Chapter 3 #2
The analogy didn’t sit well with her.
It had been worse when Vega had heard about it.
She had to keep him from going to find Detective Jerzek and kicking him in the teeth.
She knew what their jobs meant to people.
She’d help deliver a baby today and she knew… knew deep down inside that Allie and her son were going to be fine.
She knew it.
She’d stopped the bleeding long enough to get Allie to the hospital where the trauma team was going to help her.
The baby had looked much better after the skin-to-skin time with Crois.
Crois.
She turned the corner with the gurney and stopped short.
Crois was standing there next to Vega.
Crois was the first to look at her and his smile?
Wow.
It was warm and bright and she hated to admit, even if it was just to herself that she liked his smile, a lot.
“How is Allie?”
She let out a breath. “Kay’s taking care of her. She’ll be great.” Looking at Crois and then her partner, she asked them the follow up question. “And the baby?”
“The doctor from Pediatrics said that the little boy was in good shape.” Vega nodded. “One of the nurses said that Crois was in excellent shape.”
Vega gestured at Crois standing beside him. “The doctor didn’t think that was all that funny.”
Crois shook his head. “As long as the baby’s okay. I’m happy to help.”
“Well, I’m grateful to you for stepping in. If you hadn’t, I don’t know how we would have transported them both so quickly.” She smiled softly. “Is Pilar here to pick you up?”
“No,” Crois’ smile grew. “She was headed here to pick me up by our sergeant asked her to go pick up a man who appeared to be lost.” He looked at her for a moment. “They think he might be confused.”
“Do you think she’ll have any problems?” Harmony looked at Vega. “Should we go and help?”
Crois shook his head. “She’s already on her way here. Apparently, he thinks she’s his granddaughter.”
“That’s lucky.”
Crois shrugged. “Even if he didn’t, Pilar is like the elder whisperer. They all love her. She’ll be lucky if he doesn’t try to pinch her cheek.” He sighed. “I don’t have that problem.”
Vega gave a little snort of laughter. “No, mostly people want to pinch your other cheek.”
Harmony wanted to melt into the floor.
Crois was a handsome hand.
That comment that the nurse had made about his looks?
She wasn’t wrong.
“Hey, while I’m waiting, why don’t I help you guys clean up so you can get back on the road.”
“You’d help us?”
Crois held out both of his hands. “Why not? I’ve got nothing to do until Pilar gets here.”
She smiled, feeling a warm rush in her chest.
“Thanks, man!” Beside Crois, Vega turned and gave the officer a strong smack on his arm. “I’ll go and move the ambo to the side to clear the way.” Then, Vega looked at her, lifting his chin with a big grin on his face. “Have fun cleaning up.”
He was gone a moment later, leaving her standing there with Crois.
And Harmony, all she could do was smile and feel like she was off kilter.
“So…” She swallowed, trying to get her brain to function.
She knew she needed to get the ambulance set to go again.
There was no way her radio would stand quiet for long.
Harmony started to walk the gurney down the hall. Crois fell in beside her after a few large steps.
“So, where are we going?” She could see his wide grin in the edge of his vision.
“You know… you don’t have to help me. I can do this.” Her heart fluttered a little in her chest. “You’ve already done a lot today.”
Unbidden, her mind pulled up an image of Crois, bare-chested, with the baby in his arms.
Goodness.
That was an image she wasn’t going to forget anytime soon.
“I’ve got time and I doubt anyone is going to need me to subdue someone here before my partner shows up.”
Harmony turned and looked at him, her steps slowing. “Thank goodness.”
His smile was infectious. “But,” his voice deepened a little, “I don’t mind helping you at all. If you ever need me to… take my shirt off for some skin-to-skin time… just let me know.”
Harmony nearly tripped over her own feet. “What?”
“I’m a helpful guy, Harmony.” She heard his warm chuckles over the sound of her pounding heart. “All you have to do is say so.”
Even with the cool air-conditioned air in the hallway, her face had to be beet red.
“Ha ha. That’s cute, officer.”
“Officer, Harmony?” He shook his head. “You can call me Crois on and off the clock.”
Yeah, she swore her face had to be glowing red at that point.
“Sure, I’ll call you Crois,” she hoped her smile looked… normal. “On the clock.”
He sighed, his shoulders dropped a little as he opened the door she started to reach for. “That’s good, for now.”
Harmony felt like laughing with relief. Crois’ presence was… gigantic. Monumental.
She felt like he could knock her over with just a look in her direction.
This wasn’t something she experienced much.
Well, she didn’t experience it at all.
She left the gurney in the hallway, out of the way of anyone who might come by.
Harmony stepped inside and grabbed a new set of sheets. When she turned to go back outside, she nearly slammed into Crois’ chest. “Oh.”
She stepped back and looked right up into his face.
“Sorry.”
His smile, the look in his eyes, mesmerizing.
“No need to be sorry, Harmony.”
Goodness, it sounded like he was almost purring her name.
Her heart was pounding in her chest.
“So,” he leaned in a little closer, “how about we work on the ‘off the clock,’ option.”
“Hmm? What?”
“Would you let me take you to dinner, Harmony?”
He made her name sound downright musical.
“Well?”
She ducked around him and pulled out a new pair of gloves to change the sheets, hoping that he’d forget what he said to her.
She should have known it wasn’t going to be that easy.