upcoming meeting with his mother melted away beneath Paige’s warm brown gaze. “I never forgot you,” he stated. And he hadn’t. For him, she’d always been a mystery—an ethereal creature who was more a shadow than a reality in his life.
The huskily spoken words riffled across her aching heart. Paige tried to sternly tell herself that Thane was her patient, someone she would care for during his convalescence, but that was all. More heat rolled into her face. She placed her hands against her cheeks and looked away.
“I’m blushing like a teenager,” she admitted, laughing breathlessly. “I guess our school days follow us around, after all.”
His eyes narrowed speculatively at her. A part of her was still a child, even though she stood before him as a tall, graceful woman. “We have a lot in common,” he told her, giving her a wan smile. “We went to the same high school for four years. I’m glad someone I knew then is taking care of me now, instead of a stranger.”
Trying to gather her scattered, joyful emotions, Paige forced herself to take a more businesslike stance with him. She hadn’t expected Thane to remember her. Or for him to say such wonderful words to her. Moving briskly, she came to his bedside.
“That’s true, we did. But you were the superstar of Red Rock High School. I was a nobody.” She was still a nobody, she thought as she checked the drips on the IVs feeding a painkiller and liquid nutrients drop by drop into an artery in each of his arms. “I work here full time as a registered nurse. I assist Dr. Malone, who is going to be your physical therapist. I’m also a licensed masseuse.” She looked at the IVs closely, pretending to be busy with them. Paige couldn’t stand the powerful masculine energy that surrounded Thane, energy as potent to her as sunlight. It always had been. Only now he seemed ten times more male, more powerful, to her. Paige felt panicked beneath his continuing stare. Was she so unattractive that he couldn’t tear his gaze from her? Johnny had been abusive to her in every way. He said she was dog ugly, that her face was misshapen. Once he’d pointed out that one side of her mouth moved up more at the corner than the other side, that her left eye was slightly larger than her right one. Everything about her was out of balance, and according to the Navajo way, the beauty way, harmony and balance was the goal of life. Maybe that was why Thane was staring at her like that. He saw the disharmony of her features, too.
“I’m impressed with your credentials,” he murmured. Paige was so close. So wonderfully close. He could smell the fresh outdoors on her, a slight, clean scent of sage. Her skin was a flawless dusky color, proudly proclaiming her mixed heritage. Her black lashes were thick and framed her sparkling eyes, which carried flecks of gold in their depths.
“Are you comfortable?” she asked, moving back a step from his bed.
Thane nodded. “As much as I can be. When did I arrive here? The last thing I remember is falling asleep on the plane about an hour from our projected landing time.”
“You got here an hour ago.” Paige glanced at the practical-looking watch on her slim wrist. “It’s 4:00 p.m. now.”
“And Morgan Trayhern? Is he still around?”
Paige shook her head. She was nervous around Thane. He was a large man, heavily muscled, and so very good looking. But, what had drawn her to him so many years ago was his sensitivity and care of others. He’d never been an egomaniac just because he was the star of the football team and had led their team to two state championships. Instead, he’d always talked about how each member on his team was a hero, how it was teamwork that allowed them to win. No, Thane had treated everyone equally. He never ran with a clique. And he’d been busy in several clubs at school as well, organizations that helped the poor and the elderly. Paige had loved him fiercely for his humanity, for his kindness to others who had less than he.
Realizing she hadn’t answered his question, she stammered, “Uh, n-no. Mr. Trayhern left, but—” she turned and quickly moved to the dresser opposite his bed “—he left this for you.” She picked up a thick manila envelope. Bringing it to his bedside, she said a little breathlessly, “And he said to tell you that the letters you wrote would be sent off tonight to the families, and not to worry about the details. He’d take care of everything, including sending flowers for the funerals, which will be held shortly.”
Thane frowned and took the envelope. “I see. Thanks….”
Paige saw the pain and grief in his eyes. His mouth moved into a thin line. She fought the urge to touch him, to comfort him as he grieved at the terrible loss of his men. “I…I heard what happened. Mr. Trayhern said you’re a hero. I’m sorry for the loss of your team, Thane.” It was impossible not to reach out, and so Paige risked everything, tentatively placing her fingers across his muscular forearm, covered with soft, dark hair.
Just the soothing, cooling contact of her fingers on his skin eased some of his pain. Thane saw her eyes fill with genuine care and sadness. He knew Navajo custom was that once someone died, that person was never spoken of again. Of course, in his world, things were different. But right now he didn’t want to talk about his friends. Maybe the Navajo had the right idea, after all. “Thanks,” he said, his voice rough with tears, despite how he fought the emotion he felt. Overwhelming grief surged up through his chest, creating a huge lump in his throat. He swallowed repeatedly and tried to contain his feelings.
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
Thane shut his eyes. Her soft voice penetrated the wall of pain he was barely holding on to. The firmness of her cool fingers was steadying to him. Taking in a jerky breath, he opened his eyes and stared straight ahead.
“No.”
The word came out flat and controlled. Paige’s hand left his arm. He felt bereft. Idiotically, Thane wanted to cry out, throw his arms around her and hold her tight against him, sobbing and screaming out his pain against her soft, rounded breasts.
Stunned by that reaction, he withdrew deep inside himself. He saw Paige step back. The look on her face told him he’d hurt her with his blunt refusal of her help. Damn. She was the last person he meant to hurt right now. Moving his mouth, he tried to apologize, but nothing came out. All he could feel was the grief that was ready to avalanche downward.
“Let me call Dr. Briggs. He wanted to know when you awoke.”
“Wait!”
Paige jerked to a halt. She turned. Thane’s eyes were filled with darkness. The grief, the need to cry, was etched in every line of his face. It took everything Paige had not to automatically wrap her arms around him, hold him and let him cry. That was what he needed, she realized. The tears glimmered in his eyes. He looked away, as if ashamed that she’d seen them.
“Yes?”
“Paige…I…hell, I’m feeling pretty upset right now. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
The forgiving smile that blossomed across her full lips was more than he deserved in the aftermath of his apology, Thane realized as he watched her hungrily. Paige was the only person he knew here. The only person he wanted to know. She represented a safe harbor to him, emotionally. The only safe one.
“I’m used to people being in pain and barking like angry dogs, so don’t worry about it. Pain makes a person grumpy. Okay?”
Thane ruthlessly looked her up and down. Did she mean it? Or was her response just empty words designed to make him feel better? No, Paige was telling the truth. Thane could see how every emotion she felt could be read in her face. In that way, she hadn’t changed much,
