Part 30 (1/2)

”That's what happens when you do twenty four hour s.h.i.+fts,” Cleo grunted as he threw my pants across the room, aiming for the large laundry hamper in the corner of the room.

My eyes got heavy, sleep already settling in to take me under.

”I enjoyed it a lot, though. Let me know when you're hiring,” I teased.

His hand smoothed down my back. ”You got it.”

The day had gone well.

We'd gotten the little boy to the hospital in Dallas, and from what Cleo told me earlier in the day, the boy had lived through surgery after they cut a hole in his skull to reduce the intracranial pressure.

They expected him to have a full recovery, and go on to live a full life.

We'd run two more calls after that. Both had lived.

And both would've died without Life Flight.

”The seed's been planted, hasn't it?” Cleo asked as he settled next to me, pulling me into his chest.

I snuggled deep. ”Yes, the seed's most definitely been planted.”

Chapter 18.

Life isn't a fairytale. Sometimes one has to pull up her big girl panties and get the f.u.c.k over it.

-Life Lesson Rue Rue: I took a naked picture of myself. You're welcome.

Cleo: It's black. I can't see anything.

Rue: There's only so much one can do while in the dark.

Cleo: Tease.

Rue: Yep. You want to know why? Call me ASAP.

It'd been two months now since I'd been on Cleo's helicopter and a lot had changed.

The trial that I was testifying in had started, but I'd yet to be on the witness stand.

Neither side wanted me there.

In all honesty, I was as neutral of a party as I could get and neither side had a need for somebody that wouldn't help their case.

In the past month, Silas had bought Life Flight.

Layoffs had started at our hospital, and my Nonnie had gone into a decline.

The one positive thing about the last month was that Cleo and I seemed to be doing really well.

Even though I knew he was keeping secrets.

It didn't escape my attention that he had people following me.

I wasn't stupid. However, I wasn't sure they were trying to keep it from me, but more or less just not talking about it.

I guessed it had something to do with the damage that was done to my car that was related to the break in.

Cleo had asked me to stay at his place when he couldn't be with me and I'd obliged.

I couldn't tell you why, though.

Maybe because I was comforted being surrounded by all of Cleo's things. Or maybe it was because I knew he was just making sure I was safe.

Whatever the reason, I'd practically moved in.

It was my day off and I was hotter than h.e.l.l.

The power had gone out twenty minutes ago, and I was so hot that I'd stripped down to my bra and underwear in a vain attempt to try to keep cool.

It wasn't working, though.

Sadly, Cleo was on the back half of a forty-eight hour s.h.i.+ft, and that text I'd just sent him was the first one he'd answered in well over twelve hours.

They really must be busy.