Page 56 of Storm's Embrace

“See, this isn’t so bad.” He finished wiping away the blood. “Steri-Strips should be all you need,” he told her with a small smile—one she returned. He pulled the edges together and tried to ignore her slight wince as he placed two of the butterfly tapes across the wound.

But she had hit her head pretty hard, so he held up three fingers. “How many fingers do you see?”

Miriam slightly shook her head and then grimaced. “Three.” Her unblinking gaze held his. “Is this absolutely necessary?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Well, I feel fine.” Although her quivering lips said otherwise as she looked down her body and whispered out, ”And you’re sure our baby is okay?”

“I’m sure.” Eli lifted her chin and attempted a grin before he cleared the emotion from his throat. “And it seems like you’re hearing’s fine. Do you think you can sit up?”

“I think so,” she said as he braced her shoulders and helped her to a sitting position.

He waited a few seconds as she took in several deep breaths before asking, “Any dizziness?”

She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a weak smile. “No, Dr. Storm.”

He placed a swift kiss on her lips before reaching both hands around her waist and hugging her back to his front. It felt good to have her in his arms. “Can you squeeze my hands?”

She took his hands resting on her belly and squeezed hard enough he was satisfied she wasn’t experiencing any extremity weakness. He then helped her to stand and talked her through a couple of more tests to check her coordination and reflexes, and finally asked her several questions to ensure he didn’t detect any cognitive deficits—the last question being, “Who are you marrying sooner than you probably expected?”

“Marrying?” She tilted her head at him, her eyes full of mischief. “I’m getting married?”

“As soon as possible.” He carefully pulled her into his chest and stroked her hair, his voice cracking as he closed his eyes and breathed her in. “What would I have done if I’d lost you?”

“You had me worrying the same thing,” she said on a whimper as she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close.

“Should we tie him up?” Leah’s question accompanied a loud ripping sound. He glanced up and raised his brows at Leah’s determined expression as she held a roll of white bandaging tape with a long strip pulled out. “At least until the deputies get here.”

He glanced from the tape to Garrison, with Miriam saying, “It couldn’t hurt.”

Nothing about what had just happened was funny, but watching Leah hogtie Garrison like a calf at a rodeo had him chuckling. By the time she was done, he doubted the man was going anywhere. And it was a good thing since it wasn’t too long after that he started to stir.

Leah’s phone rang, so she pulled it from her pocket again. “Hello.” Her frowning glance went down the hall. “Yes, this is Ms. Kirksey.” She nodded. “Okay, I’ll be right out.” She grimaced at him and Miriam. “That was a deputy. They want me to step outside. Something aboutassessingthe situation before they charge in.”

* * *

The next hour or so was filled with relief as a cursing and struggling Garrison was taken away—after they’d managed to get all the tape off of him—answering questions, keeping local reporters from barging in, and Leah flirting with one of the younger deputies who it seemed had taken longer than was absolutely necessary to take her witness statement.

Then it wasn’t too long after things had settled down and people started to clear out that Miriam and Leah’s parents came on the scene, with Jean going straight for Miriam.

“They wouldn’t let us in,” her mother said as she frowned and gingerly touched Miriam’s forehead. “Does it hurt much?”

“Not too much,” she answered before her mother took her up in a hug and kissed her head beside the Steri-Strips, her murmured words filled with little shuddering breaths. “I love you too, mom,” Miriam said.

“Thank you for protecting my daughter.”

Eli couldn’t believe George’s show of affection as the other man draped an arm around his shoulders. Up until this point, the man had been a hard sell when it came to Eli having a relationship with Miriam.

“Leah actually saved the day,” Eli told him with a nod toward the young woman standing by Miriam and their mother. “She has a mean swing.”

“She got that from me.” The older man chuckled, but then sobered as he squeezed Eli into his side in a near crushing hug. “Be good to her.”

“I will. Always.”

George cleared his throat and then stepped away. “Just see that you do.”

Eli hid his grin, saying, “Yes, sir,” as George went over to join his family. It took the man a couple of tries, but he finally managed to pry Jean away from Miriam so he could give her a hug and kiss of his own.

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