Both of them? Heavenly had never heard of such a thing. Even more shocking, the growling man nodded as if he completely agreed. Were they…both Raine’s boyfriends? Did that mean Dr. Beckman wasn’t?
It didn’t matter. Rumor was, he refused to date colleagues. She didn’t have time for men, anyway.
Heavenly sent them an apologetic grimace. “I’m sorry. I don’t make the rules.”
The bearded man elbowed Seth out of his way. “What else can you tell us about Raine’s condition?”
She shook her head regretfully. “I’m just a nursing student. I’ve only been in to give her ice chips and blankets.”
“Do you know how much longer before we’ll be able to see her?” The Irishman was hanging on to his temper by a thread.
“The police haven’t finished with her, so I suspect it will be a while. In the meantime, Dr. Beckman asked me to escort you to a nearby lounge. You’ll be able to shower there. Just let me know when you’re ready.”
The two men exchanged a glance, seemingly in instant agreement.
“Let’s do it now,” said the one on the left. “In case we’re able to see her sooner, rather than later.”
The Irishman nodded.
“Follow me.” She used her badge to open the door to the secure area of the ER.
The two men followed her, each carrying a bag of clothes.
Before the door shut behind them, Seth called out to her, “Thank you, Heavenly.”
She turned to him and smiled. He was almost too handsome to look at.
She’d never been attracted to a man until recently. Now she felt a pull to two? Were her long-dormant hormones suddenly awakening?
“You’re welcome.” Once Ms. Kendall left the ER, it was highly unlikely she would ever see Seth Cooper again. The fact that he tongue-tied her was no reason to be rude. “It was nice to meet you.”
Then the door shut behind her, and she showed Mr. Hammerman and Mr. O’Neill where they could shower. They thanked her and disappeared to clean up while she checked another patient. Afterward, she swung by the nurses’ station. Jennifer, the charge nurse, sent her to the waiting room again to pick up food someone had brought for the men.
Would she catch another glimpse of Seth? As she hustled down the hall, that idea made giddiness coil in her tummy. She’d never really flirted, but he seemed the sort who would let her—if she ever worked up the nerve.
Heavenly gave the door a gentle push. Seth rose to greet her, carrying two Styrofoam containers on a cafeteria tray.
A mere glance at him turned her palms damp and hot. The weight of his stare tempted her to look at him. She did and…oh, gosh. He made her dizzy. If she wasn’t careful, it would be all too easy to trip on her own two feet and wind up in a heap on the floor.
“Hi. Is that for Mr. Hammerman and Mr. O’Neill?”
Seth cleared his throat, and even that sounded sexy. “Yeah, eggs and toast. They haven’t eaten in hours, and they’re going to need their strength today.”
Good-looking and thoughtful. She took the tray from his grasp, intending to assure him the men would receive the food right away. But her stare lingered in places it shouldn’t. He was so tall and he had strong legs and narrow hips encased in faded denim. And behind his zipper—
He was…erect. Oh, goodness. She gulped.
Was he having an involuntary male response? Or did he find her attractive?
Heat flashed up from her chest, straight to her cheeks. Her face was on fire—and getting hotter the longer she stared there.
Heavenly blinked. “Um, yes. I-I will. Of course. Right away.”
On the verge of panting with both mortification and thrill, she turned and dashed to the electronic door, balancing the tray in one hand and reaching for the handle with the other. She nearly collided with the solid wood instead, only managing to jerk it open with trembling fingers through sheer will.
Oh, could she get any more ridiculous? For Pete’s sake, she was twenty-two, not twelve.
Unfortunately, nearly a decade ago was the last time she’d had a “boyfriend,” who hadn’t even kissed her before he’d broken up with her. Seth Cooper obviously saw no reason to be self-conscious about his body. Then again, why should he?
He probably had lots of sex with beautiful women…and he must think she was a skittish, tongue-tied dork. He couldn’t possibly be interested in her, and she shouldn’t read too much into his reaction.
“Hey,” he called to her. “Are you—”
Inept? Stupid? Klutzy? Heavenly didn’t stay to hear the rest of his question. She let the door slam between them and ran.
Seth paced the ER waiting room, his gut in knots. It smelled faintly like puke, rubbing alcohol, and desperation. The news on the nearby television blared bullshit. He tuned it out, but the dude in the corner peering over a magazine who’d been watching their every move put him on edge. So did the waiting. Hammer and Liam had disappeared with the angelic blonde who’d given him a raging hard-on ten minutes ago, and he’d hung back to give his buddies alone time with Raine. Now he wished he’d followed. He could best help everyone by talking to Raine and dissecting CSI’s preliminary findings. With his experience, he could break down the evidence and determine what, if any, legal trouble she might be facing.