Red Hot BOX SET: Complete Series 1-4: A Patrick & Steeves Suspense Read Free Page B

she called.
    “Some trouble breathing, yes, but generally these types of injuries are temporary.”
    “That’s good news. Have you been in touch with his family?”
    He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. “We’re under staffed tonight. I expect you’ll want to see him.”
    She nodded and rose when he did. “How long will you need to hold him?” She followed him down the narrow corridor, crowded with beds, each filled with a patient.
    “In a perfect world, I’d want him under observation for a couple of days. But we have no beds, so I can’t admit him. I’ll keep him in emergency for twenty-four hours. After that, I’ll have to release him or you can transfer him to San Diego by ambulance. Depending on his condition at the time.” He pushed his glasses down and peered over the top of them into her eyes. “Do you understand, Miss Patrick?”
    She nodded. Did he think she was an idiot or what? “Is Mr. Steeves aware of his injuries?”
    The doctor stopped and hung the chart on the end of a bed. “He’s in and out of consciousness. We have him on morphine for the pain.” He glanced at his watch and turned as a nurse called out his name. She hurried down the corridor toward him. “I’ll check in with you later.”
    “Thanks, Dr. Rodriguez.” She didn’t believe him for a second. He didn’t think she was an idiot, he was simply aware that he wouldn’t have time to come back to provide more details and needed to confirm she had a firm grasp on the situation.

Chapter 7
    E m remained rooted at the end of Mr. Steeves’s bed. When she’d been a kid, one of her neighbors had been disfigured in a fire. Seeing him had terrified her. She didn’t like fires and she didn’t like burns. Bracing herself, she slid behind the curtain and drew in a sharp breath. He was gorgeous. His eyelids were singed. His blond hair was burnt around his face. His face was bright red, carnival candy apple red, slightly blistered. The doctor had said light burns, she remembered.
    Chiseled. The word sprang into her mind uninvited. It described his jaw perfectly. His cheekbones were high. Even with the blankets over him, his muscular build was obvious. His arm, with the IV feeding into it, was thick and ropy. Her stomach clenched. She had a thing for men’s forearms and this man’s forearm was — What the hell was she thinking? She was on the job here and he was unconscious. He was an American citizen and needed her help. Anyway, someone that good looking either had a wife or a harem of girlfriends.
    Placing her hand over his, she spoke his name. No response. She opened the drawer beside his bed and picked up his wallet. It held a few credit cards and his driver’s license. Sandal Steeves. Even the dreaded DMV photo was gorgeous. Lived in San Diego, not far from her place. Date of birth … he was only twenty-seven. Yum. Damn, maybe she should have hung around San Diego after university.
    She returned the wallet and picked up his cell. Locked. She unlocked it but was blocked at the password screen. No leads there.
    “Hey, babeeee, you showed up!”
    She fumbled the phone, dropping it to the nightstand. He was looking right at her with the most piercing gray eyes she’d ever seen. Her heart skipped a beat. “Mr. Steeves how are you —”
    “Mister? Mr. Steeves is my father, baby. Lean in here and give ol’ Dal some sugar.”
    Holy hell. A gorgeous freak. “Uh, Mr. Steeves, Dal, I’m —”
    “You’re the stripper we ordered, right? Where’s Kris - it’s his bachelor party. You should be dancing for him.” He reached out and grabbed her arm. “But hey, he’s not here, so —”
    She twisted out of his grasp, which wasn’t hard considering how doped up he was. His eyes watered and he was having trouble focusing on her. She stepped outside the curtain and called for a doctor. Steeves was yelling now. Bring on the naked dancing girls, he kept saying. Then he started to sing. There was no medical staff in