Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
“This is my niece, Shiloh. She’s taking Lynn’s place now that she’s moved away,” the good doc told me.
Taking my eyes off her was difficult, but I did.
“Am I fucking high?” I asked him. “I thought the meds had worn off because I’m hurting like a son of a bitch.”
Carmichael frowned. “It’s almost time for you to have more. Where is your pain scale? One to ten?”
I wanted to shout at her to get the fuck out of my sight. If this was real and she was standing in this room, then someone was going to pay. I glared at her, and I saw her smile falter. The uncertainty in her gaze was almost believable.
“Gage?” Carmichael asked again.
“Ten,” I bit out.
This was a fucking dream. Drug-induced sleep. There was no way that Shiloh Ellis would be in my house. No, she would be married to her med-school boyfriend by now, living a country-club life in Boston.
“Shiloh has read your chart and is aware of your injuries. She will be here during the day to make sure you’re healing properly. I have complete faith in her abilities, and she will contact me if there is any question at all.”
It was her. There was no other chance in hell that her fucking doppelgänger lived in Ocala with the exact same name. Seriously, if this was real, had Huck not seen her? He wouldn’t have let her in the fucking house.
“Gage?” Carmichael said my name again, and I gave her one last look before turning to him.
“Yes, Doc. Uh, pain. Yeah, it hurts like a motherfucker,” I replied.
His glaze flicked to his niece for a moment, then back to me. I could see the unease in his expression. Wouldn’t she have told him when she saw my chart? This was a bad idea, but then again, this couldn’t be happening. She hadn’t lived in Ocala in five years. She was not a damn nurse.
“Just the chest or the leg too?” he asked me.
“Both, but the chest is the worst.”
Carmichael turned to look at Shiloh. “Morphine.”
She nodded, then walked over to the IV drip. My eyes followed her. No acknowledgment at all. Even in my drug-or-concussion-brought-on dreams, wouldn’t she recognize me? Remember me? Fuck yes, she would.
“I’m going to give Shiloh a run-through of where things are. The meds will kick in soon, so in case you’re asleep when I’m done, I’ll be back tomorrow morning unless I’m needed before then.”
Turning my attention back to the doctor, I could see his thoughts churning. He didn’t look as if he was comfortable with leaving his niece with me. Oh no, Doc. My dream, my decision. She was staying. I’d deal with her ass. Make her regret being a lying bitch.
“Thanks, Doc. I’m sure we will be just fine.”
His gaze flicked to his niece, and he sighed, then nodded.
I listened as he told her about my medications and where they were, along with my bandages and other things. That made me fucking laugh. Yeah, tell Shiloh Ellis where to find my bandages for the gnarly knife wound on my chest. I was sure she’d happily get right on cleaning that shit up. He lowered his voice, and I couldn’t hear what he said. You’d think my dreams would be more agreeable.
The door opened, then closed as their voices trailed off down the hallway. I began to feel the effects of the morphine a little and sighed in relief—or maybe my dream was shifting. I closed my eyes. This would end, and then someone else would appear. Perhaps it could be one of the strippers at Devil’s who liked to eat pussy as much as she liked to suck cock. I’d prefer to have one of them taking care of me. Fuck, anyone would be better than Shiloh.
My eyes were getting fucking heavy when the door opened again. Except it wasn’t a stripper or some nurse from a porn I’d watched. It was Huck.
What the hell was wrong with my head? Could I not get better dreams than this?
“What the fuck are you doing in here?” I grumbled.
“I’d think that was obvious. I’m assuming you want her out. Is that what I should tell Carmichael? I thought you’d handle it, but he’s showing her around like she’s staying.”
I smirked, but didn’t open my eyes. “Sure. Let Shiloh fucking Ellis stay. Because that makes complete sense. A fucking nurse. Yeah, right. The princess is all about getting her hands dirty.”
Huck sighed. “Are you doped up on the meds?”
“Yep, and dreaming fucked up shit about Shiloh,” I drawled. My tongue felt thick.
“You’re not dreaming, Gage. It’s her. Carmichael is her uncle. She’s working as his nurse. Not a dream. Now, what the fuck do you want me to do about it?”
I chuckled. This shit was rich. My eyes felt like they had lead weights on them, and I felt pretty damn good.