Hart To Hart by Vella Day Read Free Book Online Page B

note the aftercare instructions. You can go in, but don’t let him leave until after I release him.”
    Even if she didn’t owe Vic for bringing this tragedy on him, she’d have stayed. She drew back the curtain and winced. Vic was sitting up, holding the arm in a sling. Blood and dirt caked the front and side of his blue shirt, and he sported a fresh bandage on his forehead.
    He glanced up, smiled, and then winced. “I told Randy not to wake you. I’m sorry.”
    “Vic. It’s okay. How are you feeling?”
    “I’m fine.”
    No, he wasn’t, but she’d learned long ago not to argue with him when he was in soldier mode. She sat in the chair that was against the wall. “Tell me what happened.”
    He inhaled then started with the bright lights in the rearview mirror. “Next thing I knew, I was rolling down the hill. Couldn’t do anything to stop it.” The corner of one lip lifted. “The tree did the job, though.”
    How could he act so casual about almost dying? “Could you tell what kind of car it was that rammed you or who was driving?”
    “Except that it was a truck, no. By the time I suspected this ass was trying to run me off the road, it was too late.”
    She stood and stepped next to the bed. If the hand closest to her hadn’t been in a sling, she would have held it. “I’m so sorry. If I hadn’t come here, this wouldn’t have happened.”
    His brows pinched. “The accident had nothing to do with you.”
    “You can’t know that.”
    “You really think someone like Brian or Cal would fly out here and harm me? Or hire someone to do it?”
    Their game would be more cerebral than physical. “Not really.”
    Vic rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll be good as new in a few days, and I’ll find the culprit.”
    “You trying to convince yourself? Or me?”
    “Both?”
    About an hour later, Dr. Carstead came in pushing a wheelchair. Vic was already beginning to fade—his eyes kept closing and his chin dropping.
    “Sorry, I took so long,” the doctor said. “Here are the instructions. If he vomits or the pain worsens, call 911.”
    That sounded ominous. “Thank you.”
    They tried to help Vic into the wheelchair, but he kept batting away their hands. He probably would have insisted he walk out on his own, except he must have known the hospital rules.
    When he finally sat down, she wheeled Vic to the entrance. “I’m parked just outside the door. Let me help you up.”
    Because he only had one good arm, she was able to keep to his injured side and help him.
    “I can walk.”
    “I’m sure you can.” She wasn’t his wife anymore. If he ached or threw up, it would be his own stubborn fault.
    Once they were in the car, she debated the pros and cons of taking him to the hotel versus going to his house. If she took him home, he’d just tell her to leave, so the hotel it was. Plus, it was closer. While the snow had stopped, the roads still looked slick.
    Once in town, she pulled into the side lot and parked. “Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”
    He smiled. “If my head wasn’t pounding, I’d take you up on your offer.”
    “It was not an offer.” Grr . She would never live down her stupid mistake of showing him her breasts.
    Though, how she was going to take care of him without remembering the past was anyone’s guess.

Chapter Six

    V ic didn’t need a babysitter, but if it made El feel better to help, he’d spend the night. He totally got that she had no desire to rekindle their relationship, but a man could dream. Her showing him her tits had been some kind of drunken challenge, which he fortunately hadn’t acted on.
    “Sit on the bed and let me take off your shoes,” she said in the same tone of voice she’d used on Charlotte when she was little.
    “You can take off more than that if you want.” Christ. Why did he say that? Hadn’t he just recognized that they could never turn back the hands of time?
    El rolled her eyes. “Be good or I’ll make you sleep in the chair.”
    No