Free The Captain's Lady by Lorhainne Eckhart Page B

mirror of some battered girl and flinched seeing her own bruised face, cut-swollen lip, and tangled grimy hair. She pushed away from the door, musing, “Oh, what I wouldn't give for a long hot bath.” In an unconscious attempt to bring order to her hair, she ran a hand through the tangled mess, pulling slightly at the tangles.
    After tending to her needs, she paused in amusement at the unique noise of the vacuum flush toilet. Still grinning, she hobbled out of the bathroom. A sudden movement out of the corner of her eye made her turn to see Gail hovering out of sight by the metal lockers in the corner. Rather strange, Abby thought. The tension in the room was unmistakable. It chilled her to the bone and hit Abby with a wave of nausea. As she watched, Gail shot a glance at the captain, who Abby just realized was there. No, not a glance, more of a sneer. So childish. It reminded Abby of being back in high school, one of many painful memories from so long ago, when a group of girls had humiliated her in front of a guy she had a crush on. Blinking away the memory and the discomfort, she wondered what the hell was going on between Gail and Eric.
    Gail must have sensed Abby watching. Their gazes met. Gail's eyes widened and her face colored a bright red. Hands visibly shaking, she put the clipboard inside the supply locker, closed it quietly, and then slipped out of sickbay without a word or backward glance.
    Eric and the doctor both leaned against the counter, engrossed in earnest discussion. Her heart began pounding, its echo reverberating off her insides. A self-conscious wave washed over her as she wondered if, in fact, both men could hear it because they looked up.
    Eric wore the usual uniform, with precisely pressed seams and gleaming buttons. Oh, how this man turned her insides to mush. He smiled and raised a finger for her to wait for him to escort her back to bed.
    Then came the rude reminder of her mirrored reflection. It brought all her awkwardness and insecurities flooding back. Shyness made her consider turning around and walking back into the bathroom, to hide. Only, the instant the thought was out, anger bubbled up that she'd even considered it; a coward she was not. Besides, he'd already seen her.
    Gathering her gumption, she met the intensity in his penetrating eyes, and was unable to stop the warm grin that widened across her face. A fiery tingle pulled in her stomach. This feeling was so new she was at a loss how to handle it. The way he focused his undivided attention, although arrogant, made her feel important. It was something so precious there were no words adequately created to describe the sensations.
    He reached her side in a few long strides, grasped the crutch, planted a supportive arm around her waist, and guided her back to bed. He didn't speak until she was settled on the edge of the bed.
    "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
    At the reminder of the pitiful vision that had reflected back from the mirror, Abby's self-consciousness crept back, bringing with it a dizziness that made her blink to rid herself of it. She looked at the floor and stumbled awkwardly over her words. “Y-y-yes ... I slept great. Thanks."
    The charm and charisma were real. So was the attempt to calm her growing nervousness. She didn't need to look to know he was looking down on her. His warm breath caressed the top of her head in a gentle wave.
    The doctor, who'd remained writing notes in a chart at the counter by the bed, cast a sidelong glance at them. “So, how are you feeling this morning?"
    She offered a shy smile, watching the doctor reach for the blood pressure cuff. He slung it over his forearm and walked on rubber-soled shoes to stand beside the bed. With a shaky hand, she swiped back the tangled hair, tucking it behind her ears. “A little sore. My ribs hurt if I breathe too deep or move to quick."
    As the doctor checked her vitals, Abby was aware of the captain looming behind, actually towering over the doctor,