Fighting For You (Danvers #4)(58)

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Ella blinked several times trying to clear her vision. She felt like she was trying to see through a thin film over her eyes. After several attempts, the room started to come into focus and confused her even more. Where was she? This wasn’t her apartment and it wasn’t Declan’s. She looked down and saw the dark head resting against her arm. It took some effort as her limbs felt so heavy, but finally she was able to lift her hand and stroke Declan’s hair. It was always so soft, almost like a baby’s. He groaned under her touch, starting to stir. She studied her hand against his head with an almost detached curiosity. Why was there a tube taped there? Her thought process was so slow that it was hard to form any kind of rational thought.

Declan groaned at the weight of her hand against him and suddenly bolted upright. When he saw her looking at him a huge grin split his face. “Ellie, baby! Can you hear me?”

“Yes,” she croaked. Her throat was dry and felt rusty. “Water?” she asked.

He pushed the button for the nurse, still grinning at her. “Hang on, baby, someone is coming. How are you feeling?”

“Where . . . what?”

He picked her hand back up, moving gingerly around the IV. “Honey, you were in an accident, a hit-and-run.”

She searched her memory, trying to remember what he was describing. “Your flowers,” she whispered.

Clearly not understanding, he leaned closer, “What, baby?”

“Someone made me drop your flowers . . . so sorry . . . your tulips.”

Declan felt a kick to his gut. She had gotten hit by a car, but was apologizing to him about flowers? Was her injury making her delusional?

He stroked her uninjured cheek. “Just rest, Ellie. You are going to be alright.”

“Bought you flowers, something hit me . . . I . . . dropped them.”

Holy f**k! She was in the hospital and she was upset over dropping flowers she had bought for him? If he hadn’t already admitted to himself that he loved her that would have surely brought him to his knees. “Ellie,” he whispered near her ear. When her eyes fluttered back open, he said, “I love you, sweet girl. I love you so damn much.”

“Love you,” she muttered before she drifted back off. As far as first declarations of love went, it was brief, but he knew it was a moment that would be etched on his heart forever.

Chapter Twenty

Ella had been in the hospital for over two weeks and by now she was ready to climb the walls. She knew that she should just be grateful to be alive and she was, but being poked, prodded and woken at all hours of the night was getting old. Declan had been her saving grace. True to form, they had fallen into a pattern that revolved around love almost as easily as they had established one around friendship. He visited in the morning before work, then during lunch, and once he was done with work for the evening.

She had been vaguely aware of him telling her that he loved her before her first surgery, but he had done more than that since. He had showed her in so many ways. He dealt with her parents like a pro and, even though she would never admit it, she was pretty sure that her mother was actually starting to like him now. Her father and Crystal had been easier to win over. He had even brought Evan by a few times to see her and on their last visit, they smuggled in Happy Meals for all of them. A hamburger had never tasted so good. Declan also helped her shower, wash her hair, and was infinitely patient with her when she was feeling sorry for herself or frustrated by her body’s limitations.

The nurses had fallen in love with him as well. For someone as standoffish as Declan had been, this suddenly social Declan was truly something to experience. He was always dropping off donuts or some goody for the nurses because he wanted to thank them for taking such good care of Ella. They turned a blind eye to the visiting hours policy where he was concerned. He came and went as he wanted, and they had no problem with it. He had even been caught several times in the bed with Ella when she couldn’t sleep. Instead of scolding him, the morning nurse had actually praised him for taking his shoes off first.

Ella was up and walking each day now. The doctors had been forced to remove her spleen when it ruptured and she had also undergone an additional surgery to repair the damage to her pelvis. She was now more like the bionic woman than she would have ever wanted, thanks to the plates and screws it had taken to stabilize her fractured pelvis. She was still walking with a limp, but it improved as her flexibility returned in small measures.

When the door to her room opened, she felt a smile tugging at her lips as Declan walked in carrying his latest contraband item. She was pretty sure the cup he carried contained her favorite white chocolate mocha and the bag in his other hand contained a cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting. The man certainly knew what she loved. He gave her an easy smile in return as he pulled her tray over to the bed and settled the coffee and bag on top of it. He leaned over and rested his lips lightly against hers. He dropped one more kiss on the tip of her nose before pulling back. “Hey, baby, how’s my girl today?”

“Going crazy here,” she pouted. “I’m ready to go home.”

“Awww, I know, Ellie. I might have some news that will interest you though.”

“Oh, please tell me you have some good office gossip,” she moaned.

Chuckling, Declan said, “Nope, sorry, I guess you will have to settle for going home tomorrow instead.”