Read Online Jericho (A Redemption Novel) by Ginger Jamison - Free Book Online
Authors: Ginger Jamison
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read his mind because she blushed and pulled her hand beneath his.
“Get your big paw off me. I’ve got to check your grafts.”
Since the incident with the tray, the other nurses wanted as little to do with him as possible. Georgia was the only one besides the doctor to touch him. She was the only one who didn’t seem to mind.
“I’m a mess, Christian,” she said as she worked. “A guilty-feeling, crying mess. I bet you would never let your life get so out of control. I bet you even put your clothes away in alphabetical order.”
“Sit down, Georgia.”
“What?” Her hands paused midaction.
“Sit. In that chair. Behind you.” He knew when she was finished with her work she would walk out the door. But tonight, even though he knew he should let her go, he wanted her to stay.
Her eyes went wide again. “I’m not supposed to.”
“Who’s going to find out? I know you come to see me last.”
She shook her head. “You’re not supposed to know that.”
“But I do. Everybody is sleeping. You can sit for a few minutes. You know you want to.”
She looked unsure for a moment, but eased into the chair. “Why do I feel as if you are tempting me with forbidden fruit? You know I’m in a dangerous mood. I’m sleep-deprived and emotional. You could have a whole mess of trouble on your hands in a few minutes.”
“I’ll risk it. Just relax for a second. You look dead on your feet.”
She shut her eyes and rested her cheek against her palm. “You’re not supposed to be feeling sorry for me. You’re the one who’s bedridden in the hospital because you were defending my freedom. I’ve got my health, and my beautiful baby. I’ve got a roof over my head and a job. I have a lot more than most people. You shouldn’t feel sorry for me.” She yawned widely. “And I shouldn’t feel sorry for myself.”
And yet he did. She was a young woman, working a hard job and raising a baby on her own. He wondered what had happened to her family but knew it was wrong to ask. She had mentioned her father in passing a few times and not in the past tense. Where the hell was he now? How could he let his daughter struggle alone? And then there was her daughter’s father. The bastard had left Georgia to raise a baby on her own. The man should be drawn and quartered.
“It’s all right to complain sometimes, Georgia. You can’t hold everything inside.”
“You do,” she countered without opening her eyes. “You don’t complain at all. I know you must be mad about what happened. You’re in pain. Your life will never be the same again and yet you never say a word about it.”
He wasn’t angry about what happened. In some ways he thought he deserved it, that this was his punishment for mistakes he’d made a long time ago. To make up for Miko. To make up for his parents, who had never gotten to see the man he became all due to his selfishness. “Marines don’t complain.”
A sleepy smile curved her lips. “Of course. Talk to me so I don’t fall asleep, honey.”
“About what?”
“Anything. Tell me a story. What’s basic training really like?”
“You ever been to hell?”
She opened her eyes, and a combination of sleepiness and laughter played there. And he wondered what she would look like after he made love to her. Hopefully the same. Her face was the kind a man wanted to fall asleep staring at.
“Nope. Haven’t been yet.”
“Marine basic training is a little like that. Only not as hot.”
She laughed and shut her eyes again. “Tell me more.”
CHAPTER 6
T he next day Georgia was feeling a little bit better. She tried not to think that her improved mood had anything to do with Christian. It couldn’t have. Even though she’d spent nearly an hour in his room last night, he was just another patient.
No different from the rest of the men on her floor.
She needed to keep telling herself that. If she didn’t, it could be dangerous. Her slight bump in happiness must have to do with how
“Get your big paw off me. I’ve got to check your grafts.”
Since the incident with the tray, the other nurses wanted as little to do with him as possible. Georgia was the only one besides the doctor to touch him. She was the only one who didn’t seem to mind.
“I’m a mess, Christian,” she said as she worked. “A guilty-feeling, crying mess. I bet you would never let your life get so out of control. I bet you even put your clothes away in alphabetical order.”
“Sit down, Georgia.”
“What?” Her hands paused midaction.
“Sit. In that chair. Behind you.” He knew when she was finished with her work she would walk out the door. But tonight, even though he knew he should let her go, he wanted her to stay.
Her eyes went wide again. “I’m not supposed to.”
“Who’s going to find out? I know you come to see me last.”
She shook her head. “You’re not supposed to know that.”
“But I do. Everybody is sleeping. You can sit for a few minutes. You know you want to.”
She looked unsure for a moment, but eased into the chair. “Why do I feel as if you are tempting me with forbidden fruit? You know I’m in a dangerous mood. I’m sleep-deprived and emotional. You could have a whole mess of trouble on your hands in a few minutes.”
“I’ll risk it. Just relax for a second. You look dead on your feet.”
She shut her eyes and rested her cheek against her palm. “You’re not supposed to be feeling sorry for me. You’re the one who’s bedridden in the hospital because you were defending my freedom. I’ve got my health, and my beautiful baby. I’ve got a roof over my head and a job. I have a lot more than most people. You shouldn’t feel sorry for me.” She yawned widely. “And I shouldn’t feel sorry for myself.”
And yet he did. She was a young woman, working a hard job and raising a baby on her own. He wondered what had happened to her family but knew it was wrong to ask. She had mentioned her father in passing a few times and not in the past tense. Where the hell was he now? How could he let his daughter struggle alone? And then there was her daughter’s father. The bastard had left Georgia to raise a baby on her own. The man should be drawn and quartered.
“It’s all right to complain sometimes, Georgia. You can’t hold everything inside.”
“You do,” she countered without opening her eyes. “You don’t complain at all. I know you must be mad about what happened. You’re in pain. Your life will never be the same again and yet you never say a word about it.”
He wasn’t angry about what happened. In some ways he thought he deserved it, that this was his punishment for mistakes he’d made a long time ago. To make up for Miko. To make up for his parents, who had never gotten to see the man he became all due to his selfishness. “Marines don’t complain.”
A sleepy smile curved her lips. “Of course. Talk to me so I don’t fall asleep, honey.”
“About what?”
“Anything. Tell me a story. What’s basic training really like?”
“You ever been to hell?”
She opened her eyes, and a combination of sleepiness and laughter played there. And he wondered what she would look like after he made love to her. Hopefully the same. Her face was the kind a man wanted to fall asleep staring at.
“Nope. Haven’t been yet.”
“Marine basic training is a little like that. Only not as hot.”
She laughed and shut her eyes again. “Tell me more.”
CHAPTER 6
T he next day Georgia was feeling a little bit better. She tried not to think that her improved mood had anything to do with Christian. It couldn’t have. Even though she’d spent nearly an hour in his room last night, he was just another patient.
No different from the rest of the men on her floor.
She needed to keep telling herself that. If she didn’t, it could be dangerous. Her slight bump in happiness must have to do with how
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