Page 19 of Stockman's Stormcloud

Didn’t anyone explain this to Dex? Or was he fishing for facts? ‘You’d been upgraded to intensive care by then. Your brother Ryder and Bree sat beside your bed, sharing a thermos of coffee.’

‘Where were you?’

‘I was put in charge of watching over you.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘I stayed in the room with your family, monitoring your vitals for the first six hours, until you…’

He stopped and glared at her, his jaw flexing as if he were gritting his teeth. ‘Say it.’

She had to answer him. ‘Until your lungs had stopped spasming and were able to function normally.’

‘Flipping hell.’ He brushed his fingers through his thick hair, which was long on the top, short in the back. There was a hint of a tattoo barely brushing along the base of his strong neck and straight shoulders. This man had such a powerfulstance he made the drab hospital gown look sexy!

‘I’m sorry.’

He glanced at her, his frown faltering, as if he didn’t understand her, or believe her. ‘That’s your job, right?’ His dark eyes walked over her unflattering nurse’s scrubs. They normally hid everything, yet the way he examined her body, it was as if he had X-ray vision like superman or something. No, superman was a hero. Dex was just dark, like a dangerous villain.

Dex started walking again. ‘Where was the cat?’

‘In the office, sleeping. All Mr Purrington wants to do is sleep.’

‘They let the cat wander the halls of this hospital, to jump on strangers’ beds, in the middle of the night.’

‘There was a little girl sleeping in your bed a few nights ago. They got on well, and we played lots of checkers before she went home. Do you play board games?’

He barely shrugged, concentrating as he walked and breathed. ‘Not since I was a kid.’

‘I have plenty to choose from.’

‘Why?’

‘Some people can’t sleep. And I like board games. You don’t need batteries or an electrical outlet to use them.’

Again, he paused. Only this time, he quietly looked at her for a long time. But it was the kind of look that made her shiver.

How in the world did anyone create such a man, who, with one look, had her toes curling in her nursing shoes?

But she had a job to do, dragging her eyes away from the demon of sexiness to face the empty corridor.

She tugged on his elbow to resume walking. After all, Dex was just a patient who was leaving tomorrow. ‘You said you played board games when you were a kid?’

‘Sure.’

‘What was your favourite?’

‘Um…’ He inhaled sharp breaths, still walking with determination. She could tell he wanted to push it, but she didn’t want him breathless, either.

‘Go on? Tell me.’ Dex needed to rest and playing a board game would help to occupy his mind.

‘I liked Battleship. My brother Ryder used to flog us at Monopoly, which makes sense being who he is.’

‘I have both those games here at the hospital. Battleship is a favourite among the boys who stay as patients.’

Yet, she should have said nothing and put Dex back into his bed and said a firm goodnight.

But what was the harm of one game with the man who was only a patient? Especially if she was never going to see him again. ‘What do you say, Dex? Do you want to play a game?’

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