could hear that whisper in her ears: cara.
“Do you love me?” she asked point-blank, shaking those thoughts from her head.
He cocked his eyebrows. “This has nothing to do with love.”
“So the answer is no,” she said.
“Were you expecting me to say yes? Other than one week together, we don’t know each other.”
“Exactly, so why would I marry you?”
He frowned. “To give our child legitimacy. A stable home. The guarantee that it will have two parents. This is a business arrangement for the sake of the child.”
The premise of giving her child a good home life was very tempting, but she knew how this played out. She’d been that child after all and she wouldn’t put her child through that. Through the resentment, bitterness and heartache. To the point that her father had walked away and didn’t even want to see her again.
No, she didn’t want that for her baby.
She didn’t want her baby to feel that pain. Only he seemed to really want this baby and her father had never wanted her.
Another parent involved, especially a stationary one, means you can pursue assignments anywhere in the world.
“I’m not going to marry you,” she said. “I’m here to work.” She tried to leave the room, but he stepped in front of her, grabbing her by the arm, his dark eyes blazing.
“I don’t think you know what you’re talking about.”
“I think I do,” she snapped, shrugging her arm out of his grip.
“So I’m not to have access to my child?” he demanded.
“I never said that.”
“You won’t marry me. So that means I won’t see this child. You’re only in Italy for twelve weeks. Then what happens? You won’t even be here when our child is born.”
“Dante, I’m not denying you access to your child. I want you to be part of his or her life. We don’t have to get married to raise this child. We don’t even need to live in the same country.”
He opened his mouth to say more when his pager buzzed. He looked down. “Incoming trauma, dannazione. This conversation isn’t over.” He stormed out of the room, his white lab coat billowing out behind him from his long strides. He was a force of nature to be reckoned with.
Shay breathed an inward sigh of relief, because for now she was able to get a breather, but she knew that this was probably far from over.
Dante stuck his head back into the room. “Are you coming, Shay? There is incoming trauma and you’re to be my nurse for the next twelve weeks. I need you by my side.”
By his side.
Only she wasn’t sure she was going to survive the next twelve weeks. By the way things were going she was either going to kill him or fall in love with him.
And succumbing to the passion, the desire, she felt for him was not an option. Neither was falling in love.
She had to guard her heart.
Shay was not her mother and wouldn’t be easily persuaded by loving a man. This was her life and she was going to live by her own wit.
“Of course.”
She shook her head; she had to get back in the game and focus on her work here. This was her job and, when she’d found out that she was pregnant after one night of forbidden passion, she’d sworn that she wasn’t going to let the pregnancy interfere with her job performance. She was a damn good nurse practitioner and simulation trainer. And that wasn’t going to change.
Even though she was starting to blossom and her center of gravity was shifting, she was able to keep up with Dante’s quick pace as they navigated the hallways through the hospital. He finally slowed down when they entered the trauma ward, where there was a flurry of activity. Shay could see water ambulances outside a set of automatic doors, where they were bringing in stretchers of patients.
“What happened?” Dante asked in Italian, that much she understood. The man spoke quickly and then pointed to where Dante was needed.
“Shay, this way,” Dante called, waving his hand and directing her to follow him.
They entered a private treatment bay, where a man lay seriously wounded.
“He’s American. Your presence might calm him,” Dante whispered.
Shay nodded. “What happened?”
“A vaporetto was tossed when a large cruise ship came into the lagoon. The cruise ship sent a wave into St. Mark’s Square and there were some injuries there as well.”
“Vaporetto?” Shay asked as she pulled on a trauma gown and gloves.
“Water taxi,” Dante said as he pulled on his own gloves. “This has been happening more and more. Especially during the summer months, when the tourists flock the city. Too much traffic.” He shook his head with disgust.
Shay nodded and headed over to the patient, who was conscious and had a mask on. His brown eyes were wide with fear as he looked around the room.
“I can’t understand a word,” he mumbled through the oxygen mask.
“Me neither,” Shay said gently. “I’m learning, though.”
“You’re American?” he asked, a hint of relief in his voice.
“I am. I’m a nurse practitioner with the United World Wide Health Association. Can you tell me what happened?”
“I don’t know, I don’t remember. One moment my wife and I were taking a water taxi from Lido di Venezia to St. Mark’s, and then the next thing I know we’re in the water. Oh, goodness, where is my wife?”
“What is her name?” Shay asked.
“Jennifer Sanders.”
“I’ll find her for you in a moment,” Shay said gently. “It’s important we make sure you’re okay first.”
“I can’t move. I can’t feel my legs,” the man said, his voice rising in panic.
Dante shot her a concerned look. “What is your name, signor?”
The man looked at Dante. “Are you the doctor?”
“Sì. Can you tell me your name?”
“James, but my friends call me Jim.”
Dante smiled at him. “I’m going to examine your abdomen. Tell me if anything hurts, and then we’ll get an MRI of your spine.”
The man nodded. Shay lifted his shirt and there was dark bruising; his belly was distended, which was a sign there was internal bleeding. The bleeding would have to be stopped
