Hot Pursuit: Hot Zone, Book 5 (12 page)

They grocery shopped together and discovered she zipped through the aisles and he wanted to go slower. They cooked together and discovered he was the better cook. They fought for the remote control, they even read in bed together. All of it seemed so damn normal and natural and comfortable.

In bed. God, they were great there. As she wandered into the living room and flopped onto the couch, she stared at the darkness cloaking the land outside her front window. Nights would be colder, lonelier when Vic left. And he would. It was only a matter of time. Try as she might to hold herself back from falling for him, it seemed she was doomed. She’d never found herself so filled with passion, so reckless in her needs, so uninhibited in her desires. She thought she knew everything there was to know about sex, but Vic had managed to show her a thing or two. More than that, he’d shown her consideration, tenderness, intelligence, strength of character, good humor, everything she believed she wanted in a man. Some might say it must be too good to be true.

Her cell phone rang and she jumped. It was connected to a charger in the kitchen. She practically sprinted for it, sliding in the kitchen. She grabbed the phone, almost ripping the charger out of the wall.

“Hello?”

“Lucy?” Vic’s voice sounded funny.

She frowned. “Vic? Where are you?”

“Severely side-tracked. Listen, there’s a problem.”

A sour sensation filled her stomach and she placed her other hand over her midriff. “Oh?”

“I don’t think I can make it to the party. You’re not going to believe this. A car careened across the street on ice and T-boned me on the passenger side.”

Alarm erased any horrible suspicions she’d had a second ago. “What? Oh, my God. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, but the other driver isn’t. It’s Danny.”

Silence echoed in her head. She couldn’t believe what Vic had said. It wasn’t possible. “No.”

“Yes. The police say he had an open whiskey bottle in his car.”

“Oh, God.” She headed back toward her room to snatch her purse and coat.

“They’re loading him up right now, and they want me to ride along.”

Concerned edged upward. “I thought you said you’re fine.”

“I might have hit my head.”

“Might have?” Her voice rose. She opened her closet and grabbed her coat, almost dropping her phone as she leaned over to fetch her purse off the closet floor. “Might have?”

He laughed softly, but the sound didn’t have much humor. “Hey, I’m fine.”

The sickness in her stomach now didn’t come from nerves. At least not the kind she’d experienced thinking of the party. “I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

Wind whisked across Lucy’s face with sharp teeth as she hurried as fast as she dared over ice in the hospital parking lot. Despite her thick parka, boots and gloves, the near-zero temperature threatened to bite through her clothing.

With the hospital parking full to overflowing, she’d had to take a spot on the street. Not an easy venture when a good chunk of the street had snow piled along the sides. She’d walked a half block in the whirling arctic winds. Maybe wearing those jeans would have proved the smarter idea. She didn’t care. Mixed feelings assaulted her from every angle. Worry for Vic headed the pack, a sick feeling wearing away at her composure. Second came concern for Danny. She’d called Neena and Mitch to let them know what was happening, and they planned to head to the hospital as well.

She entered the emergency room in a rush, gaze darting around the waiting area. Surprisingly the room wasn’t crowded, but she didn’t see Vic anywhere. After checking in with the desk, they had her use a telephone located on one wall to inquire about Danny and Vic. A nurse told her no information was available yet. Call back in fifteen minutes. Damn it. She was tempted to chew her nails, but she hadn’t done that since she was fourteen. Taking a deep breath to drown her nerves, she found a seat. She chewed on her lower lip for a second, then rubbed her arms. Once in a while the automatic doors in the emergency room would slide open and arctic air would blast by. She kept her coat on, but pushed back the hood and stuffed her gloves in her zippered pockets. She felt tempted to break the no-cell-phone rule and try and call Vic’s phone. The rule-following part of Lucy kept her in line. She fidgeted in her chair. Friggin’ hell. She needed to know what was happening, and she had a feeling it would take a damned long time to find out.

Ten minutes later, Neena and Mitch strode in, as well as Jake and Marisa. Sean and Eve followed in another few minutes. Keith and Freddie were on their heels. They all hugged her.

She managed a smile. “You all came.”

Eve returned her smile with a soft, reassuring voice and gaze. “Of course.”

Jake settled his big form in a chair across from Lucy. He scrubbed one hand through his short, dark hair. His mouth was a grim line. “Vic doesn’t have anyone else here but you and us.”

She marveled at something that should have been apparent to her a long time ago. These military types, as she thought of them with affection, they stuck together. Her friends, all of them.

As they all found chairs and she filled them in on what she knew—which was essentially not much, she said, “Sorry to ruin your party.”

Mitch slung his arm around Neena’s shoulders. “We couldn’t have enjoyed ourselves knowing Vic was in here, and you were here waiting.”

She saw it in their eyes, the unspoken. They’d be here no matter what. Eve, Marisa, Neena and Freddie looked at her with genuine concern, and the men had that stoic expression she’d come to expect.

Marisa placed a hand over Lucy’s. “You okay?”

“Me?” Lucy said with a soft chuckle that lacked all humor. “No. I won’t be until I know how Vic and Danny are.”

She left her chair for the wall phone. After a quick call, the nurse said she’d be right out. Frustrated, Lucy returned to her chair and told the others. Sympathetic grumbles ushered from the group.

True to her word, the short middle-aged nurse came into the waiting area. “Lucy Creed?”

Lucy popped up and greeted the woman. “That’s me.”

“I’m Anna. You can see Mr. Moore. Follow me.”

As Lucy followed the woman, she waved at her friends and left them behind. “How is Vic?”

“He’s fine. He’ll probably be released within the hour. The CAT scan has to come back. He’s solid as a rock.” Anna’s stern expression melted into a warm smile as she lowered her voice and stopped. “And I mean that in the nicest way. That’s one strong, healthy young man. If I was twenty years younger….” She winked and shrugged.

Relief drove into Lucy. She laughed softly as tension started to trickle out of her slowly. Within a few seconds, the nurse directed her to an area cordoned off into cubicles by stalls. Curtains were pulled across some of the stalls. She heard a woman weeping, her voice low as she talked with another person.

All the hair went up on the back of her neck. “Danny Mendoza. Is he all right too?”

Anna’s narrow face returned to an official, stern expression. She didn’t say anything.

“Is he badly hurt?”

“You’re not family?”

“No.”

“Then I’m afraid I can’t give you that information.”

“He’s a…I’m a close friend. He doesn’t have any family here as far as I know. They’re all in Jackson Hole.”

Anna’s mouth pursed in thought. “His parents have been notified. They’re on their way.” The nurse’s eyes softened the slightest bit. “I can tell you that if it hadn’t been for Mr. Moore’s quick actions, Mr. Mendoza wouldn’t have survived.” She gestured to the stall at the end on the right. “Mr. Moore is the last one on the right.”

Curiosity rose inside Lucy, but she nodded and decided not to press further. “Thank you.”

The curtain wasn’t drawn all the way across Vic’s niche, and she pushed it back with caution. He was sitting up in the gurney, hospital gown top on, a blanket covering his lower half. His gaze snapped to hers as she entered the stall, and Lucy’s heart skipped a beat at the instant connection.

He gave her that heart-melting smile. “Hey.”

“Vic.” She went to his side and gathered his hand in hers.

As she leaned toward him, he pushed one hand into her hair and brought her close for a quick, warm kiss. “God, it’s good to see you.”

Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them back. “You too.” She drew in a deep breath. “I was so worried.”

His grin was irreverent, but also filled with a deep emotion she hadn’t seen in a man’s eyes before. “Nah, I was never in any danger. I don’t even have a concussion. They’re going to let me out any second.”

“I’m so grateful it wasn’t worse.” That curiosity wouldn’t leave though. “The nurse said you saved Danny’s life.”

He gestured for her to come closer, and as she leaned down, he whispered. “I was in the ambulance with Danny. It was touch and go for him for a while.”

“What was wrong with him?”

“Femoral artery was nicked. His compact car crunched up like a cracker box when he hit me. He has a concussion, a broken left leg, and I don’t know if he has anything else wrong with him. Anyway, when I crawled out of my car I heard him screaming. I got the passenger side door open and realized his left thigh was cut badly.” He took a deep breath, looking a little green. “The amount of blood told me he was in big trouble. I had to…” He trailed off.

“Had to?” she asked cautiously.

“A few years back a medic friend of mine trained me in a technique. I had to reach in his wound and pinch the nick in the artery to keep him from bleeding out.”

“You saved his life.”

Vic shook his head and tightened his hold on her hand. “Nah. The paramedics and doctor’s saved him. I just made him last long enough for them to get to him.”

If Lucy hadn’t already known she loved Vic, this would have assured her that she did. Far more quickly than she ever imagined she could. His modesty wasn’t false. She saw it in his eyes. He didn’t see what the big deal was, or even if he did, he wouldn’t think of bragging on himself. His just-the-facts-ma’am face told it all.

She swallowed hard. “The nurse said she’d let me know how he is, but since I’m not family….” She shrugged.

Vic smoothed his fingers over hers, tightening his grip. His big hand was warm and strong, and she wanted to wrap him up, keep him safe forever. “Maybe we’ll get to see him.”

“You’d stay here to find out how he is?”

“Sure.” Vic’s eyes darkened with more emotions, some which flicked by so fast she couldn’t identify them. “He’ll be in surgery for a while. If his parents get here tonight, they’ll need someone to let them know what happened.”

Oh, Victor Moore. Could you say another thing to make me fall for you even harder?

“This place is small potatoes to you, isn’t it?” She gestured with one hand. “Battlefield first aid. Lying in a hospital. You’ve been in war zones. You were just in a hospital recovering from your leg wound and here you are again.”

She remembered the scar showing that he’d healed, but just barely. Her concern had been that some of their sexual escapades would hurt him. He’d told her that if he hadn’t already been a day away from coming back from a tour, his type of wound wouldn’t have warranted enough to send him back.

“Yeah, this war zone is pretty tame. But I won’t be here too much longer. Someday soon I’ll return to the sandbox, and it it’ll be war all over again.”

Her heart panged. “Did you have to remind me?”

Before he could say anything else, the doctor came in. All smiles, the young doctor had a great bedside manner and pronounced Vic in great health.

“Doc,” Vic said. “What about Mendoza? He’s in surgery, right?”

The doctor nodded. “Yep. He’ll be in there awhile. By the way. Damn fine work you did on him out there. Without you the man would have died. No doubt about it.”

Vic brushed aside the doctor’s praise with a smile and thanks. Vic signed release papers, and within a few moments he’d pulled on a set of scrubs. His sweater and jeans had been so blood stained they probably weren’t salvageable. He gathered his coat, hat and gloves. Her stomach jumped, the thought of having the wherewithal to help someone like Vic had overwhelming her. Admiration welled up inside her. More than ever, she couldn’t ignore her feelings for him—they’d grown as big as the room.

They returned to the room where their friends waited. There were handshakes all around, relief clear on everyone’s faces. When Lucy told them she’d stay here with Vic and wait for word on Danny, they all understood. They left shortly afterwards to return home.

By this time it was getting late. Vic slipped his arm around her waist and before she knew it, they stood in the waiting room with their arms around each other. She sighed. Yeah, this felt good. Way good. Then she thought about Danny, so busted up, messed up, and wondered where the man she’d known through emails had gone.

Lucy woke with a start. Her tailbone ached from the unforgiving chair in the emergency room. She glanced around, realized Vic wasn’t next to her and sat up straight. A sterile-looking metal clock on the wall across from her said one in the morning.

She yawned, stretched and shifted to her left cheek in the chair. If she were rich she’d donate some damned padded chairs to the hospital. Vic reappeared, holding two tall coffees. When he captured her gaze he smiled, and Lucy couldn’t miss the sincerity in that look. It warmed her from the inside out. He looked a little bizarre in scrubs and wearing snow boots, but he was so damned hunky it didn’t matter one bit what he wore. Despite the situation, her body stirred with longing, wanting to see him wearing absolutely nothing.

“Coffee?” She kept her voice down in deference to the hour and the few people several chairs away who still dozed. “This time of night?”

He handed her one cup. “Large, decaf, with lots of cream.” He settled into the chair to her left and cradled his even larger coffee. “You were dreaming, muttered something about being cold, and when I touched your hand, it was icy.”

“Still is. It’s always been that way with me. Cold hands. Cold feet.”

He grinned and ventured a sip of his coffee. He winked. “I remember the cold feet part.”