Page 55 of Her Braun
"You should know that I really don’t care about age, Kay. The first time I saw you, I came into the ER chasing after a gurney. The man on it was my cousin.”
“Was?” She lifted her chin to look at him, wanting to soothe the tightness in his voice.
How? She had no idea. Soothing emotional pain wasn’t something she had much skill with, but she would try.
“He’d been caught in a flashover in a factory fire and the first doctor at the ER froze up.”
“Doctor Murphy,” she drew in a breath that shook her from head to toe.
Gibson lifted the hand that held hers to his shoulder before he slipped both of his hands around to her lower back, drawing her just a little closer.
“He stood there, just staring while Kevin screamed in pain. I’d never felt so useless before in my life. It felt like everything around me slowed to a stop and I wanted to grab that doctor and shake him. Before I could make my feet move, there you were. You stepped in and moved the doctor aside and took over.
“My world started back up again. The people around me started to move. And I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t see you again that day, but I heard about you. You were the one who gave Kevin his best shot at life. You got him to the burn unit in moments and kept the rest of the Emergency Room going as other victims came in.
“Still, you checked in on my aunt and uncle as Kevin was being treated. You brought them news. You made sure hospital volunteers brought them something to drink and even some food. But most of all, you gave them hope.”
She swallowed and felt tears welling up in her eyes. “He didn’t last the week.” Her lips pursed tightly trying to hold back the memories of the pain and suffering that his cousin had gone through. “I’m so sorry.”
“Hey,” he cuddled her close as the music wound down.
He shifted against her, and she felt his cheek rub up against her temple.
“I didn’t want you to cry. I wanted to thank you and tell you that from that first moment, you were my hero. An angel.”
She leaned her forehead against his chest and felt like she was about to break down into tears.
The music around them picked up speed and some 80s party song blared from the speakers.
Gibson walked her to the side of the room, his arm protectively holding her against his side. She was barely aware when he sat down on a chair and drew her down onto his lap. He cuddled her close, one hand snuggly on her hip and the other hand cradling her head against his shoulder. “I never wanted you to cry, Kay. Never.”
“He was your cousin.”
“He was also a firefighter. It comes with the job. We train hard. We do everything we can to keep ourselves safe, but things happen. Accidents happen. And flashovers happen. You gave him the best chance that he could have and your kindness toward his parents is still something they talk about.”
His hand curled around under her chin and lifted it up.
He coaxed her face toward his and saw her silvered tears glittering on her lashes.
Gibson could have kicked his own ass for making her cry. He had tried to explain why he’d found himself attracted to her and failed miserably.
“I’m sorry, Kay. It was probably good that I didn’t talk to you about this before. I would have tried to ask you out and ended up making you run for the hills.” He sighed and huffed at himself. “I feel like a total ass.”
He heard her sniffle and saw the heroic way she struggled to smile at him.
“I don't remember you.”
She sounded so apologetic about it.
“I noticed you, Kay Hata.”
Her lips parted in shock and the near silent gasp that came from her lips sent a warm rush of heat through his veins. What he wouldn’t do to hear that sound again when they were alone.
In bed.
Fuck, his fantasies weren’t going to give him a rest.
Not now that he knew what it was like to hold her in his arms.
