Page 42 of Keeping What He Wants

Chapter Seven

After twelve hours of the security alarm going off every time someone entered the ER, Ella went home with a headache that wouldn’t quit. They hadn’t figured out the system, and she was so glad she didn’t have to go back in for another two days. She unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside, finding Ryker watching TV.

Ella dumped her stuff in the foyer and walked over to him. “Have you been to bed?”

“Yeah.” He patted the sofa beside him.

“I’ve had a really long twelve hours. I think I’m going to bed.”

He glanced up. “You okay?”

“I’ve got a headache.” She cringed. “A bad one. The stupid security alarm went off every time someone entered the ER through the ambulance bay. The IT department has made a mess of that place. Security hung around all day. I had a poor patient that came in with a migraine, and I told them if they didn’t pull the fucking plug I was going to tear the damn alarm off the wall. They eventually had enough common sense to turn the stupid thing off, but it was after ten hours.”

He clicked the TV off. “Go lie down. I’ll get you some aspirin and water.”

She smiled at him. “Thanks.”

Ella went to their bedroom. She wanted to crawl in the bed and forget about the scrubs and makeup she wore. Instead, she went to the bathroom to change clothes and wash her face. Ryker came into the bathroom with the medicine and water moments later, handing them to her.

“Will you hold me?”

Ryker squeezed her shoulders lightly, smiling. “Of course.”

She took the pills and turned to wrap her arms around him. It felt like forever since she’d been in his arms. She always got that way when they didn’t sleep together. Ryker bent to lift her and carried her to the bed. Everything felt right again, and she couldn’t complain.

Sometime later, Ella woke to an empty bed. She blew out a breath and sat up, groggy and tired from the hectic week. Wanting a mini-vacation had become an understatement. She stood and went to find Ryker. It was the middle of the day, and she didn’t think the club had any business during daylight hours. She was right: Ryker sat on the sofa with his phone to his ear.

Ella waved at him. He pushed the mute button on his phone. “You feel better?”

“I want to go wherever it is that you planned to take me.”

“Did you pack?”

“How long are we staying.”

“How long are you off?”

“Three days, two nights.” She rolled her eyes. “I fought for the day shift Monday, but they gave me Sunday night.”

He nodded and pushed the mute button again. “Go pack.”

Excitement filled her as she went back to the bedroom. The last time she’d had a vacation was before med school. She and her friends had gone to Cabo for a week before she’d devoted her life to medicine. She sighed and thought about what she wanted to take. Half of her closet was full of scrubs. The other half was Ryker’s clothes. She selected a few of Ryker’s t-shirts and some of her skinny jeans that she hoped she could still wear. She picked out a dressier blouse just in case. She grabbed the necessities and then her toiletries. He’d told her to pack light, but the bag was half empty and she wondered if it was enough.

She dressed quickly and pulled her hair back. Ryker waited for her in the living room. He smiled at her, holding his keys.

“I’m ready.”

“Let’s go.” He opened the door while she grabbed her purse. They walked downstairs to the parking lot and Ryker undid the saddle bags on his bike for her stuff.

“You didn’t pack.”

“I don’t need clothes.” He snapped the compartment shut and straddled the bike.

“You’re not taking me out and leaving me in the middle of nowhere, are you?”

He glared at her before pulling on his aviator sunglasses. He strapped his helmet on next. “Yes, Ella. That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

“Well, you won’t tell me where we’re going.”

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