DESTINED AFFECTION

TWENTY NINE

"ETA—five minutes."

Leaning against the partition separating the driver's space from the treatment area in the EMS truck, Lauren nodded wearily. "Thanks."

Camila was beside her, lying on the narrow portable stretcher, EKG leads still attached. She'd slept through most of the ninety-minute ride.

"Babe?" Lauren brushed a hand over Camila's hair. "We're nearly there."

"Yeah, I heard him." Camila turned to search her lover's face. "Once I get settled, you can go ho—"

"We've already had this conversation," Lauren said gently. "I'm not leaving you. If they do the procedure this afternoon, we'll be able to go home tomorrow. Kyle's fine with Phyllis for one night."

"I know that, I just thought..." I just thought it would be easier on you if you didn't have to wait in the hospital. You've got to be thinking about Terry now.

Lauren leaned close so that the EMT, who was strapped into the small pull-down seat at the other end of the van, wouldn't hear them. Her voice was a whisper of steel. "What did you think, Camz, when you made it impossible for me not to fall in love with you? Did you think that I would leave the first time we ran into a problem? Any kind of problem?"

Camila opened her mouth to answer, but it was a full minute before she actually spoke. "I wanted you so much that I refused to think about what might happen if...this happened." She looked stricken. "That wasn't very fair, was it?"

"Oh, Camila," Lauren said with a sigh and an affectionate shake of her head. "Fair has nothing to do with it. Life isn't fair. Love isn't fair." She traced her fingers over Camila's cheek. "But when love is good, it's everything. And I love you."

"I love you, too." Camila reached for Lauren's hand and held tightly. She was scared. Less scared of dying than she'd ever been, but more frightened than she'd imagined possible at the thought of not having the chance to live her life with Lauren
. "And I'm very glad you're here."

"Good. Then stop trying to get rid of me."

The ambulance slowed and had barely come to a halt before the rear double doors opened. Lauren was surprised when a lean, dark-haired woman in navy blue scrubs climbed into the van, ignoring the EMT, and crouched down by Camila's side.

"Christ, Cabello. What have you gotten yourself into now?"

Then the woman reached out to the portable EKG machine and pushed a button. After twenty seconds, she tore off the rhythm strip that had scrolled from the machine and glanced at it. "This doesn't look bad enough to call out the troops. Getting soft in that cushy new job of yours?"

"Excuse me," Lauren said coldly. "But I think it might be prudent to move Dr. Cabello into the emergency room where she can be properly monitored."

The newcomer gave Lauren an appraising stare and a raised eyebrow. Lauren returned the stare while a muscle jumped along the edge of her jaw.

Before fireworks could erupt, Camila made hasty introductions. "Dr. Demi Lovato, Dr. Lauren Jauregui, the chief of emergency services at PMC. Lauren is—"

"Her lover," Lauren said succinctly. She leaned around Camila's previous chief and said to the technician, "Let's move her, shall we."

"It's a pleasure, Dr. Jauregui." Demi gave Camila an approving grin and got out of the way.

"Take her into the trauma bay, guys," Demi instructed as the group proceeded toward the hospital. She glanced at Camila. "When Bruno called and said you were on your way up, I got Mendes on the phone. He's waiting upstairs in the OR in case it looks like that pacer has to be changed."