Page 34 of Burn for Me
Opening his eyes, he let them roam. Around the room, then over his body. Seeing his left leg suspended, encased in a cast, he idly wondered how bad the break was. He didn’t see anything other than that though.
Hearing a soft sigh, he turned his head towards the sound. Kitty lay with her head on her folded hands resting on the edge of the bed, asleep. His heart squeezed at the sight of her. God, she was beautiful. Her cheeks were stained the lightest rose pink, her lashes creating crescent shadows where they lay against her skin.
Unable to resist, he reached out his hand to catch a curl around his finger. Rubbing it between thumb and finger as the lock clung lovingly to his skin, he marvelled in the silky texture.
Another sigh drew his gaze back to her face. Seeing her eyelashes flutter, he steeled himself for the impact of looking into her beautiful, hazel-green eyes. Eyes that had a way of making you feel like she could see all the way into a man’s soul.
Slowly, they opened. Gray felt a ripple of awareness — he wanted to wake up to those gorgeous jade and amber orbs every day for the rest of his life. He’d been given a second chance at life, and he wanted to spend it with her.
Before he could give voice to his thoughts, her gaze met his, and all thought stalled as he got lost there. Lost in the warm intensity in her eyes.
“You’re awake.” She straightened as she spoke. Grimacing as obviously cramped muscles protested.
“Yeah,” he croaked, his voice hoarse from the smoke inhalation.
Taking her hand in his, he gave her a goofy smile. There was so much he wanted to say to her, things he’d come to understand as he’d lain there watching her sleep. But before he could utter a word, he heard a noise from the door.
Both Gray and Kitty turned to see the doctor enter the room.
“Good morning, Mr James, Mrs James. I’m Dr Russo.” The doctor smiled. “I’m glad to see you’re awake, Mr James. How are you feeling this morning?”
Hearing the doctor call Kitty “Mrs James” caused a pang in the region of his heart. He liked the sound of that.
“Like something fell on me,” Gray quipped.
Laughing at the wisecrack, the doctor answered, “I can only imagine. Feeling any pain?”
Gray shook his head. He was grateful, because he knew that when he did, he was going to be in a world of hurt.
“Good to know our superior drugs are working then.”
Grinning at the doctor’s comment, he asked, “So how bad is it, doc?”
The doctor’s face sobered. “Mr James, you are one lucky man. I cannot believe how minimal your injuries are considering everything that happened to you. Other than some smoke inhalation and that broken leg, you’re fine. A few weeks in the cast to heal, some intense physio to get the leg working one hundred percent, and you’ll be back at work in no time.”
“How bad’s the break then?”
“There’s two breaks in the left femur. You are very lucky they’re such clean breaks. They should heal with absolutely no problems.”
“Always a silver lining, right, doc?”
“Yes, I guess. Actually, that’s a pretty good way to look at it. I’ll have the physiotherapist look in on you sometime later to have a chat regarding the way forward. Well, I’m off to finish my rounds. I’ll check in on you again this evening.”
“Thanks, Dr Russo.”
The doctor left, and Gray turned to Kitty. Even tired and clearly stressed, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.
“How are you doing, honey?”
Looking a bit taken aback at the question, she gave a little laugh and shook her head.
“I should be asking you that. In fact, Iamasking that. How areyoudoing?”
“Feeling a bit like I’ve swallowed a desert, but otherwise I’m feeling okay right now. That’ll probably change once the meds wear off. But I’m good for now.”
“Can I get you anything?”
“Something to drink would be great, thanks.”
