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When they reached the hospital later that afternoon, barely any of the staff had ency--like a couple of car accident victims, a baby delivery, and an elderly man who’d had a heart attack--most people stayed away Woe to the patients stuck in the hospital whose families couldn’t venture out in the storh Hunter hadn’t wanted to be taken in on a stretcher, the hospital staff felt otherwise as soon as they saw his condition Poor Rourke had to wait longer to be seen, but once they thought a rabid wolf ht in

As soon as Hunter was resting coery, Tessa, Rourke, and Ashton went in to see him

"Only family can see Mr Grey," an officious nurse said, who had hovered over hi brunette, tall, evenabout the woman irked Tessa Maybe it was the way she cast Tessa condescending looks like she was beneath her, or e of Hunter and disnition seemed to pass between Hunter and the nurse, and Tessa wondered if they had been lovers before At once, she felt like an outsider

"I’lowering

The woman tucked a curl of hair behind her ear that had loosened from her bun "I don’t believe it"

How the hell would she know?

The nurse pointed at Tessa’s unadorned fingers "No engage"

Tessa offered a fake sive a da"

The woland" She looked at Rourke

"I’m his brother" He folded his arms "Need any proof?"

"No I believe you" She considered Ashton

"Another brother"

Again, she laughed "This is just too da hours are over" She squeezed Hunter’s hand like a lover would and brushed back a lock of hair from his forehead Then she sneered at Tessa and left the room

Hunter was sound asleep, and to Tessa’s relief, the doctor said Hunter would have the full range of h months of therapy after it healed

Rourke pulled a chair over to the bed for Tessa and then turned to Ashton "Can you get Tessa a cup of coffee? She looks a little peaked"

"Then I’ll miss my fifteen minutes with Hunter"

Rourke raised a brow "You don’t really think we’re going to allow that nurse to boss us around, do you?"

Ashton shrugged "The thought had crossed ht, Tessa," Rourke said "He’s a fast healer And the rabies shots will ensure if the animal was rabid, Hunter will be fine"

"What about you? How are you feeling? You still look feverish"

"I received rabies shots and antibiotics, too I’ll be good as new soon"

"He didn’t mean it, Rourke He didn’t bite you on purpose"

"Yeah, but you never knohen one little bite can change your whole life"

She nodded and reached out to take Hunter’s hand "He’s still awfully hot"

"The antibiotics and fluids they’re giving hi You were right to bring hiot that impression How did you and Hunter really meet? I never saw him before"

"The beach We told you"

Rourke stared at him for sometime and then looked back at Tessa "Naked? Injured? Tellabout how they had really ood cover--at least up until now But Rourke seemed to suspect the truth, and she really was a lousy liar

Chapter 8