Geo met her eyes, his expression gentle and patient. “And where else would I be with my Sunflower in the hospital?”
Sunny frowned, that answer echoing through her memory. She had heard it before. “Oh, I don’t know, your home? Your job? Your life in Texas? Why are you here, Geo? And how did you know I was in the hospital?” For the answer to that question, she turned to Shey who stood at the foot of the bed.
Shey lifted her hands to her shoulders in an “I surrender” pose. “I called Gigi when you got admitted to let her know what was going on. I had no idea she would send gorgeous George here to play bodyguard.”
With that Sunny’s attention returned to George. “Gigi told me what was going on. She told me you were admitted to receive blood transfusions before they could do any surgery, and I decided I had to be here. I’m just sorry I got here after you were already in the operating room.”
“But why, Geo? Why come halfway across the country to sit by my bed and watch me sleep?”
Before Geo could answer, the door swung open again and the always smiling Dr. Ashi walked in, her chart in one hand. “Good morning, Sunny. How are you feeling today?”
Sunny tried to smile, but her nerves kept it from being a full smile. “Good morning, doctor. Was it cancer? Did you do the hysterectomy?”
He glanced at Shey and Geo before turning his attention back to them. “Do you want them to hear?”
“Yes, they’re fine,” Sunny said, though she wasn’t really sure she wanted Geo to hear that she was a shell of a woman.
“It wasn’t cancer. We did have to clean out some scar tissue around the ovaries, and your uterus was twisted somewhat, so we repositioned everything properly, but you should have no problems conceiving when that time comes. Unless you develop a fever, or can’t hold food down, you should be able to go home this afternoon. But no driving until I see you back in the office in four weeks.”
Sunny smiled. “Sounds good to me. I hate hospitals.”
“Doc, how soon until she’ll be able to fly?” Geo asked as the doctor jotted notes on her chart.
“At least a month. I don’t want any more pressure on her pelvis than absolutely necessary.”
With that, the doctor left. Shey got a phone call and stepped into the hall, leaving Geo and Sunny staring at each other.
“You can’t stay here a month,” Sunny said. “Won’t they fire you if you miss a month of work?”
Geo looked puzzled. “Who, baby girl?”
“The club you work for.”
“The club I… Oh God, you thought I was a stripper?” Geo looked stunned for a moment and then began to laugh.
Sunny waited until he settled before asking, “Well aren’t you? Gigi said you were one of the cover models, and they were all strippers…” She trailed off as Geo began shaking his head at her.
“I’m not an exotic dancer, sweetheart.” He made air quotes. “I did dance for about three days way back in college, before getting fired for having two left feet. Gigi used a picture of me on one of her books, so when the fourth guy had to back out due to his wife giving birth early, she badgered me into being a cover model for the weekend. But none of the attendees was supposed to know that I wasn’t anything but what Gigi said I was, a cover model slash exotic dancer.”
“Oh,” Sunny said, feeling confused. “So if you’re not a model and dancer, what do you do?”
Geo smiled a little sheepishly as he stepped back, to allow her to see him in his jeans and snap-front shirt. “I own a ranch not too far from the hotel. In fact, that was where we spent our night under the stars.”
“Ah-ha,” Sunny said. “So you don’t have hundreds of females begging for your attention every night?”
“Well, I do, but they’re cows and need my attention in the morning, not the evening. Are you badly disappointed that I’m not a stripper?” Geo asked as he returned to his chair by the bed and picked up Sunny’s left hand.
Sunny dropped her face and studied their hands a moment. “No,” she admitted softly. “Truth is, I’m happy you don’t show off that body and those moves every night. From now on, I think you should only ever dance for an audience of one. Me.”
Geo leaned over the side railing of the bed and said softly, “I think that can be arranged, sweet Sunflower. But only if you’ll show me your moves.” Then he kissed her.
“But I don’t dance,” she whispered when he broke the kiss several long, long moments later.
“That’s okay, I can teach you. But you are right. I can’t stay for a month. So how about this? I’ll go back and get the house cleaned up and ready while you stay here and heal,” Geo said. “Then, when the doctor gives you the okay to travel, you come visit me at the ranch. In the meantime, we’ll call and text and all those new-age-y type things people who romance long distance do these days.”