I was walking down the street as I felt the wetness through the bandage. Shit, I knew I was going to need stitches. I reached in my bag for my cell phone and dialed Peyton.
“Peyton, I fell and cut my head. It won’t stop bleeding, so I’m heading over to the hospital to have it looked at.”
“Elle, are you okay? I’ll meet you there, don’t worry.”
Before I could tell her not to go, she hung up. I was nowhere near the hospital, so I tried to catch a cab. Of course, when I desperately needed one, they wouldn’t stop. As I was standing on the curb with my hand on my head, a limo driving by pulled up and rolled down the passenger side window. “Miss Lane, are you okay?” Denny asked with concern. I couldn’t believe he was here at this moment.
“Denny, thank God. Can you drive me to the hospital? I had a little accident and I need to get it checked out.”
“Of course. Get in the front seat and let me take a look.”
I opened the door and climbed in the front seat. Denny removed my hand, and his eyes widened. He opened the glove box and took out a small, white towel and folded it. “Here, keep this over that cut and apply pressure,” he said as he pulled into traffic and drove me to the hospital.
We arrived at the hospital, and he helped me out of the car. I thanked him as I saw Peyton waiting in the lobby for me. He walked me into the ER and I introduced him to her.
“Thank you for all your help, Denny.”
He smiled. “Not a problem, Miss Lane. Take care of that and feel better.” I gently hugged him as he left through the automatic doors.
A nurse named Carla sat me in a wheelchair and pushed me through the corridor to a room. She helped me out of the chair and onto the bed, where she made me lie down to prevent any more injuries. Peyton sat down in the chair next to my bed and cursed at me for not coming to the hospital sooner. I hated hospitals; I had seen and been in enough of them to last me a lifetime.
Carla was a larger woman, and by the looks of her, she wasn’t one who played around. She was funny. She had me and Peyton laughing our asses off with the way she talked about the nursing staff and some of the doctors.
Not too long after she took my vitals, Dr. Beckett came in. Peyton was in the middle of a sentence, and when she saw him, she fell silent. He was a hot young resident with short black hair, baby blue eyes, and suntanned skin.
“Hi, I’m Dr. Beckett.” He smiled as he held out his hand.
Peyton jumped up and held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Peyton Bennett.” She flirtatiously smiled.
I rolled my eyes, which hurt because of the cut. “So, Ellery, tell me how this happened,” he spoke as he examined the wound.
“I’m not sure. I took a bath and got dressed. I started to feel a little dizzy as I was walking down the hallway, and I think I passed out. I must have hit my head on the corner of the wall or molding.”
“Is it normal for you to get dizzy suddenly?”
I looked straight into his baby blues. “No.”
“Okay, well I’m going to get my suture kit, put in a few stitches, and get you out of here.”
I smiled and nodded my head as Peyton drooled over him.
“OMG, he’s gorgeous! I’m obviously getting his number. Did you see a ring on his finger? Elle, did you?”
Just as I was about to answer, the curtain opened, and there stood Connor looking as sexy as when I left him this morning. Peyton’s eyes widened. “Oh God, another one. I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.” I frowned at her and lightly smacked her on the arm. Connor stood there, holding the curtain in his hand.
“Elle, my God, what happened?” He walked over to me and put his hand on my head. “Are you okay?”
I looked at his face. He genuinely seemed worried. It was a look that I hadn’t seen before.
“Connor,” I put my hand on his arm, “I’m fine.”
“So, you’re Connor Black?” Peyton tilted her head and asked.
“I’m sorry. Connor, this is Peyton. Peyton, this is Connor.”
“Nice to finally meet you, Peyton; I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Peyton smiled. “I’ve heard a lot about you too.”
Twenty shades of red covered my face as he responded, “Is that so?”
Just before Peyton could embarrass me any further, Dr. Beckett walked in with a small silver tray. “Let’s get that nasty cut sewn up. I promise to stitch it well so the scar will barely be noticeable, if at all.”
Connor took my hand and started lightly rubbing it with his thumb. Dr. Beckett worked his magic and put four perfect stitches above my eye. The only feeling I felt was the warmth from Connor’s touch and the rapid beating of my heart as he softly stroked my hand.
“Okay, all fixed, Miss Lane. Do you live with someone?”
“No, I live alone. Why?”
He cleared his throat. “You’ll have to get someone to stay with you tonight. You’ll need to be monitored for a concussion. Sometimes, with head injuries, even minor cuts, a concussion can settle in after the brain and the trauma settle down. I’m going to write you a prescription for some pain medication; take it only if you need to.” He glanced over at Peyton and smiled as he spoke to me. “Take care, Miss Lane, and call if you have any questions.” I thought Peyton was going to die as he walked out of the room.
“I’m staying with you tonight,” Peyton said as she got up.
Connor looked over at her. “Ellery will be staying with me tonight, Peyton.”
She started to pout. “Elle, is that true? We can have a girls’ night.” I looked over at Connor, then back at Peyton, and couldn’t believe these two were fighting over who I was staying with.
I took Peyton’s hand. “Listen, you’re my best friend, and I love you, but I think it’s best if I stay at Connor’s tonight anyway; we’re leaving in the morning for Michigan.”
Her mouth dropped. “What? The two of you are going to Michigan together? Why?”
“Connor and I are taking a road trip.” I looked at him and winked.
“Fine, but as soon as you get back, we’re having a girls’ night.”
I smiled and hugged her. “We will. Now, go find Dr. Beckett. I didn’t see a ring on his finger, and I could tell he liked you.”
A gigantic smile grew across her face. “Do you think?”
“I know so. Now go.”
Peyton started to walk out of the room, but she turned around and looked at Connor. “You better take care of her and make sure she’s all right. She’s like a sister to me.”
He smiled at her.
I looked at Connor, who was helping me from the bed. “Why would you pass out like that? Is there something wrong?” he asked.
I grabbed my purse. “I just took too hot of a bath.”
“You need to be more careful.” He lightly took hold of my arm as we walked down the corridor. My eyes widened as I saw Dr. Taub walking in the opposite direction towards us. My heart started racing, as I didn’t want to talk to him, especially in front of Connor.
“Miss Lane?” he said as he looked at the bandage above my eye.
“Dr. Taub, it’s lovely to see you again.” I faked a grin.
“Miss Lane, what happened to you?”
“Oh, I fell and hit my head; I tripped in the hallway.”
He looked at me curiously. “How have you been feeling?”
“I’ve been feeling great, Dr. Taub. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get this prescription filled.”
“Yes, of course,” he said as he looked directly at Connor.
“Have a good day, Dr. Taub.” I smiled as I couldn’t get away from him fast enough.
“How do you know him, Ellery?” Connor asked.
I knew that brief encounter would trigger questions. I looked straight ahead at the sliding doors.
“He’s my family doctor; I’ve seen him a couple of times since I’ve moved here.”
“A couple of times and he knows you like that? Why would he ask you how you’re feeling?”
Shit, why did he have to ask so many questions? He didn’t explain anything to me when I asked him questions.
“I saw him a couple of months ago for a bad cold I had. He’s a good doctor and truly concerned for all of his patients.” We walked out the door as the cold air hit me and cooled my burning body.
We slid into the back of the limo as Denny turned and looked at me. “I’m glad to see you’re doing better, Miss Lane.”
I gave him a heartfelt smile. “Thank you, Denny. I appreciate it.”
Connor looked over at me and smiled. “Denny almost got fired today.”
I looked at him, a shocked expression on my face. “What! Why?”
“He didn’t pick me up for my meeting. It wasn’t until he called and told me that he drove you to the hospital because you cut your head.”
I looked at him with a confused look. “Didn’t you drive yourself to work this morning?”
“Yes—yes, I did,” he answered.
I ran my tongue across my lips to moisten them. “Then why didn’t you just drive yourself to the meeting, especially if he was running late?” I heard Denny chuckle from the front seat, and I think Connor did too by the irritated look on his face.
“I suppose I could have, but…”
I tilted my head. “There’s no but. You were going to fire him for not picking you up when you had a vehicle the whole time? I’m sorry he couldn’t call you, but he was concerned about me, Connor Black, and for that, you should be grateful. I could have bled to death on the streets of New York.” I was silently grinning.
He looked at me and rolled his eyes. “Now you’re being a drama queen.”
I let out my silent smile. “I know, and I’m good at it too.”
Connor laughed as he took my hand and gently squeezed it. I laid my head on his shoulder as my body warmed from his touch, and my heart started beating faster.