Seducing The Boss (Pulse #2) - Mari Carr Page 0,44

the gurneys and medical staff to get out of the way. As CEO of the hospital, no one questioned his presence there. Everyone was too focused on doing his or her job to pay him much attention. He peered into several exam rooms before he found Sara in the trauma room. He stood there for a few minutes, watching her work, amazed by her calmness, her poise.

When she caught him watching, she looked horrified. The response took him aback. She’d never minded his presence in the ER before. She said something to the doctor, who looked over his shoulder at him. Clearly he was a distraction for some reason, but Kellan couldn’t understand why.

He considered leaving, but before he did, Sara was there, pushing him away from the door. “You shouldn’t be here, Kellan.”

Her tone wasn’t angry. Instead, it was something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“Why not?”

She froze at his question and then glanced back toward the room. “I thought you…”

Suddenly he understood. He looked into the room, forcing himself to see who was on the table.

Fuck.

“Dad.”

“Please, Kellan. Go to the waiting room. Or back to your office. I have to get in there.”

He nodded numbly. “I’m not leaving. Go do your job.”

She hesitated briefly.

“Please, Sara. He needs you.”

She rushed back into the room. Previously he’d been watching Sara’s movements, marveling at her skill. Now his gaze was locked solely on his father.

There was so much blood.

Another doctor pushed by him, entering the room. Then another nurse.

Kellan stood by the door, watching as everyone moved around the table where his father lay. Part of him was surprised by how calm he felt. How surreal the moment was. Everyone in the room was rushing, talking loudly, in constant action. Meanwhile, he felt as if he were underwater, moving in slow motion.

He rubbed his hands together. They were cold. He was cold.

Dammit. He wasn’t calm.

I’m in shock.

The numbness faded when he looked from the cardiac monitor to the defibrillator and back again. He didn’t need a medical degree to know what a flat line meant.

His mind drifted back to Thursday night. What was the last thing he’d said to his dad at the restaurant?

That insult. He’d insulted his father’s integrity and tossed his apology back in his face.

And now…

Kellan stared at the cardiac monitor, willing the thing to move. He watched the doctors and Sara fighting to save his dad. He needed more time. More time to tell his father he was sorry for being such a prick, sorry for letting him take the blame for Kellan’s shortcomings. God, he wanted to tell Dad he loved him.

Bile rose to his throat, and for a moment, he feared he’d be sick.

Then a miracle happened. The cardiac monitor beeped in time with the heart that started beating again. Kellan leaned against the wall when his knees went weak.

He wasn’t sure how much time passed before the door to the trauma room opened. An orderly was pushing his father out of the room, and the doctors followed.

Kellan glanced around for Sara who came out last. She reached out for him, and he fell into her open arms, wrapping himself around her and soaking up as much of her strength as he could.

“Where are they taking him?”

“Surgery. I’m afraid he’s not out of the woods yet.”

“He died in there.”

Sara nodded slowly. “You shouldn’t have stayed here, Kellan. God. You shouldn’t have had to see that.” Her voice cracked slightly. She was struggling as much as he was to keep it together.

“You saved him.”

“The doctors resuscitated him. Listen, I’m going to go get a status report from the surgeon for you. Okay? And then…” She hesitated.

“You need to come back here to help the others.”

“Yeah. I wish I could stay with you, but—”

He shook off her apology. “These people need you more than me. I’ll be fine, Sara.”

“I’ll find you after things settle down. I suspect your mother—”

“Oh my God. She’s probably in the waiting room going crazy. I need to tell her what’s happening.”

“Stay with her. She’ll need you. I’ll update you both as much as I can. Promise.”

“Thank you,” he whispered. If he’d been thinking clearly, he never would have cupped Sara’s cheeks, never would have leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. They were at work. He was her boss.

He was terrified of losing his dad, and so fucking grateful she’d been there to help, that he gave in to the instinct without thinking through the consequences.

Sara returned the kiss for