One
Drake
The first thing I notice when I wake up from this nightmare of a shoulder surgery that I begrudgingly put off is the pretty nurse in the corner. The side of her body shows off her figure even in what would normally be considered shapeless scrubs, but on her it gives me the prettiest glimpse of her body, naturally tan skin, killer luscious lips that are pursed, and her soft waves that are cascading down her back even in the high ponytail she has it up in.
“Did I die and go to nurse heaven?” My voice cracks when I talk. Fucking tube they no doubt shoved down my throat to fix my bum shoulder. If I weren’t lying on this uncomfortable and unforgiving hospital bed, I’d have lost my footing, no doubt, when she turns around showing me her beauty.
She laughs. It’s a sound that soothes your soul, husky in its tone, and has me thinking things I shouldn’t.
“Hello, Mr. Martinez, I’m Giana. I’ll be your nurse for today. How are you feeling?” she asks. Vibrant green eyes framed by long mink eyelashes assault my vision. Damn, those lips do not disappoint either. Her side profile doesn’t hold a candle to the front.
“I’m good. I’d be better if you were coming home with me to nurse me back to life.” My head falls back on its own accord, more than likely from the anesthesia and drugs pumping through my veins. This is going to suck donkey dick.
“Leave her alone. Nobody wants to deal with your surly ass.” I open my eyes. Slade, Bridger, Travis, and even Easton’s eyes meet mine.
“I’m really fucking dreaming,” I say to no one in particular.
“Mr. Martinez, are you comfortable? I can get you something to drink and some more medicine,” the angel I’ve been staring at asks.
I shake my head to tell her no when that shit starter, Bridger, speaks up, “Yeah, can she make you comfortable, Drake? Are you thinking of a sponge bath?” He wiggles his eyebrows.
“If my arm wasn’t throbbing and it didn’t take all of my energy, I’d throw something heavy at your head,” I grunt out.
“Well, I’m sorry to say, but you won’t be in here long enough for a sponge bath to happen, and even if you were, it wouldn’t be me giving you one either.” She rolls her eyes. This gives me the chance to look at her name badge on her scrub top. “Giana,” I murmur, rolling it around on my tongue. Her eyes dart to me, stopping her from looking at the IV bag hanging on the pole. Hell, she told me her name, but reading it and saying it are two completely different things.
“Yes?” her voice squeaks out.
“Can you ask the doctor to stop the pain medicine? I’d rather take Tylenol or something that won’t keep me hopped up on drugs.”
“I’ll jot that down. Also, your doctor will be in shortly. Tomorrow, you should be able to go home. As much as I’d love to be your caretaker, that’s not usually in my scope of work. That being said, you’ll probably need some help the next few weeks. Maybe one of your friends can help you out.” She winks before turning away to walk out of my hospital room. I stare the entire time too, unabashed, not giving a shit that my eyes are glued to her ass.
“You need me to wipe the drool off your mouth, bud?” Travis asks.
“Fuck off. Where’s everyone else? All the women folk get tired of you?” I fire back. My shoulder is throbbing. Have surgery, they said. It’ll be fine, they said. Yet now that I had it, the pain is worse than before. I just hope this shit works.
“Raelynn is baking you a cake,” Travis grunts. His hands rub at his jaw.
“She didn’t have to do that.” It’s going to be a long night if I’m staying here till tomorrow.
“Kellie’s cleaning your place. She said something like you don’t come home from a hospital to a dirty house.” He looks fit to be tied that Kellie isn’t right next to him. I can’t say that I blame him. When her past came blaring back to life, it changed him.
“Cam’s with the realtor, looking at places to live. She wants us to all be one happy family, having s’mores and singing Kumbafuckingya.” Easton’s smirk is telling me everything I need to know. He missed us, though this has Cam’s idea written all over it.
“And Taylor is at work. She tried to get off, but they needed her today. Knowing her, she’ll be here the minute she gets off to mother hen you to death. Where is everyone else? I figured they’d beat us here.” I guess he forgot what I told him, which isn’t like Slade, unless I was the one who dropped the bag.
“Mom and Dad are on that Alaskan cruise they’ve been saving for, Leo is on an assignment, and Braxton said he’ll stop by after he closes down the shop,” I tell them all. It’s really not a big deal. This surgery was a bitch and a half, the recovery being worse than anything.
“Well, shit. Who’s helping out when you break out of this prison?” Slade questions.
“If I were a betting man, which I’m not, I’d take a wild guess on who he wants to stay with him,” Bridger chuckles.
“I wouldn’t tell her no, that’s for damn sure. Having her nurse me back to health wouldn’t be such a bad thing.” My eyes are slowly closing. Those God-awful drugs are pulling me under, and I really hate that feeling.
“Get some rest, bud. We’ll be here when you wake up.” I nod my head, and that’s the last thought I have before I’m fast asleep.
Two
Giana
I’m back at my station, documenting everything after my rounds when the four men who were in with my patient file out of his room, and every last one of them saunters over to me. Right now, Rita is on her lunch break, so I’m the only one here at the moment.
“Can I help you?” I ask. My voice is stoic, though I’m not sure why.
“Sure, we need to see if you’d be interested in working with Drake. There’s no way he’ll let us stay with him or him with one of us. Not even our wives will convince him,” the one in a police uniform says. It takes me a minute to realize that it’s in fact our Sheriff here in Lodgeview.
“Me? Why me? We can find him someone from his health insurance provider,” I offer.
“Well, to be blunt, he requested you. It’s not like you’d need to be there around the clock, just be there for a couple of hours a day. Enough to change his bandage, help him get in and out of the shower, and make sure his ass doesn’t do something completely stupid.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know your name,” I interject. “I know Sheriff Daniels, but I can’t say that I even know who I’m talking to.”
“I’m Bridger,” the one who clearly joked about the sponge bath says, extending his hand.
“Giana Duncan,” I reply, taking his hand.
“This is Slade and Easton.” He points to the other two men. We all shake hands as well.
“I’m not saying I’ll even do this. You’d have to clear it with the administrator of the hospital, plus my salary that I make here, while I’m there. I’d expect more compensation, especially since this will be happening on my time off.” I fold my arms under my chest, letting them know in no uncertain terms that I’m not really buying what they're selling.