Judy Hubbard - Take Me in Your Arms

Angela frowned. “Why?”

“That’s your favorite word, isn’t it?” At her frown he elaborated. “I want to get dressed. I can’t wear this thing home.” Cam pointed to the flimsy hospital gown. “Since Derrick is here, he can give me a ride.”

“You’re not going anywhere, Cameron Stewart,” Angela firmly promised.

“Oh, yes, I am.”

“Oh, no, you’re not.” Angela placed her hands on her hips, preparing for a battle she was determined to win. “Not until you’re officially released.”

“Says who?” Cam defiantly crossed his arms across his chest. “You’re not the boss of me.”

“Maybe she isn’t,” Derrick said, chuckling, “but I know who is.”

Cam turned his frowning gaze to his friend. “What does that mean?”

Derrick took his phone out of his pocket. “Do you really want me to make this call?” Comprehension dawned in Cam’s eyes.

“You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, wouldn’t I?” Derrick turned his phone so Cam could clearly see the name and number on the screen. “Are you staying, or do I press Dial?”

Alesha and Angela stared at each other in confusion and then glanced from Derrick to Cam. Cam glared at Derrick for long, tense seconds, but Derrick didn’t flinch. Finally Cam sighed in resignation, all fight seeming to leave him.

“All right, you blackmailer.” Cam dejectedly plopped back against the pillows. “I’ll stay.”

“Wise choice,” Derrick said.

“Who were you going to call?” Alesha asked.

“His mother.” Derrick laughed at Cam’s dark scowl.

“Oh.” Alesha said, “Shouldn’t we call her anyway?”

“No, I’m fine,” Cam quickly interjected. “If you call her, she’ll drop everything, hop on a plane and mother me to death for the next few weeks. I don’t have the strength for that. I was just in a car accident.” His loud sigh elicited laughter from all present. Cam fixated on Derrick’s pleased countenance. “I’ll pay you back for this, Senator, when I get out of here.”

“I’ll be ready for you.” Derrick winked. “You really should call Mama Mabel, though.”

“I know, and I will when I’m home and I can assure her that I’m fine.”

“Okay,” Derrick reluctantly agreed. “Since you’re obviously in good hands and apparently as stubborn as ever, Alesha and I will leave you alone. We just had to make sure you were all right.”

“Thanks for coming by to coerce me into staying.”

“Anytime.” Derrick patted his shoulder.

“Obey your doctors, and you’ll get out of here soon.” Alesha bent down and kissed his cheek.

“I’ll try.” He gave her a halfhearted smile.

“Do you need anything?” Derrick asked.

“No.” Cam’s eyes strayed to Angela. “I have everything I need.”

“I see.” Derrick smiled, following his friend’s line of vision. “Okay, then. We’ll check on you tomorrow.”

“I guess I’ll be here,” Cam said grudgingly, watching Derrick and Alesha leave hand in hand.

“You’ll be here,” Angela said, and smiled when he groaned as if in pain. When he eyed the closet, she warned, “Don’t even think about it.”

“Think about what?” he asked innocently.

“Leaving,” Angela answered. “If you’re not here when I come back to check on you, I’m going to call Derrick and tell him to call your mother.”

Angela fought a smile. Cam sighed heavily and looked like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He really was extremely cute.

“I’ll be here,” he promised before adding, “I’m really enjoying the company of my beautiful nurse.”

“Get some rest.” Angela ignored his second comment. “I’ll check on you later.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Angela shook her head at his wolfish grin and exited the room. A smile turned up the corners of her mouth, and she chuckled lightly as she walked down the hall. Cameron Stewart was something else. He was just as handsome and funny as ever.

If she wasn’t a magnet for disaster when it came to relationships, she would have taken the time to get to know him better. However, she knew from past experience that she didn’t do relationships well at all, and she had no intention of getting serious with anyone ever again.

She was focused on her career like a laser beam, and that’s where her attention would remain. But...if she was going to date someone, Cameron Stewart would be at the top of the list, she admitted.

“But you’re not looking for a relationship,” she firmly reminded herself. “No good will come from that, and you know it.”

Having sufficiently chastised herself, she quickly walked down the hall, away from the heady temptation that was Cameron Stewart.

Chapter 2

The next morning when Angela entered Cam’s room, he was sitting up in bed flipping through channels on the television. His frowning countenance and cagey appearance informed her he couldn’t wait to escape from what he deemed his unjust imprisonment. She had the feeling that if he wasn’t released soon, he’d plan on leaving against medical advice. Luckily for all concerned, his test results had come back negative, and she had the feeling he’d be released today.

“Good morning,” she greeted him brightly. “How are you feeling?”

“Bored out of my mind.” Cam threw the remote back onto the bed. “When can I get outta here?”

“Tired of us already?”

“Of you? Never.” His appreciative eyes roamed over her face. “Of this place? Definitely. I don’t do hospitals.”

“Well, you’ll do this one until your doctor says otherwise.”

“I feel fine.” She fought a smile at his defiant expression. “Why can’t I leave now?”

“Dr. Jackson wants to make sure you’re okay. You don’t want to go home only to be readmitted, do you?”

He shuddered at her question. “Heaven forbid.”

“Well then, be a good boy, behave and just enjoy the rest.”

“Rest?” He raised an eyebrow, and the corners of his mouth turned down. “You’re kidding, right?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“People come in here at all hours of the night, poking, prodding and taking blood, needing to check this or that and asking if I’m okay, or more annoyingly, waking me up when I do manage to catch a few z’s to see how I’m doing.” He paused for emphasis before ending theatrically. “Who can rest in this place?”

Light laughter bubbled from Angela’s smiling lips as he finished his heartfelt tirade. “Would you rather they ignored you and missed something vital that was detrimental to your health?” she asked.

Cam cracked a smile. “Taking their side against me, huh?”

“I’m part of them, ” she reminded him wryly.

“ You can bother me all night long anytime you want.” Cam’s eyes sparkled. “In fact, I wish you would.”

“Do you now?”

“Mmm-hmm.” He treated her to a disarming smile and asked, “Will you go out with me when I’m sprung from this joint?”

“No.” She bit her lip to stop a smile when he frowned at her quick denial.

“Why not?”

“Maybe I’m just not interested in you romantically.”

“Oh, you’re interested,” he replied confidently, and grinned when she chuckled.

“What a conceited thing to say.”

“It’s not conceit,” he quickly denied. “I know you feel that spark of awareness between us whenever we’re in close proximity.” Oh yeah, she felt it, but she had no intention of acting on it.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but no, I haven’t.” She told the little white lie with a straight face, hoping to convince him of her sincerity.

“No?” His eyes twinkled in challenge.

“No.” Before she could blink, he grabbed her hand and pulled her until she was sitting beside him on the bed. “Let go, Cam.”