Seducing Simon(67)

He looked over at Matt, and Matt nodded before taking his seat again.

“Thanks man,” Simon said quietly.

He followed the nurse back to the exam room, shocked to see the amount of lines, wires and bandages that surrounded Toni. Her head was wrapped in gauze, and her arm still had the ladder splint the paramedic had used to stabilize the break.

They had removed the oxygen mask, which to Simon meant serious cause for relief. Her head injury must not be severe. As he walked over, she blinked and unfocused eyes swept past him and around the room.

Her lips worked up and down as if she were trying desperately to speak.

He rushed to her side and put his fingers to her cheek. “Toni, sweetheart, it’s Simon.”

Her brown eyes settled on him a split second before utter hurt swamped their depths. She looked away, tears brimming around her eyelids.

He started to ask if she was in pain, but he knew the anguish he saw had nothing to do with physical discomfort. He wanted to pour out his heart, beg her forgiveness, but the nurse had been very explicit in her instructions not to upset or overtire her.

Instead he curled his fingers around her uninjured hand and hoped he could speak volumes with his touch.

Toni turned away from Simon, the pain she felt at his presence far superseding the pain that racked her body. She felt his hand curl around hers, and comforting warmth snaked up her arm. She was afraid. So afraid. And of course he would be here. She was pregnant with his baby after all.

She closed her eyes willing the baby to move within her, needing to feel the stirring of life within her. The on call obstetrician had visited her a few minutes ago, checking her cervix for dilation and listening for the baby’s heartbeat.

The heartbeat had been strong much to her relief, but she had yet to feel it move within her womb. The doctor had explained that after a shock, it wasn’t uncommon for the baby to be still for a longer period of time. He felt confident the baby was fine, but he ordered a monitor hooked up so they could make sure she wasn’t contracting.

Her head hurt, her arm hurt, her legs hurt, her heart hurt. She struggled to remember the chain of events that left her lying in the emergency room. She vaguely remembered another car, blinding headlights and overwhelming pain and fear. And then Simon, begging her not to leave him. Commanding her to wake up. Had she dreamed all that?

She chanced another glimpse of Simon who still stood rigidly by her bed. He looked back at her, concern flaring in his eyes. And something else. Was it fear?

She looked away, no longer able to meet his eyes. Her shame was too great. He had every right to be angry with her. His words—the last words he’d spoken to her—rang in her ears. Yet he was here. Did she want to know why? Yes. Yes, she did.

She raised her eyes once more to meet his and opened her mouth to speak. Her throat felt funny, and her tongue wouldn’t cooperate at all.

She tried again, and Simon put a finger over her lips. “Shh, sweetheart.

Don’t try to talk right now. Just rest. I’ll be here when you wake up I promise.”

She felt oddly comforted by his statement, and for a minute, she could forget he despised her. Her eyes flickered to the doorway as she saw it open. A.J. peeked his head through then walked in, followed closely by Matt.

“We only have a minute,” A.J. said as Simon stared questioningly at them. She glanced between them, her head hurting from the effort.

“They’re about to move her to the floor.” A.J. walked to her bedside, and Simon moved back out of the way. He bent over and kissed her softly on the forehead. “You scared us, girl.

Don’t ever do that again.” He attempted to tease her, but she could hear the stark fear in his voice.

Matt stood at the foot of her bed looking guilty. Her brow furrowed as she watched him fidget, his eyes full of regret. “I’m sorry, Toni,” he said in a tortured voice. “I should have been there. I was an ass. A complete jerk for being mad at you.”

Confusion filled her mind. What was he talking about? Why was he mad at her? Her head began to pound all over again. She looked at

Simon then back at Matt. Matt was angry with her. It was more than she could stand at the moment. Faced with losing the man she loved and her best friend to boot, having her big brother pissed at her was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Tears filled her eyes and she tried hard to speak. To say something.

That she was sorry. But nothing came out. A.J. looked angry, and Matt looked more contrite than ever. The nurse pushed her way into the door and quickly ordered them all out. Simon lingered until the nurse took his arm and all but dragged him from the room. “We’ve got to cast her arm then we’re transferring her to the floor. You can see her later,” she said firmly.

Toni watched them go then slumped wearily against her pillow. The doctor came in with a clipboard and stood a few feet from her as the nurse began swabbing her arm. “You’re a lucky young lady,” he said, eyeing her over his glasses.

She swallowed hard and tried once more to find her tongue. “W-when can I go home?” she rasped. Her free hand came to her throat and massaged absently.

He laughed. “Go home? You’re in an awful big hurry. You won’t be going home for a few days. I want to keep an eye on that head injury of yours. And your obstetrician wants to monitor the baby. Make sure the little tyke stays put. We’re going to give you a fiberglass cast. Nurse McGregor will give you your post release care instructions, but the floor nurse will run through it all again before you’re released. Do you have any questions?”