~ Two ~
Cooper glanced at Sharon, a nurse he'd taken out a couple of times and waved. "I'm checking on a friend. Came in with possible concussion, response to fire call."
Sharon pointed toward the swinging doors that ready employees only. "She went back fighting, saying she didn't need to see a doctor."
That sounded like Ellie. He started for the doors and turned when Sharon said his name. "Merry Christmas."
He smiled. "Same to you."
It was Christmas Eve and he was off for the next four days. The unexpected gift of his last call definitely hadn't been on his wish list, but he wasn't letting Ellie walk out the door until they caught up.
Bro-code still applies, even years later. He'd friended Tommy on Facebook ages ago and knew his old friend was following in his father's footsteps and working at the bank in their hometown. But Ellie. What was she doing in the big-- or bigger than Maitland, Michigan-- city?
"It's a little ridiculous that a grown woman can't manage to use a stove," said a voice behind the curtain Cooper was passing. He thought the tone was condescending, but continued to pass by until Ellie's voice halted his steps.
"I don't remember asking you your opinion. Can you please just let me go? I'm fine."
"Right. Your definition of fine is nearly killing yourself by making some soup," the slightly familiar voice said.
Cooper pushed the curtain back and saw that Ellie was sitting on a hospital bed, one of those gowns covering her small frame. How the hell could that be cute? Her hair was a bit messy, since it'd been pushed to the side to allow for a couple of stitches right near the hairline. The doctor with her was one Cooper had seen before but he couldn't remember his name.
"Excuse me, you can't come in here. I'm seeing to a patient."
Cooper eyed the guy and assessed his snotty tone in combination with the way he actually looked down his nose at Ellie, whose red cheeks suggested she was once again, embarrassed. Cooper didn't know the guy's name, but Doctor Dick seemed to fit.
"He's probably here for me, Byron," Ellie said, one side of her adorable mouth tilting up. Don't think about her mouth, dude. She's your friend's baby sister. She's no baby. And you and Tommy haven't hung out in years. Doesn't matter. Code still applies.
Doctor Dick gave him the once over, an eyebrow lifting, maybe in response to the jeans and long sleeve Henley Cooper wore. Or the heavy black boots that he typically used for his bike. He'd brought his truck to the hospital though, thinking Ellie might need a ride.
"Really, Eleanor? I'm very busy and don't have time for this. Listen, you can't stay here. We're booked. You do have a mild concussion so can you get someone to check in on you?"
"I'll be checking in on her. Often," Cooper said, causing the doc to turn around and look at him again.
"I meant through the night. Eleanor needs someone there in case her symptoms worsen."
"I'm fine on my own," Ellie said, casting a pleading glance at Cooper. The loneliness in her tone made his chest feel like he’d dropped a pile of bricks on it.
She clearly wanted to escape. And maybe put this jerk in his place. He could help her with both of those things. In fact, as a once honorary brother to her, it was practically his duty. Though the way he went about it probably crossed all sorts of lines and blurred them to the point of non-existent.
He stepped toward Ellie where she was wringing her hands together on her lap. Leaning in, he covered her hands with one of his and looked at the doc. "You spoke in English, Doc, so I know what you meant. And what I meant was, I won't leave Ellie alone for one minute. I'll be by her side all night." He looked to Ellie. She was staring at him, her mouth open just a little-- enough to be enticing as hell-- and her eyes had that dazed thing going on again. He realized, with no small amount of alarm, that he wanted his mouth on hers. Badly.
Knowing it wasn’t the time or place, but needing to solidify his words, to both her and the doc, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead, lingering as he inhaled the sweet scent of Ellie. He put his free hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. In the back of his mind, he recalled a memory he’d long since forgotten about: Ellie at thirteen, worrying that she hadn’t been kissed. He’d laughed when he found her sitting on the steps of her house because she’d told him she was a sure to be a cliché and it had taken his teenage brain a moment to remember the “sweet sixteen and never been kissed” adage. How could he have forgotten that he’d been her first kiss? Probably because, at the time, it had meant nothing—he’d barely brushed his mouth across hers, trying to boost her confidence—when she’d squawked and jumped up like he’d bit her.
Something shifted in his chest, moving over and making room for the girl who maybe had changed more than he'd thought.
He pulled back, loving the contented intimacy of her gaze. "Right, Ellie?"
"Huh?"
Cooper laughed. "You trust me to take good care of you, right? So we can get you out of here and finish having Christmas."
She nodded, clearly still a little uncertain. Looking at the doc, wanting to beat his chest with the amount of awesome he felt right that moment, Cooper grinned. "There you have it. Sign her out, Doc. Me and my girl are ready to go. And as you said, you're very busy."