His Mafia Queen

Teasing Without Touching

Riley

I blink my eyes open to bright sunshine streaming through the window. The blinds are up, and all I can see is a square of blue sky.

An attempt to roll over earns a tug at the IV in my arm, and I stare at it for a second, wondering where the hell I am. It's not my bedroom, and it's not Gabriel's.

Oh, right. The hospital. My kidney. Ugh.

There's no one in the room, and my stomach sinks. Gabriel's gone.

Of course he is. He can't stay with me 24/7. He has to work, and there's the added complication of last night's shooting. I stare at the IV poking into my arm, feeling guilty. Things could be so much worse. Those poor families who received calls about their loved ones dying.

Imagine if that had been Gabriel...

No, I can't go down that path. Not now, not here. This situation's going to require all of my strength.

But I would like to call him. And call my editor.

Wait, did Gabriel say he called my editor, or am I dreaming that?

I look around for my phone. Where is it? Dammit, it's across the room, plugged in and sitting on a counter. A fuzzy memory of watching Gabriel plug it in surfaces in my brain. Why hadn't he unplugged it and set it near me when he left?

Another, worse memory comes to mind: the fact that we can't have sex for a while.

This morning — at least I think it's the morning, who really knows — I'm more mentally sharp. My brain doesn't feel like it's filled with cotton, and my thoughts aren't stalled. What a weird sensation, that morphine. Maybe I'll tell the doctor that I don't need any more of it. Honestly, today I feel a lot better, so I don't know why I can't leave.

I jab at the nurse call button. It's time I get some answers.

A few minutes later, the door swings open. The nurse is a man, and he's with Gabriel. They're both laughing.

"Good morning, babe," Gabriel says.

"How is Miss Riley Murphy today?" the nurse chimes in.

Gabriel's carrying a cup branded with my favorite coffee shop logo, a paper bag, and a single red rose.

"Your boyfriend begged me to allow you some outside food. I was gonna say no, but who could resist that face? Am I right?" The nurse is scrawling something on the whiteboard near the door.

"I got it all cleared with the doc," Gabriel says, flashing a model-quality smile while handing me the cup. "I couldn't get your absolute favorite because the doctor said no caffeine, so I got you the herbal tea you like. And..."

He pulls the table on wheels over to the bed while the nurse fusses with my remote, maneuvering the electric bed into a sitting position. I'm slightly mystified, watching all this sudden activity around me.

"Before Gabriel feeds you a delicious French pastry—"

"Hey, how did you know I went to the French pastry store?" Gabriel teases.

"I saw the bag. Oh, let me get you a vase. We keep them in here." The nurse opens a cabinet.

"Had I known you were here, I'd have gotten you something from the bakery."

This is fascinating, watching Gabriel be chatty with a stranger. He can really pour on the charm when he wants. And I'm appreciative that he's secure enough in his masculinity to banter with another guy.

The nurse takes the rose from Gabriel and puts it in a bud vase. The fact that a hospital has a bud vase seems highly unusual to me.

"Anyway. Before you eat, I wanted to let you know some details about today. I'm John, and I'll be your private nurse for the next twelve hours. If you need anything, call me. But I'll be coming around to give you more fluids, and meds, and to check your vitals."