Page 162 of Storm Warning

ANDRE’S HEAD WHIPPEDto the right when the exam room door opened again to admit another nurse, tech, doctor, or orderly. He’d seen them all multiple times in the past two hours. What he hadn’t seen was Riley Sloan, the woman who had killed a man to save Andre’s life. No matter how the cops labeled it, he knew the truth. Riley was a hero.

He glared at his teammate Grant, who walked into the room. “Why are you here? You’re supposed to be watching over Riley.”

“She doesn’t need me to watch over her.”

“Grant….”

His friend held up his hand. “Chill. Your woman is in the hallway outside your door. She wanted to be sure you wouldn’t flash her with that pretty hospital-issued nightgown.”

“I’m decent. Bring her in here.”

Grant grinned and turned back to the door. “Told her you’d feel that way. She wouldn’t listen, though.”

A moment later, his Riley rushed through the door and into his arms. “Andre.”

“You okay?”

She gave a huff of laughter. “That’s the question I was going to ask you.”

“I need an answer, baby.”

“I’m fine. Promise.” She drew back. “What did the doctor say about you?”

“Ten stitches and a concussion. I’ll live.”

“Thank God. I was afraid something would happen to you, and no one would tell me until it was too late for me to see you.”

He hugged her close again. Yep, that was pretty much how he felt about her. “We can solve that problem,” he murmured in her ear.

She shivered. “How?”

“Marry me today.”

Riley stilled. “What?”

“Think about it. Please. We said we didn’t want to wait. What happened at your house only solidifies what I was thinking. Marry me today, Riley.”

She stared, but he was dead serious. The idea wasn’t crazy. There was nothing to stop them except a marriage license.

“I don’t have a dress.”

Like that would stop him. “So? I care only that you’re mine for the rest of our lives. I don’t care whether you have a dress you’ll wear once or not.”

Riley smiled. “Well, when you put it like that, how can I resist? Yes, Andre Marsh, I will marry you today.”

Relief swept over him like none he’d ever known. As soon as he got out of here, they’d go to the courthouse, get the license, and find a judge who would marry them.

Crazy or not, Andre was determined to claim what was his. He scooted over to the far side of the bed and patted the space beside him. “Come here. You need rest as much as I do.”

“I don’t think the nurses will approve.”

He pointed to his face. “Does it look like I care what they think?”

She shook her head.

“Good, because I don’t. All that matters is you being next to me. After all we’ve been through, I don’t want even an inch separating us.”

She looked skeptical but climbed on top of the blanket and rested her head against Andre’s shoulder. Riley woke up an hour later when the doctor returned to the room.