Hard to Resist - By Kara Lennox Page 0,65
about his injuries—a severe concussion and a compressed vertebra, which explained why he was immobilized. His turnout gear—and Murph’s quick actions—had saved him from any serious burns. The doctor expected him to make a full recovery.
He still had no memory of the fire, the old man he’d dragged out of the house or even the barbecue, other than the early preparations. The doctor said he might never regain any of those memories, but that that was normal with a severe concussion.
He wondered how his date with Tina had gone. He wasn’t sure he could trust Kat’s impressions. She loved him, after all. He grinned as he recalled her obvious jealousy.
“You look pretty happy for a man in your shape,” said his nurse, who’d been entertaining him with wisecracks since she came on duty.
“I’m in love,” Ethan said. “I feel no pain.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m taken.”
“Well, my loss.”
Another female voice chimed in. “If you’re talkin’ about Kat, she’s been haunting this place like a ghost. I can fetch her, now that you’re awake.”
“Mom? What are you doing here?”
“Tony called me.”
That figured. “He shouldn’t have bothered you. I don’t like for you to worry.”
“Don’t you be tellin’ me if I can worry or not,” she scolded. “And I’d worry a lot more if I thought no one would call me when you’re hurt.” Her voice softened. “Are you okay? Need anything?” She leaned into his line of vision, and he wished she hadn’t. She looked like she’d just come off a hard night of drinking, except he knew she was a teetotaler.
“Mom, I’m okay.”
“I know, Ethan.” She smoothed the hair off his forehead. “You’re always there for everyone else. Now, I hope you’ll let others take care of you.”
“Doesn’t look like I have much choice.” He had feeling in his arms and legs, much to his relief, but he was literally tied down to the bed. “Mom, I need to see Kat, if she’s still around.” He hadn’t been at his most eloquent the first time she’d visited, but he’d do better this time.
His mom left, and a few minutes later someone else entered his cubicle. He couldn’t turn his head to see who it was, so he inhaled. Ah, yes. Kat.
“I love you, too, you know,” he said without preamble.
“Oh. Oh. Ethan, at least give me some warning.” She grasped his hand, her fingers warm and reassuring, and he did his best to squeeze back. Then she sobbed, and he didn’t know what to do.
“Kat, don’t cry. You know I can’t stand it when you cry. Aren’t we supposed to be happy?”
“It’s just that I came so close to losing you.”
“I wasn’t going to go off with Tina.”
“How do you know? You don’t remember her. Maybe you instantly fell in love with her, and the two of you were planning your elopement.”
“She’s not here, is she?” He didn’t want to face Tina, no matter how beautiful or sweet the woman was. He didn’t want to have to tell her that it wasn’t going to work out between them because he was madly in love with someone else.
“Anyway, I mean I almost lost you, literally. The fire.”
“I wasn’t hurt that bad.”
“Yeah, sure. You have to promise me you’ll stop being such a hero. You know what they’re calling you? Mr. Rescue.”
He laughed and it hurt, so he stopped. He wondered if he had broken ribs on top of his other injuries. The doctor hadn’t mentioned it, but maybe broken ribs were considered inconsequential, given everything else.
“You’ve had two big fires in your whole career, and both times you saved people’s lives. You’re making the other guys look bad.”
Ethan doubted that. He’d probably done something stupid. He was probably going to get yelled at for weeks on end—if not for getting injured, then for being a lousy date for the captain’s baby sister.
He didn’t care. Kat loved him.
“Kat, if getting injured made you realize you love me, I’ll get hurt every day of my life.”
“Bite your tongue. And that’s not what did it.”
“Then what changed your mind?”
“My mind never changed. I always loved you. I think it started the day you told me you’d given Bashira a bath. But I didn’t trust myself. I’d deluded myself once before, and it was so unfair to Chuck. I couldn’t bear the thought of repeating that mistake. You’d rescued me—literally saved my life and my daughter’s life. Of course I would have very strong feelings toward you. But how was I to know if