Page 53 of Legacy of Danger
Chapter 13
Jogging down the hall, Mariah shoved down the emptiness from last night's frustrating experience with Vaughn. Right now, she needed to focus on what had just happened in this patient's room. Yanking the door open, she pushed past a haggard Kerr.
And stopped.
Eric Patterson and Shelby Taggart shared the same bed, a concession Mariah had given in to yesterday. No decision, really. Eric was determined to remain close to Shelby one way or another.
But instead of the limp, unconscious woman from yesterday, Shelby rested in the circle of Eric's arms, bathed by the morning sunlight that filtered into the window. Awake.
Smiling, even. Nestled against his chest, Shelby's face relaxed in a picture of relief. Of belonging.
The intensity of that connection took Mariah's breath away, leaving hollow nothingness behind.
She couldn't begrudge them their emotions. Heck, they'd both earned happiness and then some after everything they'd been through.
So why then did the image of Eric, bruised and exhausted, holding Shelby like he possessed the best gift in the entire world make Mariah's chest ache?
Because she wanted what those two people had. Okay, maybe not the concussions and broken limbs. With a longing that brought tears, Mariah drank in the scene before her. Not the physical scene but the emotional one. Fitting with another person. Being cherished.
"Hi, Doc," Eric murmured, his smile uneven with the still-swollen cheek. "Look." He gazed down at the woman in his arms.
"Shelby, how are you doing?" Mariah moved over to the bed.
"I feel kind of hung over and can't see, but other than that, I'm terrific." The woman wiggled her legs. "Ow. And apparently my leg is still broken."
"I can't believe you're awake. Any weird feelings? I mean, not associated with the fracture."
"Believe it or not, I feel fine. When can I get out of here?"
Eric tightened his embrace and frowned.
Shelby's strange gold and brown eyes remained unfocused. She patted his hand. "Easy there, Tarzan. I don't want to run a 10K or anything. I'd just like to go home."
"Which home?" he asked.
She settled deeper into his chest. "Negotiable, based on your good behavior."
"Geezus," he said. "Coma for days, but the minute you wake up, you're back to being a pip."
The corners of Shelby's mouth quirked.
"Mind if I check you over?" Mariah asked.
"That's my cue to step out." Eric placed a kiss into the tangled orange curls on top of her head and extricated himself from their entwined limbs. "Don't go anywhere."
"Do I resemble someone who could make a quick getaway? Seriously?"
Mariah stifled a giggle.
"I'll be right outside," he said, motioning to Kerr to follow him. The door closed with a softclick.
Mariah checked Shelby's eyes with the ophthalmoscope. No pupil dilation. But no optic disc cupping or retinal hemorrhage. Eyes were a little bloodshot but otherwise had normal physical structures. What gave?
The woman simply couldn't see.
"I'm sorry about your vision. We'll get you set up with an ophthalmologist." She listened to Shelby's heart and lungs, then slung the stethoscope over her neck. "Hey. Looks like Eric's pretty happy you're alive."
"Took me going into a coma to figure out how much he means to me. Kind of like a control-alt-delete on the brain."
