Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer

Part 7

7

Movement and sound in the room startled me awake. I mumbled something vaguely threatening and opened my eyes.

Nurse Carol was smiling, standing beside the bed, reaching toward my lap.

Wow. The hot nurse is back! Yes, please!

But of course she wasn't here for me. She brushed aside Caitlin's hair and checked her temperature. When she was done, she smoothed Caitlin's hair back down over her ear, just as it was before. Her fingers rested on the pillow beside Caitlin's head for a moment before she pulled them away. Caitlin's pillow lay across my lap, hiding my eagerness. Thank God.

Nurse Carol walked away from me to pick up the clipboard that held Caitlin's medical chart. She started flipping through it, carefully writing down her observations, her lips moving soundlessly.

More than disappointed, I opened my mouth to say something to draw the nurse's attention to me.

I closed my mouth quickly when Carol's eyes shifted from the medical chart in her hands to my face. "It's good that you care about her so much. She'll need all your help and support when she wakes up."

What the hell do I say to that? I'd be a callous, lying scumbag if I said I didn't care whether Caitlin recovered or not, but she made me sound like the girl's boyfriend if I didn't say it. So I said nothing.

She tucked Caitlin's chart back into its pocket at the end of the bed. "You shouldn't be in her bed with her, though. One of the other nurses will kick you out if I don't."

Hey, if you have a better offer for me, I'll be there. I looked up at her and thought about saying it, but decided I couldn't. Not yet.

I cleared my throat. "She sleeps better when I'm here." I smiled ruefully. "So do I, because she's quieter, too."

Carol smiled at me. "Well, you can't say I didn't warn you. I hope you get some sleep, for the rest of the night." She took a deep breath. "Take good care of her. We all want to see her make a full recovery."

"So do I," I admitted, wanting to say more.

While I was working out how to ask her out for later, she left.

My chances with Nurse Carol just crashed and burned. All because I got into bed with Caitlin.

I shrugged and settled back to sleep, Caitlin's head still pillowed in my lap.

Maybe later, when this job is over, I'll ask Nurse Carol to come join me for a drink. Maybe if I ask nicely, she'll even wear a nurse's uniform, one that's heaps sexier than the one she's wearing tonight…hell yeah! Sweet dreams, here I come…