Page 29 of My One and Only

He began to shake his head. Stopped immediately. “I’m gonna crawl into bed and sleep until…”

He clamped his lips together and looked away from her.

She put her hand on his arm, and he glanced down at her pale fingers circling his tanned skin. Swallowed.

“Until what, Cam?”she asked quietly.

“Until I’m forced to get up to eat something,” he said after a long moment. “Drink some water. Recycle it.”

“You have someone on speed dial in case you need help?”

“My parents live pretty close. I can call them.” He didn’t meet her gaze, and she wondered why. Was there a reason his parents lived close to him? Were they ill? “Okay,” she finally said. “I trust your mom and dad.”

The door opened and his doctor walked in. He wasn’t smiling, and Cam’s gut clenched. “Bad news, Doc?”

The doctor shook his head. “No, actually good news. No sign of any blood in your brain. I’m going to release you, but if you get a bad headache, or can’t stay awake, I want you back here ASAP. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, Doc. I get it. Trust me, I don’t want a brain bleed. I’ll pay attention and get myself back here if I need to.”

The doctor nodded as he studied Cam. “No driving for the next forty-eight hours,” he said. “In fact, go home and sleep. That’s the best thing for you right now.”

“Already planning on that,” he said.

The doctor shifted his gaze to Jo. “You’ll keep him quiet, right?”

“Not sure anyone can do that. And anyway, he says he’s going to do nothing but sleep.”

The doctor frowned. “Someone has to be with him,” the doctor insisted. “For the next twenty-four hours, at least.”

“Fine. I’ll get my parents to babysit me,” Cam said.

The doctor frowned as his gaze jumped from Cam to Jo. Back to Cam. The question in his eyes was crystal clear. Why would he get his parents when he had Jo?

Finally he said, “Whatever works for you. But you can’t be alone.”

“Got it.”

The doctor nodded. “I’ll get your discharge papers ready. You can go ahead and get dressed.” He studied Cam for a long moment, then his gaze touched on Jo. Back to Cam. “Good luck.”

“Would you make two copies of his discharge papers?”Jo asked. “I’m going to need one.”

The doctor frowned at her. “I thought you weren’t his girlfriend.”

“I’m not,” she said, her voice cool. “I’m his bodyguard.”

The doctor froze and looked from her to Cam. “Is that okay with you, Mr.Pierce?”

“Fine,” he said, his voice both irritated and weak.

The doctor looked back at Jo, studying her. Cam was pretty sure he knew what the doctor would say.

Finally the doctor said to Jo, “You don’t look like a bodyguard.”

Bingo. Score one for him. Maybe his brain wasn’t as rattled as it felt.

Jo didn’t notice Cam’s cringe when he moved his head. She was too busy staring down the doctor. The doctor was too busy drilling his gaze into Jo. Cam suspected the doctor would fold first.

When the doctor finally looked away from Jo, Cam’s mouth curled in an involuntary smile. Jo for the win. He wanted to pump his fist. But he didn’t. He was pretty sure it would make his head hurt too much. Instead, he lay back on the pillow and watched the show.

---