72 HOURS - CHAPTER SEVEN
I sat at Steph's side while Ranger dozed in the chair. I still wasn't sure what had made him laugh earlier, but he assured me he'd tell me later. I didn't have the heart to tell him he wasn't looking his best. Besides, I figured he already knew. I'd stepped outside a little earlier to fill Hal in on some new assignments Ranger had for him, and I'd told him to send over a shaving kit for the boss and some clean clothes. I figured I'd bully one of the nurses into letting us use a room again. Not that I was necessarily concerned about getting permission.
I felt a hand gently clasp mine, and I looked over to see Steph looking back at me.
"It's great to see those beautiful blue eyes of yours, Steph." I smiled and gave her hand a pat.
"Tank, tell Ranger I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what, Steph?"
"For being a pain in his ass."
Before I could even turn around Ranger erupted into laughter loud enough to bring two nurses running. By the time they got there he had shoved me aside and leaned down to place a kiss on Stephanie's mouth.
"It's okay, Babe, I love you anyway."
Her voice was still husky but for the first time in 72 hours her eyes were clear and focused and they were locked on Ranger's face.
"Yeah, I know. In your own way." A shadow of sadness flickered in her eyes just as they began to close.
Ranger reached down and gently tilted her chin up.
"Babe, open your eyes. Can you open your eyes and look at me for just another second?"
Whether it was the pleading in the boss's voice or the unmistaken authority that he always portrayed that did it, Steph opened her eyes and once again focused on his face.
"In every way, Babe. I love you in every possible way. Got that?"
I watched as her eyes misted over. The boss leaned down to kiss her again, and she slid gently into sleep with a small soft smile on her face. I looked over at the boss and he was looking at her. And the smile on his face was anything but small. He looked like a man who'd just realized he had been given the greatest gift in the world.
THE END.