Feel the Heat

by Desiree Holt

  The last thing Troy heard was her voice saying, “Promise me you won’t die.”

  He managed to nod before unconsciousness took him over.

  * * * * *

  Ed had radioed the Level 1 Trauma Center at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Denver to let them know they were inbound with a critical patient with a gunshot wound and loss of blood, and gave them his ETA. Lauren knew they’d have to contact the police but Dan assured her they’d handle all of that. Even as he spoke, he was in the other cockpit seat, his Bluetooth cell phone plugged into the cockpit with a special adaptor.

  “I have a friend in the local FBI office,” he told her. “I’m going to give him a very brief rundown, tell him they can do the cleanup out at the estate, and ask him to personally meet us at the hospital.”

  Lauren barely registered what he was saying. Her entire focus was on Troy, desperately pale beneath his two-day growth of beard. She clutched his hand tightly, whispering to him, telling him how much she loved him.

  The moment Ed landed on the hospital’s helipad, a trauma team rushed from the door opening onto the roof, a gurney and other equipment with them. Mark moved Lauren aside so the team members could climb in and lower Troy to the gurney. Then they were off, so fast she hardly had time to ask any questions.

  “They’ll know what to do, right?” She could taste the fear in her mouth.

  Mark squeezed her shoulder. “This is a top trauma center. The best you can have. They’ll take very good care of him. Ed’s going back to San Antonio to pick up Faith to be with you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “Are you sure she doesn’t mind?”

  He kissed her forehead. “She’d be mad if I didn’t do this. Let’s go on inside.”

  Ed lifted off and Lauren hurried into the hospital, flanked by all of the men. Then they were in a trauma waiting room and a nurse was pressing scrubs into Lauren’s hands.

  “You might want to get out of your bloody clothes,” she said in a kind voice.

  Lauren looked down, realizing for the first time that Troy’s blood stained her blouse and slacks.

  The nurse smiled at her. “Come on. I’ll take you into our locker room and help you.”

  “My—” She stopped. What did she call him? “My boyfriend is the patient who just came in. Can I find out how he is?”

  “I’m going to check right now,” Mark told her. “Dan’s on his way to the lobby to meet the feds. Go on, honey. Get yourself changed and come on back here.”

  Only the kindness of the nurse kept her from falling apart completely. When she returned to the waiting room, the men were all there, plus two others she didn’t recognize. Dan was standing against the wall, talking to them, and introduced them as Blake Cardwell and Manny Berger from the Denver field office of the FBI.

  “Blake has sent a team out to Olberman’s to clean up the mess there,” he explained. “And he took care of the gunshot wound situation with the hospital, so we’re all set.”

  She could barely manage a smile for them.

  “How is Troy?”

  “He’s in surgery,” Mark told her. “I got a minute with the doctor before they took him up.”

  “And?”

  “They managed to stabilize him and get some blood into him. They’ll let us know the minute they have anything to tell.”

  But the minutes stretched out. One hour. Two hours. Lauren lost count. Mark never left her side, bringing her coffee she never drank and getting her food she never ate. She was vaguely aware they moved in and out of the room and at some point the federal agents left, but it was all a blur to her. She simply sat on the uncomfortable chair, Troy’s very pale face burned into her brain, and prayed. After a while, she felt a soft hand on her arm and, looking up, saw Faith standing beside her.

  “Come on, sweetie.” She urged Lauren out of the chair. “I brought some clothes for you, so you could change out of those scrubs, and some other personal things you might want to have.” She winked. “I knew the key to your house would come in handy one day.”

  “I just want to sit here and wait,” she protested.

  “I know, but you won’t do Troy any good if you don’t take care of yourself. Come on. Mark’s going down to the cafeteria to get you some yogurt. We can take it out to the little courtyard off the waiting room. Fresh air will do you good.”

  Lauren moved as if in a fog, hardly processing her rescue and escape. All she could think about was Troy. But Faith gently bullied her to take care of herself, eat the yogurt, drink water, all the while talking to her in her low, soft voice. It felt as if a year had passed before a tall, lean man in surgical scrubs came to talk to them.

  “It was touch and go,” he told them. “He’d lost a lot of blood. The way the bullet entered his system, it carved out a path that did some damage to his organs.”

  “But he’ll be okay?” Lauren twisted her hands together.

  “It’s looking good.” The doctor managed a smile for her. “Are you by any chance Lauren?”

  “Yes. Yes I am.”

  “A few times when he came to, he asked for you. He’ll be in recovery for a while, then we’re transferring him to ICU. Normally we restrict visitors there, but under the circumstances I’m writing permission for you to spend as much time with him as you want.”

  “Oh.” She pressed her fingers to her mouth, tears tracking down her cheeks. “Thank you.” She turned into Faith’s shoulder and let the tears come freely.

  “Dan’s getting more information right now,” her friend told her. “Let’s go in the ladies’ room and get you freshened up. You’ll want to have pulled yourself together when you get to see him.”

  It was another very long hour before the nurse came to tell them Troy had been moved. All the men were still there. She tried to get Dan to tell her everything the doctor said, but he just smiled and said Troy had a long recovery and she was the best medicine they could give him. There were things they weren’t telling her—she wasn’t stupid—but she’d wait until she saw him for herself before pushing for more.

  When she entered the cubicle in ICU where they’d taken him, she nearly collapsed. He was even paler than before and he was hooked up to more machines than she’d ever seen. The breathing tube in his mouth distressed her, and she questioned the doctor who had just walked in.

  “He had some lung damage,” the man told her. “We repaired it, but we want to give him some help breathing until he heals a little more. Stay here as long as you want. I think you’re what he needs right now.”

  She barely moved from the chair all night. Faith came a couple of times and urged her to eat something.

  “You won’t do him any good if you pass out from starvation,” she joked. “Come on. One of the guys will sit with him while you’re gone.”

  Whatever she ate tasted like sawdust, but she had to admit she felt a little stronger.

  “Dan’s friend Blake called him,” Faith said. “His team is all over Olberman’s estate. Dan had Andy send him everything the Dragonslayer had found about the man, so they could begin to track his dirty setup electronically. You and Troy can take a well-earned vacation when all this is wrapped up.”

  “I hope that’s soon.”

  But as that day rolled into the next one and then another and another, her hopes began to fade. She spent all her time in the chair next to Troy, talking to him as if he could hear her. She dozed in the chair whenever sleep overtook her, but she refused to leave. Faith insisted on staying at the hospital, but the men had to leave.

  “I’ll be in touch every day with Mark,” Faith assured her. “And if we need him or any of them, they’ll be right back here.”

  Five very long days had passed before Lauren began to get a sick feeling that Troy’s recovery might not be so simple. Doctors and nurses came and went, checking the equipment and changing his medication. But the look on each face told her things were getting worse, not better.

  Finally she couldn’t stand it anymore. She’d given the doctor
s and nurses their chance to take care of Troy. To make sure he survived. Now it was her turn. She just prayed she hadn’t waited too long. She asked Faith to tell the nurses she was pulling the curtains to close off the cubicle and to please stand guard so no one came in. “I’m going to see what I can do to help him. I have to.”

  So with her friend outside like a guard dog, Lauren let down the guard rail on one side, pulled her chair closer to the bed and studied Troy’s body. Pulling the hospital gown down his free arm, she examined the bandages to see where they’d operated. Closing her eyes, she focused on gathering her energy. When she was ready, she placed her hand on his body in the spot she’d chosen to use and infused as much of it into him as she could. She’d healed so many others. Now, when the medical profession didn’t seem to be getting results, she needed to use her skills on the man she loved.

  She had no idea how long she sat like that, still as a statue, willing her body to cure his. When his hand moved to grasp hers, it startled her. He made an indistinguishable noise and when she looked at him, she saw his eyes were open and he was trying to talk around the breathing tube. Her tears this time were of joy.

  She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Don’t move. I’ll get someone to take it out. Don’t try to do it yourself.” When he grabbed her wrist she shook her head. “You need to let go so I can get the doctor.”

  The nurse was shocked when Lauren opened the door to the cubicle and shouted for her, then pulled back the curtains.

  “If I hadn’t seen this, I’d never believe it,” she told Lauren. “We didn’t think he was going to make it.”

  “I just couldn’t let go of him. Not when I’ve just found him.”

  The doctor was even more shocked, but he went briskly about removing the tube and checking all of Troy’s vitals.

  Lauren stood on the other side of the bed, Troy’s hand gripped in hers.

  Faith was crying and telling her she was going downstairs to use her cell and call Mark.

  People were flying in and out of the room, doing what needed to be done.

  Lauren started to say something, but all the blood suddenly seemed to leave her head and she collapsed to the floor, blackness surrounding her.

  * * * * *

  Lauren opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling, wondering where she was. She was in bed, she realized that, but whose bed? And where was it? She turned her head and her glance landed on Troy, smiling at her.

  “Welcome back, sleepyhead.” He grinned. “Have a nice nap?”

  Then she remembered. Troy being shot, having surgery, nearly dying. The agony of waiting while the doctors and nurses did their thing, assuring her they’d take good care of him. But they had only been able to do so much. She recalled her sense of urgency, hoping she hadn’t waited too long to resort to her psychic healing.

  She looked around her, analyzing her situation. “I’m in a hospital bed.”

  “Yes you are, sugar.” Troy sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

  “Wait, wait. Don’t get up.” She raised the head of the bed, tried frantically to get up. Dizziness swamped her and she fell back against her pillows.

  “I think I’m in a little better shape than you right now.” He made his way slowly to her side, nudged her over and carefully eased himself up beside her.

  “You’re better.” She could see how clear his eyes were and that his color was so much more normal.

  He cupped her chin and turned her face toward his. “You saved my life, Lauren. The doctors said they’d pretty much given up on me, but you healed me. And I nearly lost you because of it.”

  “How—how long have I been out?” She looked down at what she was wearing. “And who got me into this nightgown?”

  “The nurses. Faith had the bag with your stuff in it. And you’ve been out since yesterday.” The smile left his face. “You used so much of your energy to heal me, you nearly didn’t have any left for yourself.” He pressed his mouth lightly to hers. “I thought I might have to get out of bed and use my skills on you, but Faith explained that you were replenishing your energy. We were all just a little scared because it took so long.”

  “I couldn’t let you die,” she told him. “I love you. The thought of losing you scared me to death.”

  “Kind of how I felt when I discovered Olberman had taken you. I might never let you out of my sight again.”

  She grinned. “That might be a little difficult when you’re off saving the world.”

  “We’ll work it out. We’re getting married just as soon as we’re out of here. Like I said once before, the rest is just details to work out later.”

  He pressed his mouth to hers again, this kiss hotter and deeper. His tongue played with hers and he moaned with the pleasure.

  “Okay, okay. Get a room and I don’t mean one in the hospital.”

  Startled, Lauren pushed at Troy gently to see who was there. Mark and Faith stood in the doorway grinning like fools.

  “I’m not sure they allow that in the hospital,” Mark told him.

  “If they don’t,” Troy told him, “they should. It’s better than any medicine they’ve got here.”

  “The doctors say you can be discharged tomorrow. Ed’s bringing the corporate jet back to transport you in luxury and whisk you off to whatever island paradise you choose to spend your honeymoon.”

  Faith smiled. “We shamelessly eavesdropped. So when’s the big day?”

  “As soon as we’re out of here.” He looked at Lauren. “How much notice do you need to give your family?”

  She laughed. “I’m pretty sure my brother and his wife have an inkling. I’ll break the news to my parents and we’re good to go.” She sobered. “Two things though.”

  “Anything,” Troy told her.

  “I want a very small wedding. Nothing big or fancy. It’s not my style.”

  “Okay. What else?”

  “I’d like the agency to track down the young boy with the heart condition whom Olberman wanted me to cure. He was going to sell my services to the boy’s father, who rules some island in the Pacific.”

  Troy frowned. “I don’t know, sweetheart. It might not be safe if they were hooked in with that asshole.”

  “Please? I’ve dealt with enough parents to know that desperation will make them do anything.”

  Troy studied her face as if searching for something. “All right,” he agreed. “But you go with a full security detail and I set the conditions.”

  Her lips turned up in a smile. “So is this what it’s going to be like from now on? You setting the conditions?”

  “You can bet on that. And the first one is to get us out of here so we can celebrate properly.”

  And despite Mark and Faith watching, he took her mouth in another scorching kiss, sealing their future.

  About Desiree Holt

  I always wonder what readers really want to know when I write one of these things. Getting to this point in my career has been an interesting journey. I’ve managed rock and roll bands and organized concerts. Been the only female on the sports staff of a university newspaper. Immersed myself in Nashville peddling a country singer. Lived in five different states. Married two very interesting but totally different men.

  I think I must have lived in Texas in another life, because the minute I set foot on Texas soil I knew I was home. Living in Texas Hill Country gives me inspiration for more stories than I’ll probably ever be able to tell, what with all the sexy cowboys who surround me and the gorgeous scenery that provides a great setting.

  Each day is a new adventure for me, as my characters come to life on the pages of my current work in progress. I’m absolutely compulsive about it when I’m writing and thank all the gods and goddesses that I have such a terrific husband who encourages my writing and puts up with my obsession. As a multi-published author, I love to hear from my readers. Their input keeps my mind fresh and always hunting for new ideas.

  Desiree welcomes comments from readers. You
can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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  Also by Desiree Holt

  1-800-DOM-help: Delight Me

  Cougar Challenge: Hot to Trot

  Cupid’s Shaft

  Dancing With Danger

  Diamond Lady

  Double Entry

  Downstroke

  Driven by Hunger

  Eagle’s Run

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Flavors of Ecstasy I anthology

  Emerald Green

  Erector Set 1: Erected

  Erector Set 2: Hammered

  Erector Set 3: Nailed

  Escape the Night

  Hard Lovin’

  Hot Moon Rising

  Hot, Wicked and Wild

  I Dare You

  Journey to the Pearl

  Just Say Yes

  Kidnapping the Groom with Allie Standifer

  Letting Go

  Line of Sight

  Mistletoe Magic 2: Touch of Magic

  Mistletoe Magic 4: Elven Magic with Regina Carlysle & Cindy Spencer Pape

  Nemesis 1: Until the Dawn with Cerise DeLand

  Nemesis 2: Until Midnight with Cerise DeLand

  Nemesis 3: Until Twilight with Cerise DeLand

  Night Seekers 1: Lust Unleashed

  Night Seekers 2: Lust by Moonlight

  Night Seekers 3: Lust Undone

  Night Heat

  Once Burned

  Once Upon a Wedding

  Phoenix Agency 1: Jungle Inferno

  Phoenix Agency 2: Extrasensory

  Phoenix Agency 3: Delicious Danger

  Phoenix Agency 4: F-Stop

  Riding Out the Storm

  Rodeo Heat

  Seductive Illusion with Allie Standifer

  Skin Deep 1: Bedroom Eyes

  Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 1 anthology

  Switched