Her Return to King's Bed(44)

                “What?” He looked down at her. “Where? I don’t want to go far—what if…?”

                “We won’t be far,” Teresa said, touched that he cared for his family this much. It was these few moments, when he was unguarded, that allowed her a glimpse of the man she’d met so long ago. This man was the Rico she remembered. The stranger was the man who had jumped out of bed as if it were on fire.

                “Didn’t you tell Sean that nowhere on this island was far from anything?”

                “Good point.” He blew out a breath and scraped one hand through his hair. “All right, then. I could use some fresh air.”

                “And I think the nurses could use a break, too.” Teresa patted his arm as they walked past the nurses’ station. She paused there only long enough to say, “We’re going outside for a few minutes. If Sean comes out looking for us, tell him we’ll be right back.”

                “I will.” Her gaze fixed on Rico, she said, “You take your time.”

                Teresa laughed, but Rico’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. He still wore a frown that would send most people scrambling for a place to hide. Shaking her head, Teresa led him to the elevator, then punched the button for the main floor. The two-story building wasn’t large, but it spread out over quite an area. It was the only medical facility for the islanders. Without it, people who needed serious medical help would have had to board a boat for St. Thomas.

                She’d learned a lot in the last few days. Rico’s employees were eager to talk about him and the island paradise where they lived. They had told her all about what the Kings had done for Tesoro since moving here. For example, they had donated enough money to see to it that the small hospital now boasted top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art equipment. They’d hired more doctors and nurses and made it possible for most emergencies to be handled on island.

                They’d rebuilt the dock and improved the harbor, making it easier for charter ships, as well as local fishermen, to pull into port. In town they’d arranged for more of the islanders to sell their wares to the tourists who now flocked to Tesoro. The Kings had done good things on the island and everyone here seemed to appreciate it. But Teresa knew that if she commented on any of this to Rico, he would shrug off her admiration and call it simply good business. He was a complicated man and maybe that was one reason she was so drawn to him. Because at the heart of it, very few men were complicated.

                At the ground floor, Rico practically lunged off the elevator and Teresa had to hurry to keep up with him. Outside the night was quiet, the wind was soft and the sound of the ocean rumbled in the distance. It felt good to get out of the claustrophobic waiting room. It felt even better to have Rico beside her.

                Teresa took a long, deep breath and blew it out again. “Nice to get out of the hospital for a while.”

                “Yes.” Rico looked back over his shoulder at the brightly lit entrance. “But not for too long. I want to be nearby when—”

                “We will be.” Teresa took his hand and was pleased when he didn’t pull away. Small victories. She led him across the side yard, their steps muffled by the thick grass. “But waiting for hours can be hard. You have to get out now and then.”

                He snorted, but the tension in him eased a bit as the trade winds continued to rush past them, carrying the scents of flowers and the sea with them. “And how do you know so much about women in childbirth?”

                Teresa smiled and squeezed his hand. Whatever else was between them, for the moment they were on the same side, allies against the unknown.