He didn't turn his head to follow her with his eyes, but when he heard the
door softly shut he let out the breath he'd been holding. She'd just
believed the biggest lie he'd ever told. While he was forcing his voice to
say he didn't want her another voice was screaming in his head : « Stay.
Please. Don't leave me ! » But he didn't want her pity and he didn't want
her with him when she'd only be thinking about how she could be spending
that moment with another man.
**
Elizabeth leaned back against the door and let out her pent up breath in a whooshing sigh. That had been a close one. She had almost made a huge mistake. Robert obviously didn't care for her, he'd just been doped up on medications and talking nonsense. And inresponse, she had almost made some foolish confession of her feelings. What would he have said? Most likely that she should stop throwing herself at bald men with medical problems and get a life. His flirtations of the last five years had just been another way in which Robert had sought to keep her off balance, to maintain his mastery of the situation, of the surgical staff, to use his power - professional, personal - to keep everyone in line.
Elizabeth felt a little dizzy from the events of the last day. Robert's drowsy declaration. Dorsett's fast move on her and her immediate acquiescence and almost just as immediate guilt. Her intense dream about Robert and her equally intense desire to make that dream become a reality. She needed to slow down, to step back, to realize that her overactive imagination had run away with her. She had always been impulsive, unlike Robert who always seemed to have himself and everyone else under perfect control.
**
Robert waited a few minutes before pressing the call button and then a few more before a nurse appeared. It was Shirley, who should not have been on service but had been bullied by the other duty nurses to respond to Romano's signal. She came into his room and asked hesitantly, « Dr Romano ? What do you need ? » He sighed slightly, unable to quip back some smart remark. « Something to help me sleep, Shirley, » he answered. She seemed stunned at the simplicity of the request. He hadn't even ordered a specific brand or dose, just letting her take charge, something he had never done. « Sure, » she reassured him, « I'll be right back. »
As she administered the mild sedative into the IV, Shirley glanced at the dressing on his shoulder. She remembered when Dr Corday had ordered it, right after Romano had mumbled « I love you, Elizabeth. » Jacy had snickered but Shirley had pretended not to hear him.
Corday should really be here, thought Shirley. Even if he's an ass when he's awake, he needs her and she knows it. The drugs had just allowed him to say what he'd so obviously felt for a long time. Shirley watched the tense muscles in his face relax as he heard her remove the syringe from the IV bag. « Thanks, » he whispered without even opening his eyes.
**
Elizabeth leaned back against the door and let out her pent up breath in a whooshing sigh. That had been a close one. She had almost made a huge mistake. Robert obviously didn't care for her, he'd just been doped up on medications and talking nonsense. And inresponse, she had almost made some foolish confession of her feelings. What would he have said? Most likely that she should stop throwing herself at bald men with medical problems and get a life. His flirtations of the last five years had just been another way in which Robert had sought to keep her off balance, to maintain his mastery of the situation, of the surgical staff, to use his power - professional, personal - to keep everyone in line.
Elizabeth felt a little dizzy from the events of the last day. Robert's drowsy declaration. Dorsett's fast move on her and her immediate acquiescence and almost just as immediate guilt. Her intense dream about Robert and her equally intense desire to make that dream become a reality. She needed to slow down, to step back, to realize that her overactive imagination had run away with her. She had always been impulsive, unlike Robert who always seemed to have himself and everyone else under perfect control.
**
Robert waited a few minutes before pressing the call button and then a few more before a nurse appeared. It was Shirley, who should not have been on service but had been bullied by the other duty nurses to respond to Romano's signal. She came into his room and asked hesitantly, « Dr Romano ? What do you need ? » He sighed slightly, unable to quip back some smart remark. « Something to help me sleep, Shirley, » he answered. She seemed stunned at the simplicity of the request. He hadn't even ordered a specific brand or dose, just letting her take charge, something he had never done. « Sure, » she reassured him, « I'll be right back. »
As she administered the mild sedative into the IV, Shirley glanced at the dressing on his shoulder. She remembered when Dr Corday had ordered it, right after Romano had mumbled « I love you, Elizabeth. » Jacy had snickered but Shirley had pretended not to hear him.
Corday should really be here, thought Shirley. Even if he's an ass when he's awake, he needs her and she knows it. The drugs had just allowed him to say what he'd so obviously felt for a long time. Shirley watched the tense muscles in his face relax as he heard her remove the syringe from the IV bag. « Thanks, » he whispered without even opening his eyes.