Page 16 of Stone
“Talk to me,” she whispers, and we lock eyes as I admit, “I lost a four-year-old little girl today,” and Kimmy’s eyes tear up as she takes me back in her arms, and I hold her tightly to me as Cage curses, “Fuck…” before a phone rings.
I don’t pull back. I place my face into my sister's neck, allowing my tears to fall as I hear, “Yeah, she’s just walked through the door. A little late notice, Doc.”
Doc… Dr. Conners, maybe?
Kimmy pulls back as Cage hangs up the phone, and she wipes away my tears and whispers, “Your boyfriend made tacos, they’re really good.”
“Boyfriend, huh?” I chuckle before sniffling, and she grins as she nods, and I look over at Cage, who is now leaning against the side of the breakfast bar, arms crossed over his muscular chest with a soft look on his face.
I raise a brow at my sister's title, and he shrugs and gives me a wink with a grin, bringing the first smile to my face.
Boyfriend. I think I like that title, even if it has only been a week.
Kimmy kisses my cheek as she wipes away my tears before she looks at Cage and smiles, then turns back to the living area, and I melt.
She’s giving him the chance to comfort me, she’s accepting him.
Shaking my head, I shut the door and drop my keys and bag on the little table near it before walking over to Cage, who pushes himself up straight just before I walk into his body.
His arms automatically wrap around me as I grip the back of his shirt, and nothing but sparks fly through me, his touch instantly settles me.
“You’re back,” I whisper, pressing my face into his chest as I inhale his musky scent that I wish I could just bottle up.
“Yeah, red, I’m back,” he murmurs softly, “Doc called or Dr. Conners as you know him, he wanted to let me know you’d had a hard shift, just a little too late.”
“Don’t be mad at him,” I say, “He’s been dealing with a nurse who never should have been in that room to begin with. She was new and was just supposed to go and collect all the charts on the floor below the Pediatric department.”
Cage sighs, “She wanted to work with kids but couldn’t get the job.”
I nod and admit, “I ran into my patient's room to find her struggling to breathe as she choked on her own vomit, while Becky stood frozen and my patient’s mama screaming at her to do something. She shouldn’t have died.”
My tears fall again, and I hold Cage tighter, causing his grip to tighten as well and he whispers, “I’ve got you, red, I always have you.”
“I’m glad you’re back,” I admit, and he hums and replies, “Me too, otherwise I wouldn’t have met your amazing sister or found out how she had you wrapped around her finger growing up.”
I smile as I pull back a little to look at him, and I admit, “I didn’t mind it,” not lying one bit, and he smiles.
Kimmy was the best sister growing up.
“I approve, by the way,” Kimmy says, gaining our attention, and I look her way as she nods to Cage and says, “He can cook, he’s easy to talk to, and he looks at you like he wants to devour you, so I approve.”
I snort and look at Cage to see a cheesy grin on his face, making my snort turn into a laugh. He looks at me, waggling his brows, making me laugh harder. His grin softens as he gently cups my cheek, his thumb rubbing over the tearstains.
“I don’t like seeing you cry,” he whispers, and I melt into him, giving him some of my weight.
“I promise I don’t do it a lot, only when I lose patients, or if I’ve laughed too much –” Kimmy cuts me off, “Or if the dog dies in a movie so if you want some advice, never watch dog movies with her.”
I nod because, yeah, those kinds of movies are evil.
Cage grins and teases, “My sappy girl,” and I pinch him gently, not able to hold back my smile, and I go to pull back because yeah, Kimmy is right, his food is amazing, and the tacos are making my stomach grumble. Cage tightens his hold on me, and I raise a brow at him.
His eyes look me over, taking in every little detail before he asks, “Would I sound crazy if I asked you to sign a piece of paper for me?”
I frown and ask, “Why?”
I mean, yeah, he does sound crazy.
He smirks, “Because I want your autograph before you become a famous Pediatric Cardiology nurse,” and I laugh as he waggles his brows again before he pouts and gives me puppy eyes, and I relent instantly, “Sure, I’ll give you my autograph, you weird-o.”
