Page 20 of Covert Mission
“Will you leave if I want to lie on my bed?”
She froze as disappointment assaulted her. Was all his talk of her being his girlfriend just that, talk? “Do you want me to go?” She wouldn’t, no matter what he wanted. Seth was too out of it to protect himself.
“No way, beautiful Teagan. I want you to stay with me.” His eyes opened. “Please.”
A curious melting sensation formed near her heart. “I’ll stay no matter where you sleep.”
He studied her a moment, then gave a slight nod. “Bedroom. More comfortable for sleeping.”
She grabbed Violet’s mike bag and rummaged until she found the medic’s stash of nausea patches. Teagan selected one and ripped open the package. After peeling off the paper protecting the adhesive, she pressed the patch behind Seth’s ear.
“What’s that?”
“A patch to reduce nausea.”
Violet walked in. “All clear. Think you’re mobile enough to make it to your bedroom, Seth?”
“Doubt it. I’m going anyway.”
“Come on, then. Let’s move you before you decide the couch is good enough.”
Between them, Teagan and Violet helped Seth to his feet. His face lost all color. Violet grabbed one of the cold packsand pressed it to Seth’s nape. “Stay with us, buddy. Slow deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.”
Teagan draped Seth’s arm across her shoulders and wrapped her arms around his waist in case he went down. No need for the handsome detective to sustain yet another head injury.
After a moment, Violet grabbed the second cold pack and said, “Good job. Let’s get you in bed, Seth.”
Following the trip to the second floor main bedroom, Seth sank onto his bed with a groan and slumped onto his side.
Violet and Teagan slipped off his running shoes, lifted his legs to the bed, and rolled him onto his back. After repositioning the cold pack behind his neck and draping the second one over his forehead, Violet headed for the door. “I’ll report in while you help Seth get situated.”
Teagan unfolded a quilt at the foot of Seth’s bed and spread it over his still form. Knowing how poorly she handled a concussion herself, she found a lined trashcan in his bathroom and brought it to his side of the bed in case the patch didn’t work fast enough.
With that done, she turned to leave and once again Seth shackled her wrist with his hand.
“Stay,” he murmured. One eye opened. “Unless you have to work. Don’t want to interfere.”
Teagan wiggled her wrist until Seth released her. She circled to the other side of the bed and sat beside him with her back against the headboard. “Sleep, Seth. I’ll watch over you.”
He kissed her palm and settled deeper into the pillow. “Hope I don’t barf again. Not the best way to impress my woman.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry. You can hold my hair out of the way the next time I’m puking from a concussion.”
“Deal.” Between one breath and the next, Seth dropped into sleep.
Two hours later, Seth stirred and opened his eyes. He turned his head toward Teagan. His lips curved. “You’re still here.”
“You asked me to stay.”
“What about your job?”
“I’m on leave for a few days.” And perhaps longer, depending on what happened with Seth’s case. Teagan’s gut said something more was going on than Seth being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and until he could adequately fend for himself, she was staying with him.
“What a coincidence. So am I.” He smiled. “You’re watching over me, aren’t you?”
“Got a problem with that?”
“Not as long as I have the same right the next time you’re injured.”