“I don’t do that kind of work. I’ve told you that before. I’m a surgical nurse. I can crack open your chest if you need that done. And I can give you a shot of antibiotics with no problem. Do you want Stella or Harlow to hold you down? Would that help?”
Zale glared at her when both women snickered. “I think getting in that accident made you mean.”
She straddled his thighs and bent her head. “Close your eyes and look away, you big baby.”
He wrapped one arm around her waist. “I’m not that much of a baby, not with you sitting on me.”
She gave him the shot and then leaned in to brush a kiss, featherlight, across his lips. “I was afraid for you.”
“I know, Vienna. I’m sorry. It’s not what I wanted for you. We had the opportunity to disappear and we took it, but that meant using you to get rid of the truck for us. It was the wrong decision.”
Before he could tighten his hold on her, Vienna slipped off his lap and began to clean up the gauze and empty wrappers. “What is it with Rainier bossing Shabina around?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Zahra said. “I’ve set out plates buffet style so everyone can take what they want. I even rescued the dishes from the oven,” she added.
“Shabina will be so proud of you,” Harlow said.
“If Rainier wants food, he’d better come in,” Vienna said. “No one passes up a meal Shabina puts together.”
She was certain Zale would be whipping out his phone and texting his partner to come in right away, and Shabina would be saved from having whatever lecture Rainier was in the middle of giving her.
Glaring at her, he pulled out his cell. “You’re exasperating, Snowflake.”
She dumped the stained gauze and wrappers in the kitchen garbage can and cleaned the instruments she’d used with alcohol. “Only you think so, Zale. Everyone else thinks I’m always reasonable.”
“It’s not being reasonable when you won’t let me comfort you.”
She supposed he had a point. “Dinner is ready. Comfort can come later.”