Heal Me

by Grady, D. R.

  They pulled into her driveway then and neither lingered in the car. As soon as they hit the front door, Fred loomed before them, the bearer of bad tidings.

  “I gave her some of that cold medicine and she threw it up,” he said and practically picked Jenna up and carried her upstairs to McCully.

  Jenna raced into the room, and he noticed she gripped her purse in a death hold.

  As soon as they cleared the doorway, Jenna ripped her bag open and began extracting things. She spread McCully’s blouse and then probably remembered the men in the room because she turned to order them out. Owen didn’t miss Fred’s interested eyes sweeping over the black lace encasing McCully’s surprisingly generous chest. Interpreting the look correctly, Owen hauled his friend out the door. Where they both immediately set to pacing.

  “What happened?” Owen asked, needing to know.

  “We got here, and she was as incoherent as she’d been in the parking lot at the hospital, so I pulled her out of the car and carried her upstairs.” He paused to swipe a hand through his dark hair, and Owen felt fear surge. A concerned Fred usually meant a worrisome situation.

  “I gave her those pills like Jenna said I should, but she threw them up. I gave her some water, and she threw that up, too. Her temperature has gone too high,” Fred said in a worried tone as he paced opposite Owen.

  Thinking fast, Owen whipped out his phone and found his mother’s number.

  “Hello?” her voice came over the line.

  “Mom? This is Owen,” he started and he heard her sniffle on the other end.

  “I’ve longed to hear you say that for so long,” she cried softly into the phone.

  Appreciative that she cared, but really more concerned about McCully at the moment, he didn’t delve into the emotions. “Mom, McCully is really sick. She’s got a high fever and is totally incoherent. She’s throwing up and not interested in food at all.”

  “Oh, this isn’t uncommon, love. When our temperatures get to a certain high, we sort of shut down. She just needs to sleep, unless her fever reaches the dangerous range,” she cautioned, before adding, “Where’s Dr. Fields?”

  “In with her now, but I thought I’d call you for some family background. Jenna is sure to want something and neither Fred nor I know.”

  “Yes, of course,” his mother replied absently. “I’m over at her brother’s house, so let me ask him if he can add to this. I can talk to your Jenna, though. I should be able to fill her in.”

  “Thanks, Mom. We’re feeling a little concerned about her,” Owen answered. He wiped a negligent hand over his mouth as the fear receded to make way for relief. His eyes met Fred’s and he was fairly certain his feelings were reflected in his friend.

  He tapped on the door to McCully’s bedroom and Jenna answered. Her face was devoid of emotion and Owen sincerely hoped she was wearing her professional face and not one that sought to hide the truth from him. He silently handed his phone to her and said, “My mother.”

  Jenna exhaled in what sounded like a gust of relief and took the phone from him before closing the door. He could hear her greet his mother before she apparently moved out of his hearing range.

  Feeling like fathers of old, waiting for their offspring to be born, Fred and he paced, uncertain what to do with themselves. They kept moving, though, until Owen wondered if they’d wear the light gray carpet thin. As his fears escalated again, the door opened and Jenna stepped through.

  “Well, I think she’s fine. It’s food poisoning,” she said quietly.

  “Food poisoning?” he repeated, dazed. “Food poisoning,” he said again, still trying to comprehend.

  “Yes, food poisoning. I’d say she’s suffering a very nasty bout. She’s thrown up again, and I think will benefit greatly from sleep and quiet,” Jenna replied.

  “This means she’ll be okay?” Fred asked.

  “That’s correct. Apparently, her family,” and Owen saw her flick a glance at him, “Are prone to going incoherent or passing out when their temperature soars to about one hundred and two or three. Her reading was one hundred two point five and she’s definitely incoherent.”

  “But she’ll be okay,” Fred persisted. Owen echoed his sentiments.

  “That’s correct. She’s fine. I’ve given her some sports drink and aspirin to bring her fever down, now that she’s emptied her stomach of all contents she has managed to keep those down,” Jenna answered calmly and professionally. Owen was pretty certain he felt something grow even bigger inside for this woman. He was very happy she seemed to feel for him the way he felt for her. Because he couldn’t imagine living without her.

  Of course, they hadn’t even kissed yet, and he wasn’t certain she did share his feelings.

  “Why don’t we go eat, if you two are brave enough now you’ve seen the effects of food poisoning,” Jenna remarked.

  “The funny thing about McCully is, as soon as she’s coherent again, she’ll be demanding food. This is just a small blip in her food screen,” he felt compelled to point out.

  Fred snorted and led the way down the stairs to the kitchen.

  After consuming the Chinese food which Jenna was happy to see the men seemed satisfied with her choices, they all said goodnight. Fred loped down the basement stairs, laptop in hand. Jenna figured he’d spend several hours on the machine before calling it a night. O’Maley followed her up the stairs, and she figured he wouldn’t settle until he saw McCully.

  They checked on the sleeping woman before quietly closing the door behind them. Jenna experienced a moment of awkwardness standing in her upstairs hallway with this man. She had shared a bed with him, for goodness sake. Sure, they’d only slept, but she still knew the length of his body against hers, and how he breathed while deeply asleep. She knew his scent and how he liked to rub a hand up and down her back.

  One thing she didn’t know about him, however, was how his lips tasted, or how they’d feel pressed against hers. Unwillingly, her eyes dropped to his lips. Then her pulse kicked up when he returned the perusal.

  Somehow, they managed to spring into each other’s arms at the same time and Jenna was hard pressed to say who made the first move. They were so in tune, it didn’t matter. Then, their lips connected and she went incoherent.

  He tasted of Chinese food, and spice and Owen O’Maley. And at her first taste, Jenna was confident she would probably never get enough of him. She wanted to kiss him all night, but already felt other stirrings within that had to do with not being satisfied with kisses. And she figured that way lead right off the face of the planet. What had those maps of old read on the corners? Here lieth dragons. Or some such dire warnings and Jenna suddenly understood exactly what it meant.

  For a monster was rearing up within her, something unknown and unrealized until now. She had never had to fight her hormones like this before. She’d never needed to. However, the prognosis was that she had it bad for Owen O’Maley. Wanting more she angled her head, just as he did, which made for an even better fit of their lips. One or both of them groaned. She felt very, very good in this man’s arms, with his lips on hers.

  There was definitely something to be said for a strong man holding one. She reveled in the easy strength she detected in his arms. The possessive way he held her thrilled her, and the incredible kiss after kiss he plastered over her lips nearly sent her into a stroke.

  Finally they parted, both gasping and stared at each other. Jenna couldn’t stop the satisfied grin that creased her kiss moistened lips. And was rewarded when his eyes darkened another notch. They didn’t exactly smolder, but the heat in them reflected her own. She didn’t want this moment to end.

  “This is how it should be,” he said huskily, stroking a wisp of hair away from her cheek.

  “Yes,” she agreed, too amazed by him to do anything else. Was this how teenagers acted? She didn’t know, but she definitely wanted more.

  “I’ve been wanting to kiss you for a long time,” he stated easily, his eyes practically caressing
her face.

  “Really?” she asked, astonishment finally cutting through the anesthetic haze of desire.

  “Absolutely. I noticed you a few years ago, actually,” he admitted.

  “And you didn’t ask me out until your partner finally forced you to?” Jenna questioned, her eyes narrowing.

  He sent her a sheepish little boy smile. “What would a woman like you want with a man like me?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, at the time I didn’t have any family, and doctors are big on family. You know, family history and all that. I didn’t have any history until yesterday. And then there’s my job. I work all the time,” he admitted.

  Jenna blinked. “So do I. Work really long hours, I mean. I don’t care about your family or lack thereof. I was getting worried and a little impatient for you to finally ask me out,” she teased, unable to stop the emerging smile.

  “Right, you didn’t even know I was alive until a few months ago,” he argued. He pulled her closer, as though not wanting her to forget him now.

  “So?”

  “So what?”

  “Doesn’t matter that I didn’t know you were alive until a few months ago. As soon as we met, I think I went into meltdown,” she admitted.

  “I’m glad you finally noticed I was alive,” he said into her hair.

  “Were you getting desperate?” she asked with a smile into his chest where she breathed in his now familiar scent. And enjoyed his warmth.

  “Not yet. I figured you’d have to run across me eventually, this isn’t that big a town.”

  “True. But how did you notice me way before I ever noticed you?” she finally thought to ask.

  “Remember that bad snowstorm we had a few years ago and the subsequent pileup on Route 81?”

  “Oh yes. We had a near white out. There were injured people everywhere that night.” Jenna remembered the awful night with no problem. At least seventeen cars had been involved and three trailer trucks. They’d been hopping busy with injured motorists.

  “I was on call. I’d just finished my residency and signed on with the clinic and I got the frantic call to come and help. Nearly everyone they called came. I lived in an apartment around the block then, so it wasn’t a problem for me. But how were you there?”

  “I also got called in to help assist because they were pretty limited on available staff. I’d only recently qualified to detective status. They probably figured I couldn’t have forgotten everything so fast. I noticed you first when we brought in a gunshot victim, but I observed you during the whiteout.”

  “You spied on me?”

  He laughed, as she intended, before clarifying his statement. “I came in with the gunshot wound. You and I shared an elevator. We were only in the elevator a few moments, but it was long enough for me to remember you when I came in to question some of the snowstorm victims.”

  Something inside her further melted. This man was dangerous. He’d threatened her pulse and respiration, and now he could do some serious damage to her heart. Actually, he might have already done so.

  They remained close for several long minutes, not speaking, just soaking up the warmth and enjoying the scent and feel of one another. Jenna felt his heart beat against her ear and could hear its steady rhythm and she sighed. They had to move eventually, and did so reluctantly.

  “I need to check on McCully,” he said and took her hand, tugging her into the room with him.

  He stood by the side of the bed and stared down at this woman who was his partner but also family and Jenna wondered what went through his brain. She had learned earlier that they were quite fond of each other, and wondered if he loved the woman on the bed. Jenna figured there was no way he couldn’t. They worked too closely together for them not to love one another.

  When he turned away and motioned for her to come with him, Jenna shook her head. “I’m going to stay with her,” she whispered to him, trying to pull her hand free.

  He tightened his grip momentarily, but smiled and jerked his head toward the door. “You don’t have to,” he whispered back and stunned, Jenna followed him to the hall.

  “Why not?” she asked, still whispering.

  “Because Fred’s watching her, so she’ll be fine,” he answered, without giving away enough information.

  “How is Fred watching her? He’s downstairs and she’s upstairs. There’s no way...” Her argument trailed off at the decisive shaking of his head.

  “Doesn’t matter. You see,” O’Maley explained and pulled her to the open doorway where he pointed to a place above the window, “Fred installed cameras at all the windows and doors. They’re all pointing toward the window, except for one in this room. It’s now pointing toward the bed. Fred’s probably got it split so the window camera is still functional, but he’s definitely able to monitor McCully, too.”

  “Isn’t that illegal?” Jenna asked, wrinkling her nose at him dubiously.

  “Not at all. Well, you know about it now. Fred would have got around to telling you as soon as he got all the cameras working. McCully will have something acidic to say but for now, you can get some sleep, since Fred has this.”

  Still suspicious, Jenna stared at him. “Why is Fred doing it?”

  “Because you and I have both been sick, and he knew if he didn’t one or both of us would sit up with her, so he volunteered, since he’ll be up anyway, making certain all the cameras work. Once he’s got them all functioning, I suspect he’ll come up here and sleep in that chair by her bed.”

  “Oh,” was all Jenna could think to say. Somehow, words escaped her. Wondering if love produced some sort of stupid-fog that took over one’s brain, she finally decided to simply agree. “Ok,” she replied inanely, and began to think longingly of her bed. Preferably with Owen stretched out asleep beside her.

  Something of what she thought must have shown in her eyes because he curled an arm around her and said, “I’d love to join you, but with Fred most likely sleeping up here...” he started.

  And she finished, not liking the situation, but understanding, nonetheless, “You need to be downstairs to help Mark in the event of whatever.”

  “Right,” he agreed and she could hear the regret in his voice, read the emotion in his green eyes. She understood, but she didn’t like it.

  “I understand,” she said, really wanting this night to continue, but realizing they weren’t teenagers, and they both had responsible jobs to return to in the morning. They both had people dependent on them and both possessed skills to ensure the health and safety of others.

  With a completely different sigh than the last one she had uttered, Jenna curled her arms around him and squeezed. He squeezed her back and dropped a light kiss on her head. She nestled closer, wanting to crawl into one of his pockets, but being the mature, responsible woman she was, she pulled away and, after cupping his cheek tenderly in her hand, she smiled goodnight to him. He watched her enter her room and she hoped he made note of the fact that she left the door cracked before crossing the room to the bathroom.

  As she undressed for bed, Jenna decided that sometimes being an adult wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

  Chapter 11

  O’Maley had to practically sit on McCully to keep her from accompanying him to work the next morning.

  “I’m going,” she argued, as she fought to escape the entangled sheets. Unsuccessfully.

  “No, you’re not,” he returned with a hard stare, trying, with difficulty, to glare her down.

  “You need me on this case,” she continued, her feeble efforts to lift the covers off herself only undermined by the wracking coughs that bent her over nearly double.

  Their argument woke Fred, who came to with his usual alertness. “Can’t you people keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep,” he admonished through a huge yawn and turned irate eyes on both of them.

  “Sorry to interfere with your beauty rest,” McCully said scathingly before her eyes widened. “What are you doing in my b
edroom?”

  Owen fought to hide his grin as he recognized the look that crossed Fred’s face. That same look had been the precursor to them getting into trouble for years.

  “What better time to ravish a woman than when she’s sick?” he returned mildly, that look still very evident. There was no way McCully would know this. So of course she bristled, but fortunately, Jenna sailed through the door just in time to ease the storm.

  She sent him a very sweet, very intimate smile, which he determined to store for later, when he was alone and could take it out and view that affection privately. He returned her gesture, his eyes sweeping over her nearly possessively. He watched as she made for the bed, purse in hand, and began retrieving items from the voluminous depths. Even McCully stopped hissing at Fred long enough to view this process dubiously.

  “What do you need all that stuff for?” she croaked, suspicion most evident in her voice.

  “To examine you again. I want to make certain I didn’t miss anything last night,” Jenna answered calmly, but Owen thought, firmly. The doctor was in.

  “You examined me last night?” McCully questioned, her eyes wide again as she gazed at Jenna in astonishment.

  “Yes, after you passed out,” Jenna explained.

  “What happened?”

  “You took a nosedive in the parking lot of the hospital,” Fred said from the chair where he appeared to be attempting to uncramp tightened muscles caused by sleeping in a chair.

  “I did?” she repeated, now turning dazed eyes on Fred.

  “I caught you before your face hit the pavement, but it was close,” he explained, rolling his shoulders.

  “Owen called his mother, and she explained that your family tends to pass out when your temperature reaches a certain high,” Jenna took over from Fred, who seemed to have lost interest in the story. He continued stretching.

  At the mention of him and his mother, Owen’s chest tightened. He still couldn’t quite accept that he now had a mother who was biologically his.

  McCully turned doubtful eyes on him as Jenna strapped on a stethoscope and planted the cold end on her chest. “Do you have that problem?”