Ali suspected it was his appendix, and apparently Dr. Coleman did, too. Following the examination, he ordered X-rays. Ali accompanied Commander Dillon while the X-rays were taken. The commander didn’t utter a word, although she knew every touch, no matter how gentle, brought him pain.

One look at the film confirmed her fears. Time was critical; judging by the amount of pain he was suffering, his appendix could rupture any minute. Dr. Coleman scheduled emergency surgery, which he planned to perform immediately.

Ali helped prep the commander, explaining what was happening and why. She hooked up the IV and taped the needle in place. After checking the fluid bag, she glanced down and discovered him watching her. She smiled shyly, unaccustomed to such intent scrutiny.

Frank closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath.

Ali squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry, we’ll have you back to your command as good as new,” she promised.

He was silent until just before he was rolled into the surgical bay. He gripped Ali’s hand unexpectedly and with surprising strength. Half rising from the gurney, he said, “It’s bad. Listen, if I don’t make it…if there are complications…”

“You’re going to live to tell about this, Commander,” she assured him. She gave his hand another squeeze and urged him back down. Their eyes met and she did her best to let him know that the medical staff would take good care of him and all would be well.

The commander dragged in another deep breath. “I don’t mean to sound fatalistic, but I don’t have any family. My wife left me years ago—no kids. My brother died a few years back and I’ve never updated my will.”

“I’m sorry about your brother,” she told him softly.

His hand clutched hers. “Money to charity. Decide for me. Promise you’ll decide for me.”

“I will, but, Commander…”

He wasn’t listening anymore, she realized. The pain was too intense.

“I’m going into surgery with you,” she whispered. “If God decides it’s your time, He’ll have to argue with me first.” Although she was certain he was past hearing anything, she thought she detected a faint smile.

As the surgery progressed, Ali wanted to chastise the commander for waiting so long to seek medical attention. He had risked his life because of—what? Pride? Ignoring the pain hadn’t made it go away. An infected appendix was not going to heal itself.

The surgery was routine until they found that, exactly as she’d suspected, the appendix had burst. Extra time and care was needed to ensure that the infection was completely eradicated before it could spread to the entire abdominal area. Peritonitis could be fatal. Having a ruptured appendix wasn’t as life-threatening as in years past, but it was serious enough.

After the surgery, Commander Dillon’s incision was closed and he was taken into Recovery. Lieutenant Rowland was sent in to replace Ali, whose shift had ended.

“I’ll stay with him a bit longer,” she told Rowland. Sitting at the commander’s bedside, she took his blood pressure every twenty minutes until he woke from the anesthesia several hours later.

He moved his head instinctively toward Ali, who sat by his side.

She smiled and touched his brow. “God didn’t put up much of an argument. It seems that neither heaven nor hell was interested in collecting your soul, Commander.”

“You sure about that?” he whispered weakly. “I thought this pain meant I was in hell.”

“How are you feeling now?”

“Like someone hacked me open with a saw blade.”

“I’ll give you something for the pain.” She stood and reached for his chart to make a notation. “Rest now. Your body’s had quite a time of it.” That was an understatement, but she felt better knowing he was awake. His vital signs confirmed that he was out of immediate danger.

Ali sat with the commander for another hour and then reluctantly turned her patient over to Rowland.

“Do you know the commander?” the lieutenant asked as she left the recovery area.

“I met him our first day out.”

Rowland seemed surprised that she’d stayed with him. It surprised Ali, too. She was busy these days and got as little as four or five hours’ sleep a night, but hadn’t been able to make herself leave. One thing was certain: this man had her attention. Just as Adam had Shana’s…

Frank Dillon was lost in a dark, lonely world. Every so often he heard a soft, feminine voice and it confused him. He couldn’t figure out where he was. Then he remembered the pain, the surgery, the nurse—that soft voice was the nurse talking to him. The one who haunted his dreams. He prayed it was her and in the same breath pleaded for God to send her away. Her touch was light, and on the rare occasions when he found the strength to open his eyes, she was standing by his side.

She smelled good. Not of flowers or perfume, but a distinct womanly scent. Clean and subtle and…just nice. It lured him unlike anything else he’d ever experienced. He wasn’t a man accustomed to the ways of women. He’d lived his life in the Navy and for the Navy, and he’d learned the hard way that he wasn’t meant to be a Navy husband.

He’d married at twenty-five and Laura had left him two years later. That had been nearly twenty years ago. His wife had walked out when she realized no amount of crying, pleading or cajoling would persuade him to resign his commission. She knew before they were married that he’d made the Navy his career, the same as his father and grandfather had. Nothing was more important to Frank than duty and honor. Not his marriage, not Laura, not one damn thing. She hadn’t been able to reconcile herself to that and he doubted any woman ever could. Other commitments took second place to military life. He’d accepted that, and dedicated himself to his career. Not once in all those years had he regretted his decision. Until now—and now he would willingly have sold his soul to keep this woman at his side. He needed her, wanted her and he didn’t care what it cost him.

Some of his fellow officers had been against letting women serve at sea. Frank hadn’t been one of them. Now he wasn’t so sure his peers had been wrong. Senior Medical Officer Alison Karas had taken up far more of his thoughts than warranted. He’d decided from their first, chance encounter to stay away from her; he wasn’t risking his career for a shipboard romance. Avoiding her was easy enough to accomplish with five thousand sailors aboard the USS Woodrow Wilson. It was just his luck that she was the one on duty. Luck or fate? He wasn’t sure he’d like the answer.

A cool hand touched his brow, followed by Alison’s quiet voice. Unable to make out the words, Frank thought it might have been a prayer. Apparently he was worse off than he’d known, although she seemed to think she had some influence with the Man Upstairs. Her constancy touched him. No one had ever done anything like that before—not for him.

The darkness didn’t bother him anymore. He was at peace, even though a vague memory, something about Alison, hovered just out of reach. She was with him. He planned to tell her how much her presence meant to him.

If he lived through this.

The next morning, the USS Woodrow Wilson was hit by a raging storm. The massive ship had turned into the typhoon, and there was nothing to do but ride it out. Thankfully, Ali had never been prone to seasickness, but a number of men were sent to sick bay. She had her hands full the first day of the storm, but things had settled down by the second. During a quiet moment, she went in to check on Commander Dillon. He was sitting up in bed, still pale and not in the best of moods.

“What the hell is going on topside?” he demanded the moment he saw her.

“We’re in the midst of a typhoon, Commander.”

He tossed aside his sheet and seemed ready to climb out of bed. “Get me out of here.”

“No.” She prevented him from moving farther.

From the way his eyes widened, Ali could tell that it wasn’t often anyone stood up to the high and mighty commander. “I’m the navigator and I’m needed topside,” he argued, his face reddening.

“This might come as a shock, Commander Dillon, but the Navy stayed afloat without you for more than two hundred years. They’ll manage to survive for another day or so. Now stay in bed, otherwise I’ll have you restrained.”

His blue eyes flared. “You wouldn’t.”

Although her heart was pounding, Ali didn’t dare let her nervousness show. “I don’t think that’s something you’d like to find out. Your orders are to stay in bed until Captain Coleman says otherwise. Do I make myself clear?”

His gaze challenged hers, but then, apparently reaching a decision, he nodded. Although he wasn’t happy about it, he would abide by what he knew was best.

Ali was grateful. Under normal circumstances, the commander wasn’t a man to cross; she’d figured that out quickly enough. And if his scowl was any indication, he was on the mend. He’d been in bad shape the first few days, but his improvement was steady. To show him how much she appreciated his cooperation, she patted his arm.

He stiffened as if he found her touch offensive and Ali quickly backed away. While he was under anesthesia, she’d touched him many times. In an effort to comfort him, she’d stroked his brow and talked to him in soothing tones. She’d frequently taken his pulse and blood pressure and let her hand linger on his arm, hoping he’d sense her encouragement and concern. Perhaps she’d grown too familiar, too personal.

“I apologize,” he muttered gruffly.

Embarrassed, Ali retreated an additional step. “No, the fault is mine—I’m sorry.” By all rights, she should turn and leave. The clinic was busy. Sailors were waiting. She should get while the getting was good, as her grandmother used to say.

“You were with me in Recovery until I regained consciousness, weren’t you?” he whispered.

She nodded, afraid they were taking a dangerous risk by acknowledging this attraction. Not since Peter’s death had Ali allowed herself to feel anything for another man. In fact, she’d been certain she never would and now…now she wasn’t sure what to think.

“Any particular reason you stayed with me all those hours?” he asked.

Ali didn’t know what to tell him. Honesty might be the best policy, but there were times the truth was better avoided. This appeared to be one of those times.

“Your appendix had ruptured, Commander. In such cases, there’s a significant chance of complications. It was easier for me just to remain on duty than explain the situation to my shift replacement.” Ali used her best professional voice, making it as devoid of emotion as she could.

He seemed to accept her explanation and answered with an abrupt nod.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” she asked, moving away from his bedside.

“Not a thing,” he replied in clipped tones, and Ali knew he was referring to a whole lot more than his medical situation.

Chapter Ten

As promised, Adam Kennedy was at the restaurant by ten on Saturday morning. Shana had anticipated this moment—no, dreaded it—all week. She might’ve been able to push the lieutenant commander from her mind if it weren’t for Jazmine, who found every excuse in the world to bring up his name. They could be discussing the migration habits of Canada geese, and Jazmine would somehow link the topic with her uncle Adam. It didn’t matter what they discussed, Adam Kennedy became part of the conversation.