Fallen Read Free Page B

much too quickly, causing her head to spin.
    She closed her eyes, forcing back the nausea that rolled over her in one tremendous wave. When she was able to open her eyes again, she realized that the movement beside her was a person. A man, in fact.
    At first glance, the man appeared to be glowing. From the top of his dark head, down to his white collared shirt, a bright white light seemed to be coming straight from him. After staring for a moment, she realized it must just be the fluorescent lights and her eyes just needed more time to adjust.
    Gosh, he’s handsome, she thought, her eyes sweeping over thick, black, wavy hair, high cheekbones and a firm mouth. He was looking down at her with brown eyes only a few shades lighter than hers rimmed with spiky lashes. At the puzzled expression on her face he smiled and her insides melted into a puddle. The slight upward tilt at the corners of his mouth and flash of white teeth were devastating.
    She opened her mouth to speak but found that her mouth was too dry. All that came out was a hoarse squeak. He reached over to the rolling table-tray beside the bed and grabbed the little plastic pitcher and cup he found there. After he’d filled the cup he handed it to her and pressed the button on her bed to raise her into a seated position. She took the cup and drank gratefully, sighing with pleasure as the cool liquid eased down her sore throat.
    “ Are you the doctor?” she asked when she’d finally found her voice.
    He shook his head. “No,” he answered. That would explain his casual state of dress. He wasn’t even wearing a lab coat. Shayla’s eyes lowered and remained on the open V at the top of his shirt that revealed the smooth expanse of tan chest.
    “ Well , who are you then?” she asked when she was finally able to look back up at his face.
    “ My name is Amir,” he said simply, lowering himself into the chair beside her bed.
    “ Interesting name,” she said. “How long have I been like this, Amir?”
    “ Two weeks.”
    “ How bad is it?” she asked grimly, looking down at her legs which were both in casts. “Will I be able to walk again?”
    He nodded. “In time, with physical therapy.”
    Shayla sighed and covered her face with her hands. She was going to miss out on the Alvin Ailey world tour. Even now they were probably auditioning dancers to find her replacement. She felt tears stinging her eyes but fought them back, remembering what her grandmother had always said about tears. ‘ Generations of black women before you have shed enough tears over the injustices we’ve been dealt in this world. No need for you to be crying when you’ve got the world on a silver platter right in front of you. Chin up girl , ’ she would say , with her hands on her wide hips and a ‘don’t-you-dare-talk-back-to-me’ look on her face.
    Shayla fought for composure just as she would have if her grandmother were actually there. She turned back to Amir and pretended as if her dreams had not just come crashing down around her like falling stars. He had turned away and was rubbing at his eyes. Was he tired? How long had he been here with her? Who was he anyway?
    “ Do you work for the hospital Amir?” she asked.
    “ No,” he said, turning back toward her. “But I am in the business of healing.”
    Shayla considered this for a moment. “Like one of those alternative medicine type things?” she asked.
    He shrugged. “I guess you could call it that.”
    “ Good,” she said with a satisfied nod, “because I’ll need all the help I can to get walking again.”
    “ I’ve done what I could for you. Now that you’re awake you have a long road to recovery but I have no doubt you’ll be fine. I’ve been watching you fight and you seem like the kind of person that doesn’t back down easily.”
    She nodded. “That’s me all right.”
    They fell into silence for a few minutes. Shayla focused on the coarse bedspread and tried not to stare. When she looked up he was