Page 46 of Stilettos and Outlaws

If I hadn’t wanted to see Dante so badly, I would have chewed them out. Anyone could get to him. I rolled the cart into the room and closed the door.

Dante bolted upright. “Gemma!”

“How did you know it was me?”

“I would know you anywhere,querida. Did you bring me something to eat?”

I studied Dante’s face. He was still a little pale. “Of course, steak fajitas.”

“Have I told you how much I love you?”

Grinning, I picked up the insulated bag, pulled out Dante’s dinner and placed it on his tray. “It’s from Bitsie’s food truck.”

“Where’s the hot sauce?”

I looked in the bag. Sure enough, Mom had included hot sauce and a fork. I placed them on his tray and refilled his water glass. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, but I still stink,” Dante groused, practically inhaling his food.

I tapped my mask. “I can’t smell a thing.”

Amusement flashed across Dante’s face. “Bring me up to date.”

“Okey-dokey. Let me start with Miss Kitty.” I was halfway through my story when Dante interrupted me.

“Wait! All that commotion was caused by a kitten?”

I nodded. “It was.”

“Unbelievable. Continue.” Dante shoved more food in his mouth.

“The CIA breached our computers.”

Dante held up his hand. “TheCIA?”

“Yep. Eric Roberts is at the top of their most-wanted list.”

“Go on,” Dante instructed.

“Then some wannabe cowboys attacked.”

Dante’s eyebrows rose in disbelief. “Wannabe cowboys?”

“Uh, huh.”

The door was thrown open and the FBI agents entered with the guns drawn. “What’s going on in here?”

I raised my hands and glanced at the IV bag. Thank God, it was almost full. “I’m doing my job.”

“Where did the food come from?” The taller agent demanded.

Dante bristled. “My girlfriend ordered it, and the nurse was kind enough to bring it to me.”

The other agent grabbed my ID card and yanked it off my suit. “How do I know this is you?”

My temper flared. “Where are your masks? This room is still in quarantine! Do you want to catch meningitis, streptococcus or pseudomonas? The patient is still radioactive too. Do you want your man parts to rot and fall off?” I glared at the agents. “Well, do you?”

Lowering their guns, the agents backed away from the bed. “No, ma’am.”

---