Free A Knight for Nurse Hart by Laura Iding Page B

she open up to him? Talk to him? “I swear I just had a physical exam not too long ago. I’m fine.”
    He stared at her, willing her to open up about what was going on. But she sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed as if to prove she was fine. “I’ll be all right in a few minutes. In the meantime, I’ll ask Ellen or Tracey to cover for me.”
    He couldn’t force her to stay, but that didn’t mean he was particularly happy when she stood on shaky legs. He stayed within reach, watching to make sure she didn’t fall again.
    It was ridiculous to be hurt by her decision. Raine couldn’t have made her feelings any clearer. She didn’t want or need his help.
    There were no second chances. At least for him.
    Biting back a curse, he told himself to let her go. Raine’s issues, whatever they entailed, weren’t his concern. She was making it clear they didn’t have a personal relationship any more. And he had plenty of his own problems to deal with. Like his father, who was almost as stubborn as Raine.
    Gingerly, she walked toward the door as if testing the strength in her legs, still looking as if a mild breeze would blow her over.
    â€œRaine,” he called, as she crossed the threshold. She glanced at him over her shoulder. “I’m here if you need to talk. Or if you just want someone to listen.”
    Stark desolation flashed in her eyes, but just as quickly it was gone. “Thanks, but I’m fine. Really. I’ll be back in twenty minutes.”
    This time when she left, he didn’t bother trying to stop her.
    In Raine’s absence, Caleb took control of the patients in their team, including taking on the job of calling the police for the young sexual assault victim.
    Their patient care tech, Yvonne, had remained glued to the young woman’s side throughout the rape kit exam and even when the police arrived to question her. He didn’t complain, even knowing that without Yvonne’s help, patients moved slowly through the department.
    He kept his distance from Helen Shore, knowing from past experience that most assault patients were far more comfortable with female caregivers. But as he worked, he couldn’t get the shattered expression on the young woman’s face out of his mind.
    Victims of crimes were the most difficult patients to care for. Sexual assaults were right up there next to child abuse, at least in his opinion. Getting angry wasn’t exactly helpful to the patients, though, so he schooled his features so that his true disgust and rage toward the assailant didn’t show. None of this was the victim’s fault.
    He could only hope the evidence they obtained would help the police find the bastard who’d hurt her.
    When Raine returned, she looked marginally better. Maybe she had finally eaten something. Her face was still lined with exhaustion, though, and he couldn’t help wondering why. She looked much worse tonight than she had the night she’d stayed with him in the waiting room. Telling himself that he’d done all he could to open up to her, and that the next move was hers, didn’t help. He had little choice but to turn his attention to the matter at hand.
    She jumped into the fray without hesitation, quickly picking up on the patient care issues that still needed to be addressed.
    â€œHave we had the drug screen results back yet on Helen Shore?” he asked, when Raine brought him the discharge paperwork on their burn patient.
    Her eyes darkened momentarily. “I don’t know. I’ll check.”
    He signed the paperwork and then glanced towards Helen’s room. The police were still in there, taking her statement. He wasn’t sure how much longer they would be, but it didn’t really matter since he wasn’t about to hurry her out the door.
    â€œDrug screen is positive for flunitrazepam,” Raine said, returning to the workstation with a slip of paper in