expert care.”

      “Well, I’m glad to hear that you understand I’m human. Young, but human,” he said teasingly.

      From the corner of her eye, she could see that he was smiling again. Obviously, he was not a man who angered easily. Another positive in his corner, she thought, and wondered why the fact only irritated her.

      By now they’d reached the nurses’ station. To the left of the long counter was an elevator. Nicolette could see Bess eyeing the two of them as they waited for the door to open. No doubt the old nurse was wondering what the new cardiologist was doing stuck to Nicolette’s side. Tomorrow there would probably be rumors about them all over the hospital, she thought grimly. Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time she’d been discussed among the nurses. She didn’t date or socialize with the staff and she kept her personal life to herself. Nicolette realized that that in itself made her fodder for gossip.

      In the elevator, Ridge stood at Nicolette’s shoulder and covertly studied her appearance. He’d been surprised, no shocked was more like it, when he’d spotted her flying up the hallway toward Dan Nelson’s room. Even though she was wearing a starched prim lab coat with her name embroidered across the left breast, he could easily see that underneath she was wearing jeans and cowboy boots. Her long shiny hair had been flying loose around her head and she’d looked like a different woman from the staunch professional she’d projected this morning. She’d looked as sexy as hell in a dress and high heels, but she was even more attractive like this. With her beautiful face bare of makeup and her hair tousled, she looked like a sensual, touchable woman. And Ridge realized he very much wanted to touch.

      “You have patients on the bottom floor?” she asked, when he didn’t punch a different floor.

      “No. I’m going with you to the cafeteria. That is, if you don’t mind,” he added slyly.

      She looked at him with arched brows. “Why?”

      One corner of his mouth curled upward. “Because I need to kill some time while the medication works on Mr.

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