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  A slight grin crossed his face elated he had gotten the more gentle replacement therapist instead of the hard-nosed drill sergeant. Gabrielle stood up capturing the look on his face and quickly switched on her bedside charm. “Good afternoon, Mr.

  DeMinico. I’m Gabrielle King and will be administering your treatment instead of Millie today.”

  She was now in full view and he was very pleased with what he saw. The

  woman was gorgeous. Gabrielle was tall with smooth brown skin. Her silky black hair was pulled into a short curly ponytail. Beautiful big dark brown eyes matched her sensual full lips and slender nose. Her cheeks gave deep dimples when she smiled to reveal perfectly aligned white teeth.

  “Mr. DeMinico? Is there anything wrong?” She asked when he didn’t respond to her.

  “Uh, no. I heard you introduced yourself,” he said suppressing a nasty cough.

  Coughing up phlegm covered with soot from his lungs was not the impression he was trying to open with.

  She pulled a chair next to his bed. “Suppressing your cough is not good. You should clear as much mucus as you can.”

  “I do when I’m alone but never in front of lady.”

  “You shouldn’t think of me that way, since I’m getting ready to make you cough up a lot of that nasty stuff.”

  He cocked his head to one side. “Will you be gentler than Millie? She tends to jam that thing in my mouth and horsewhip me if I don’t follow her orders.”

  The wheezing mixed in with his baritone voice made him sound sinister. “I will try my best not to hurt you. We can get started once I check your identification and make sure I have the right patient.”

  The touch of her cool fingers seared his skin when she rolled back the sleeve of his robe. With the oxygen running through his nose he couldn’t get a scent of how she smelled but imagined she smelled pretty. Perfectly short manicured nails polished in a deep dark maroon, gently held his wrist to match the information written in her chart to that on his wristband.

  Jonathan smiled inwardly, noting that other parts of his body were functioning as should be, and had not been affected by his injuries. He was getting an erection from the woman just touching his wrist. The only arousal Millie gave him was nausea. With his free bandaged hand, he inched the blanket over his lap and tried to stop imagining what Gabrielle King smelled like.

  She released his wrist. “You match my information so we can get to work. Mr.

  DeMinico—“

  He interrupted her. “Jonathan, my name is Jonathan but my close friends call me Jon.”

  “Okay, Jonathan. If at any time you feel discomfort or dizzy, let me know and we’ll stop for a break.”

  He put his hand to his forehead in dramatic fashion. “I’m feeling a little discomfort now.”

  Gabrielle held a straight face. “Excuse me? We haven’t even begun yet.”

  “Hmm, that’s funny since my heart is pounding and my palms are sweating

  under these bandages. Those are the side effects I usually get with my treatment.”

  Gabrielle’s dark eyes locked with his. He was not the first male patient to hit on her, but the majority of them were discreet with their flirting, he was being downright open. “Mr. DeMinico—“

  “Jonathan and I won’t answer or obey any of your commands unless you call me Jonathan.”

  She crossed her arms forcing the lab coat to close off his view of her body.

  “Millie failed to warm me about you.”

  He smiled raising a brow. “Millie has never seen this side of me. But, I have been told about you?”

  She curled her lips, intrigued. “What is being said about my work if I may ask?”

  “Definitely nothing bad is being said about your work. Pam mentioned your quietness and how nice you are once your shell is pulled away. But, what she didn’t say is how gorgeous you are.”

  “Thanks for the compliment, Jonathan, but don’t believe everything Pam says about me.”

  He penetrated her stare. “So you are not quiet or nice?”

  Gabrielle took in his features for the first time. For a Caucasian, he was ruggedly handsome with a full head of wavy chestnut hair. His face featured a strong squared jawline, a sleek nose that came to a small point and sexy full lips. The slight discoloration of the whites of his eyes did not stop the golden-flecks surrounding the deep hazel color.

  She let her eyes travel down his body. The hospital robe fit tightly around his arms and broad upper body showing how extremely muscular he was. His height was obviously tall, because his feet were touching the floor and the hospital bed remained elevated after Naomi remade it. The thickness of his thighs bulged beneath the thin fabric of the hospital pajama pants.

  Gabrielle licked her lips lightly after realizing she was ogling. “Pam is not wrong about me being quiet in the workplace; what she’s wrong about is the shell. There is no shell to crack in order to get to know me.”

  Jonathan’s breaths were short and not due to his illness but from the sound of her sultry voice echoing in his ears. “Are you going to give me hints on what I need to do to get to know you? I’m a firefighter not a mind-reader.”

  “I like how you threw that in the conversation, but I know you are a fireman.

  And, no, I’m not going to give you any hints. Any man confident in his game wouldn’t need a woman to give hints.” She returned her attention to warming the end of her stethoscope between the palms of her hands. “We should begin your treatment; I have other patients to see this afternoon.”

  Jonathan didn’t return the banter but sat forward on the bed to begin the normal routine check-up before receiving the treatment. He couldn’t help but think the persona displayed by Gabrielle was definitely not of a shy person but of woman he wanted to get to know.

  Gabrielle helped him remove his robe and let it fall to his waist on the bed. He was wearing a sleeveless tank shirt instead of a hospital gown over the top of his pajama pants. The large tattoo of the Firefighting Cross covered the majority of his right shoulder and bicep.

  “Do you want me to take off my shirt?” He asked; removing it before she could answer.

  Letting her eyes linger over his broad back, it showed how he survived the hard fall. His body was cut to perfection. Pronounced muscles stacked against one another when he flexed his back suppressing another cough. “Stop doing that; I need to hear that cough. Nice tattoo by the way,” she said placing the stethoscope to his skin.

  “I wear it proudly,” he rasped. Do you have any visible tattoos I can check out?”

  “Maybe,” she replied not expanding but carrying on with the task at hand.

  “Take a breath and release slowly.”

  He did as told but continued to nag her about the tattoo. “You saw mine, now show me yours; it’s only fair.”

  She moved the instrument lower down his back mistakenly hitting a bruise. He winced. “Ouch! I was kidding—you don’t have to get rough.”

  “I’m sorry, that was an accident.” She moved the stethoscope carefully over his back after spotting other bruises. “You have quite a few bruises on your lower back.”

  “When I fell, I landed on my back. My turnout doesn’t protect me against falls.”

  She pursed her lips. “You are lucky no other bones were broken.”

  “Lucky? I have four broken ribs.”

  “I see why you’re suppressing your cough—that has to hurt. Anyhow, my tattoo is only visible during bikini season.” She moved in front of him. “I have to listen to your chest.”

  He leaned back on the pillows giving her better access. “How is this or do you need me to lay flat?”

  Gabrielle tried not to stare at his magnificent upper body. Placing her hand on his chest, his skin was warm but his muscles were rock hard. The way he was laying revealed the deep definition of his six-pack abs and firm flat stomach. After listening to his chest and needing a little space, she tucked the stethoscope around her neck and stepped away to take items from
the cart sitting nearby. “Open your mouth for me please,” she said holding the mouthpiece inches from his face.

  Jonathan’s eyes narrowed flirtatiously. “Do you know how many directions I could take that? But I know you’re only referring to me blowing in that demon machine.”

  Gabrielle couldn’t reframe from laughing. “Why are you giving me a hard time?”

  His eyes twinkled when he said, “To get that sexy laugh from you—I guess my game is good enough after all.” He clamped his lips around the mouthpiece and waited for her to get the test going.

  *****

  After the breathing treatment, Jonathan lay spent on the bed. As usual, the treatment left him sick to the stomach and his ribs and lungs ached from the deep breathing and coughing. Naomi had given him a dose of Morphine to ease the pain.

  Gabrielle worked quietly unhooking the equipment to leave him alone to rest.

  Putting the equipment on the cart, she rolled it into the hallway and returned to his room to stand by his bed. Obviously in extreme pain, he was no longer joking but lay still with his eyes closed. Softly, she removed damp hair from his forehead making sure not to touch the scar over his brow. “Jonathan, I hope you feel better soon. It was a pleasure meeting you.”

  He opened his eyes but couldn’t speak. He hated such a beautiful woman had seen the worst of him. Bronchospasms led to heavy reflex coughing during the test.

  She had to collect samples of the dark sputum for the lab to analyze which embarrassed him further.

  Gabrielle retrieved the oxygen tube lying on the sheet next to his head. “Let me put this on for you.” Her breasts brushed against his face as she lifted his head to secure the tubing around his ears. The v-neckline of the baby blue scrubs revealed a sample of her cleavage as his eyes came in close contact with her chest. The delicate gold chain with the heart pendant dangled against his nose. He closed his eyes thanking God he was too out of sorts to do what his evil mind was suggesting.

  “Is that better?” She asked after straightening his blanket and pulling the railing of the bed up.

  Jonathan only nodded because if he spoke, he would vomit. He lifted his bandaged hand to touch her hand that rested on the railing of the bed to convey his gratitude for what she’d done.

  Her smile was warm as she looked down at him. “You’re welcome and I can’t believe you’re still trying to flirt in your condition. I have to go.” She turned to leave but her steps stopped suddenly. She normally didn’t allow herself to get personal with the patients she treated because once they left the hospital, she never saw them again.

  Something about Jonathan DeMinico was making her want to get personal with him.

  Returning to his bedside, she spoke softly. “My shift ends at 7:00 tonight. I’ll be back to check on you before I go home.”

  Weakly he replied, “I can’t wait.”

  “See you then.”

  She left the room almost being knocked over by two large men wearing navy blue jackets with the Cleveland Fire Department insignia imprinted on the upper chest.

  One of the men whistled lowly. “Damn, DeMinico; who was that?”

  He waved his hand signaling he needed a minute to recover. Pushing the lever to raise the head of the bed higher, he tried to talk. His voice was hoarse and his breathing noisy when he said, “That was my therapist.”

  Nick bucked his eyes dropping a duffel bag at the foot of Jonathan’s bed. “Damn, I need to swallow more smoke so I can get help from her.”

  Anthony stuffing his face with chocolate covered fruit from one of the gift baskets, laughed. “Neither one of you got a shot with her. She’s a sistah and wants a brotha like me to rock her world; not some pasty ass white boys sniffing after her.”

  “Shut the hell up, Anthony. The only reason you get play from any woman is because of the uniform,” Nick teased.

  Licking chocolate from his fingers, Anthony continued laughing. “Whatever playa, don’t hate because I reel in women like fish—and not just the sistahs.

  Jonathan recovered enough to talk with his friends. “Both of you are nuts. She would fall for me because I got the injured hero working in my favor.”

  “The lady is definitely easy on the eyes,” Anthony commented. “Do you know if girly is married or involved?”

  Jonathan held his aching ribs as he scooted around for a comfortable spot on the hard bed. “I don’t know but I plan to find out when she stops by after her shift. Guys, she could be the one.”

  Nick rolled his eyes and started to count on his fingers. “Man, you said that about Callie, Lisa, Tasha, Marie and I could go on but visiting hours ain’t that long.”

  “Okay, okay, I admit I might have been struck a few times but never just by looking at a chick. This woman had me in a state of arousal and had not said a word to me. She’s powerful and I gotta know what is behind her power.”

  Anthony folded his arms across his chest. “You could invite her to your awards ceremony. Word has it Mayor White is honoring you for bravery for saving the kid.”

  Jonathan relaxed his head on the pillow. “I’ve been wondering how she’s doing and can’t get any answers.”

  Nick scanned the channels on the television, saying, “She had no injuries and was released from the hospital the next day.”

  “That makes me feel a lot better. Are you and Nick being honored also? I mean you guys were part of the rescue operation.”

  Anthony snickered. “They don’t honor firefighters for falling in bushes—had I fell on my ass like you did, then maybe.”

  Nick changed the subject to lighten the mood that turned sullen. “None of that matters since it doesn’t happen until Fireman’s Week. So, Jon, when are they springing you from this place? The St. Patty’s Day parade is on schedule and we are off that day.”

  Jonathan shook his head. “Ugh, even if they released me tomorrow, I don’t wanna do that. Hanging out downtown with a bunch of drunken idiots is not my idea of a good time.”

  “The parade is symbolic to the city; we have to celebrate,” Nick said sitting on the empty bed across from Jonathan.

  Jonathan twisted his lip. “I’m not Irish and Anthony sure as hell ain’t Irish.”

  Nick rubbed his hands together seedily. “So what—I’m Italian and look forward to resuscitating a few drunken red-headed Irish women. I don’t discriminate against any woman offering her goodies to me.”

  Anthony tossed a grape in his direction. “Nick, you give men in uniform a bad reputation, but I hear what you’re saying, dude.”

  Nick threw imaginary punches to Jonathan’s arm. “C’mon, Jon—your hero

  status will have women bowing at your feet. You’ll have so much play you’ll need a professional organizer to keep your social life together.”

  He began to cough slightly. “Man, I can’t walk from here to the door without losing my breath. Which one of you is going to willingly push my wheelchair around the bar while I huff oxygen and drink green beer?”

  Anthony groaned. “Damn, man, that is not a sexy image.”

  “Hell no, it’s not! I will skip the parties; thank you.”

  Nick made himself more comfortable on the bed. “You gotta few weeks to think it over and, maybe get the nerve to ask that sexy nurse to be your date.”

  “Nick, she’s not a nurse.” Jonathan propped his upper body on his elbow. “If I could get a shot with her, I would stop dating different women. I’m telling y’all, she has put a spell on my ass.”

  Gabrielle stood outside Jonathan’s room after treating another patient. She overheard the men talking and continued to eavesdrop while writing in the chart.

  Something told her a man like Jonathan DeMinico would not be without the company of a woman and his flirting was a lure into his trap; a trap she refused to fall into.

  Anthony stood up adjusting his pants after eating most to the chocolate and all of the grapes from the fruit basket. “Well, I would be mad at you for going after her, but since you date black women
on a norm, I say give it a shot. What do you have to lose?”

  “I didn’t know I needed your permission, Anthony; but thanks. Anyhow, she isn’t my regular therapist and with my luck, I won’t be here long enough to get her interested in wanting to know me better.”

  “You said she was coming back to visit you. You gotta work fast, bruh, or lose the opportunity.”

  “Would you throw play at a woman looking like this? I’m not trying to get her to fall for me because she pities me.”

  “Jon, look around; you’re in a freaking hospital and can’t change that. When she comes back tonight, just be you—you’re a good guy. Your only problem is you’re too direct. You gotta have some mystery about yourself. I got an idea; let me talk you up to her; get her a little interested in wanting to know you.”

  “Anthony, I’d appreciate you wanting to help—but please don’t. You’ll have her thinking I’m a freaking dog.”

  “Suit yourself, but we gotta get moving; our shift starts in an hour. Another thing, get your lazy ass back to the fire station—you’re going to go soft lying in that bed.”

  He threw the covers from over him. “Hell, I can go now!” The smile left his face momentarily. “Thanks for coming and bringing me clothes, knuckle-heads. You know I think of you two as brothers. We stick together like glue,” he said holding two fingers closely together.

  Nick held out his fist to pump. “Yeah, we are bothers and we’re lucky we didn’t lose you. All joking aside, do you need anything else?”

  “I could use a decent meal, a hot shower and a shave; all in that order.”

  “I got you covered with food. I’ll have mom make her famous lasagna and bring it by tomorrow,” Nick said sincerely.

  “And, Gwen baked you an apple pie,” Anthony said. “You will be eating like royalty tomorrow.”

  “I feel special. Nick, tell your mom thanks and Anthony, let Gwen know how much I love her apple pies, and love her for making them especially for me.”

  “You got it, bro. Before I forget, she’s expecting you to recuperate at her place.”

  Feeling drowsy from the pain medication, he closed his eyes responding with slurred words. “I won’t impose on her. She has a husband and kids to look after.”