Page 48 of One Unexpected Gift

“Since you’re a nurse I probably don’t have to explain what a carotid artery dissection is.”

“I’m well aware.”

She’d seen many CADs. Most were caused by blunt force trauma to the head like a car accident, a fall, combat. There were also cases of spontaneous CADs, which most likely didn’t fit the bill with Nick since he participated in many activities that could cause trauma to the head.

“Was it a skiing or dirt bike accident?”

“Neither.”

“Spontaneous?”

“The irony, right? I hadn’t fallen or wiped out when my headaches started two years ago. I let it drag on for almost a month. I finally went to the ER. They ran a CT scan and they saw the dissection. It’s like a little flap in my artery that’s loose causing the blood to dam up and not get to where it needs to go, but you already know that, don’t you?”

“Are you on blood thinners or aspirin?”

“I was for six months. When my follow up CT scan showed it had healed, my neurologist declared me one of those lucky ones who have a spontaneous dissection with no stroke. The likelihood of it happening again was less than ten percent.”

“Let me guess. You ignored your doctor’s orders to stay away from activities that could trigger another.”

“Not exactly.” He sighed and rubbed his temples.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but Doctor Turner ordered some blood work, and I’ll need to start your IV.” A pretty nurse wheeled her triage cart next to Nick. Her appreciation of his good looks didn’t go unnoticed by Sky.

Nick, however, didn’t notice a thing. He hadn’t opened his eyes since he’d crawled into the bed. “Sure.” When Sky dropped one foot to the floor to give him more room, he squeezed her tighter. “Stay,” he whispered in her ear.

Nurse Cynthia picked up Nick’s free arm and ran her fingers unnecessarily up and down his forearm with a gentle touch that tiptoed on the line of flirtatious. “If I can’t get a good vein in the left arm I’ll need to use the right.”

The right, which was securely wrapped around Sky.

“This one is fine,” Nick murmured and nuzzled his nose into Sky’s hair.

If she hadn’t already been smitten with him, she’d have swooned right then and there. He didn’t even know the nurse was interested in him.

“He has great veins. They should be fine for your draw. What tests did the doctor order?”

Cynthia’s eyebrow quirked then dropped, along with her touchy hands. “You’re in the medical field?”

“I’m a medic in the Army.”

The nurse’s demeanor changed then glanced behind Sky. “That must be hard with a baby.”

Sky stilled, praying Nick couldn’t feel the tension in her body. “Did you find the vein?”

“Yes.” Cynthia didn’t say another word as she set the IV and drew blood.

After she was gone, Sky kissed Nick’s temple. “You okay?”

“Do you kiss all your patients after they’ve had blood drawn?”

“You’re not my patient.”

Nick tipped her chin so she could look in his eyes. Blue eyes that were now open and filled with pain. “No. No, I’m not,” he said quietly.

Something in the air between them sizzled and smoked. There was no denying the chemistry, but there were a lot of questions to be answered, things to be explained.

“Radiology is ready for you.” A new nurse came into the room, saving Sky from having the conversation she’d been avoiding for weeks.

Sky got up and squeezed Nick’s hand. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

---