Fragile by Veronica Short Read Free Book Online Page A

that.”
    “I can’t stay with you forever, Rick. I am going to move out eventually. I just think that I should do it before I get too comfortable.”
    “Get as comfortable as you like.” I wanted to say something more but was interrupted when my pager went off and heard movement behind me.
    “Pile up on the highway,” Dr. Hunter said as he passed me.
    “Sorry,” I told Rick.
    “Go save lives, Lu.” I left him on the sidewalk as I ran inside the hospital and to the ER where the casualties were already filing in.
    It was late when I got home that night. The pile up caused a lot fatalities and losing patients always affected me, as it did every doctor and nurse. The apartment was dark when I got home all except for the kitchen light. I remembered the message on my phone from Rick letting me know that he wanted me to wake him up when I got home from the hospital. He had said dinner was in the fridge.
    I didn’t want to wake him up since it was an insane hour. I went to the fridge and found a covered plate. Un-wrapping it, I smiled at the spaghetti that sat there. Rick had cooked. He was a surprisingly good cook, so good that I had told him he should have become a chef instead of a lawyer.
    There was no use arguing with that man. As I was heating my meal up, Aiden came down the stairs. Worried that I might have woken Rick up, I went to the steps to make sure that Rick hadn’t followed him. When the coast was clear, I went back into the kitchen to finish my meal.
    While I washed up Aiden sat by my feet. He walked next to me everywhere I went, even if it was only two steps to the pantry. It was like he knew that I was upset and didn’t want to be alone. I stared into his large black eyes that stayed on me as I moved around. “You’re a good man.” I gave his head a rub, and we walked up the steps together.

Chapter Eight
    LUCY
     
     
    I stopped outside of Rick’s door. I was surprised to find that it was partially opened. Pushing the door completely open, I walked into the room with Aiden in tow. There was only a sheet covering Rick leaving his upper body showing. I took a moment to study him. His muscles were well defined and toned. Kneeling against the bed, I put a gentle hand on his chest. Just like last time, he immediately opened his eyes and captured my hand in his.
    “Hey,” I smiled over at him.
    “Hey,” he rolled over to look at me. “You’re home.”
    “Yeah, you said to wake you so I did, but go back to sleep. It’s late.” I started to get up, but Rick held onto my hand, stopping me from leaving.
    “Have you eaten?”
    “Yeah, thanks, it was delicious.”
    “I thought you would be hungry. How was the accident? Was it bad?” He moved over on the bed to make space for me. He pulled on my arm so I lay in the space he had cleared. It was still warm from his body. Aiden came around and put his head on my knee, “That bad?”
    “Yeah, it was a drunk driver who caused the whole mess. A driver who is still alive with minimal injuries, unlike the other seven who are all still in the hospital or the two that died on our tables.”
    “Shit, come here.” He pulled me closer and I nestled my head into his chest. Rick rubbed his hand up and down my back, and Aiden jumped onto the bed. Rick stopped, and we both looked over at the dog. “He likes you.”
    “I like him, too.” I replied, placing my head back on Rick. We lay like that until eventually sleep found me.
    I woke to movement under me. Opening my eyes, I saw Rick getting out of bed. “Mmm” I groaned, stretching my arm out to feel around the empty, warm spot Rick was just on.
    “I didn’t mean to wake you.” He turned to look at me. “It’s alright. I need to shower and head in later anyway.”
    “You’ve hardly had any sleep.”
    “Life of a surgeon,” I said as I sat up and noticed Rick is only wearing a pair of black briefs. Damn he looked good. He was definitely all man. Worried that I would be caught gawking, I quickly