by B L Clark
“Crap, she must have jarred her incision.”
“Where are the dressings?” Zach asked, panic in his voice.
“They’re in the bathroom. On the counter.” Nicole pointed toward the en suite.
Nicole and Heather helped Amber lie down, and Zach went to retrieve the supplies to clean up and cover the incision again.
Carefully, Nicole pulled the hem of Amber’s shirt up and exposed the dressing on her side. She cautiously pulled back the dressing and took the gauze that Zach handed her and cleaned around the wound. She applied antibiotic cream and then recovered the wound with a fresh dressing. Heather grabbed a fresh shirt out of Nicole’s dresser for Amber. She and Zach stepped out to give them privacy while Nicole helped Amber change.
“I don’t deserve you,” Amber said.
“You do, and you deserve all of us. You are so loved, and we’re going to get you through this,” Nicole said as they carefully sat up and Nicole removed the sling on Amber’s left arm and eased her arm out of the hole and then did the same with the right arm before pulling the shirt over Amber’s head. Nicole grabbed the clean shirt and put it over Amber’s head, eased the left arm through the hole and then the right arm and pulled it down, covering Amber’s body.
“Thank you,” Amber whispered. She was ashamed that she couldn’t do this herself.
Nicole smiled and helped her into her sling again and then adjusted the pillows so that Amber could lie down comfortably.
“How is that?” Nicole asked once Amber was situated.
“I don’t want to sleep anymore,” Amber said, her eyes pleading.
“Do you want us to keep you company?” Nicole asked. Amber nodded. “Let me get Heather and Zach, and we’ll hang out in here with you. If you drift off to sleep, we’ll be here to protect you.”
Nicole quickly stepped out of the room to tell Heather and Zach the plan. They went and got snacks and drinks and then camped out in Nicole’s room. Heather put in a movie, and Nicole and Amber cuddled together. As the movie came to an end, Zach looked back and saw that Nicole and Amber had drifted off to sleep.
“Let’s get out of here and let them rest,” Zach said as he and Heather cleaned up their snacks and went back downstairs.
Chapter Thirteen
Trust in Comfort
Heather called Jill and told her that she was heading home and that she should wait until the next day to come over. She said Nicole and Amber had fallen asleep, and Zach was going to make himself comfortable on the couch. After Heather left, Zach locked the door and turned the lights off. He lay on the couch and quickly fell asleep.
Nicole awoke to feel the familiar weight of Amber’s head on her shoulder. They hadn’t moved much throughout the night. She was pleased that Amber was able to fall asleep and stay asleep. She kissed the top of Amber’s head and sighed deeply.
Amber slowly woke, feeling safer than she had in a long time. She knew it was because she was wrapped in Nicole’s arms.
“Good morning,” Nicole said, seeing Amber’s eyes open ever so slightly.
“Fantastic morning,” Amber said, her voice still thick with sleep.
Nicole adjusted and brought her lips to Amber’s, barely brushing their lips together. The electric feeling of their lips barely touching caused Amber to moan as the sensation shot through her body. The longing and desire she had suppressed for ten long years came alive. Amber leaned in closer, and Nicole pressed their lips firmly together. Amber gently sucked on Nicole’s lower lip, and after a couple of minutes, Nicole ran her tongue along Amber’s bottom lip and was granted access. She eased her tongue in Amber’s mouth, and their tongues moved together. Both women groaned at the sensation raging through their bodies. Nicole eased Amber onto her back and slowly brought her hand under Amber’s shirt and ran it up her stomach, grazing the underside of Amber’s breast. Amber arched into her touch, and Nicole cupped the breast in her hand, feeling the nipple harden under her touch.
“Oh, yes.” Amber groaned as Nicole continued to touch her. She felt Nicole’s hand go from one breast to the other, massaging and playing with her nipples. Their kisses deepened as they took turns leading. Amber ran her hand down Nicole’s body and slipped it under the waistband of her underwear and cupped her now wet curls.
“Oh, Amber.” Nicole moaned at the feel of Amber’s hand on her wet center. “Oh, that feels so good.”
Nicole carefully raised Amber’s shirt more and leaned down and captured one of Amber’s nipples in her mouth, causing Amber’s breath to catch. Nicole sucked hard on the nipple and then moved to the other breast and did the same thing. She used her tongue to flick the rock-hard nipple in her mouth repeatedly.
“Oh, yes…” Amber panted. She started grinding her hips into Nicole’s knee that had made its way between her legs and was pressing on her center. She was careful not to strain the muscles that were healing from the bullet wound.
Hearing the ecstasy in Amber’s voice, Nicole moved closer to losing herself completely in her touch. She was moving her hips in rhythm with Amber’s. They both rode out their orgasms as they looked each other in the eye, feeling their connection. Nicole collapsed next to Amber. They were both panting, trying to catch their breath.
“Oh…my…god,” Amber said.
“You…are…fucking…incredible.” A goofy grin crept onto Nicole’s face.
After several minutes, they managed to regain control of their breathing, mostly. Nicole leaned over and kissed Amber firmly on the lips.
“That was one hell of a wakeup.” Amber giggled.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Nicole finally remembered that Amber was still injured.
“No, you made me feel more alive,” Amber said, smiling sensually at Nicole. “More alive than I’ve felt in years.”
“I love you,” Nicole said before gently kissing Amber again.
“I love you, too,” Amber said, smiling.
Zach stirred and woke early that morning, his anxiety about leaving Amber getting the best of him and haunting his dreams. He was lying on the couch lost in thought when he thought he heard voices coming from upstairs. Zach rose to listen at the stairs and then blushed. What he heard completely eased his fears at leaving Amber there with Nicole.
Zach’s phone beeped. He checked and saw a message from Heather.
Heather: Hi, Zach! How are you this morning?
Zach: I was a bit anxious about leaving Amber, but I feel better now.
Heather: What changed?
Zach: Um…I overheard her and Nicole…*blush*
Heather: Ooooohhhhh…
Zach: Yeah, I think she’ll be okay here. LOL
Heather: She’s in good and capable…um…hands. LOL
Zach: Bad joke!
Heather: It had to be said. Do you think everyone is up for some breakfast?
Zach: Well, they’re up…and working up an appetite. LOL
Heather: I’ll be by in a half hour with breakfast. You get them up. Hahaha
Zach: Sure, take the easy way out. See you soon.
Zach put his phone back on the table and looked toward the stairs. He was trying to think of a way to get Amber and Nicole’s attention without going upstairs or letting them know he heard them. He decided to turn the ringer up on his phone and call it in hopes they would hear it ring.
Zach was about to call his phone from Nicole’s house phone when Jill called him. He answered and told her that Heather was coming over shortly with breakfast. He heard movement from upstairs and knew they had heard the phone ring.
Amber and Nicole were cuddling in bed when they heard Zach’s phone ring and then him talking to Jill about breakfast.
“I guess that means we have to get up.” Nicole looked up at Amber and smiled after seeing those blue eyes looking back at her.
“Don’t wanna.” Amber pouted.
“Me neither.” Nicole leaned up and sucked on the lower lip that Amber was jutting out.
They both groaned at the touch, the close
ness they felt being together.
“Do you need help getting dressed?” Nicole asked.
“Yeah, but I…um…need to shower, too, and I’m going to need some help with that, as well.” Amber blushed.
“Oh, darn,” Nicole said, laughing.
“I can try it alone…”
“No, we wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself or risk you opening your incision again like last night.” Nicole felt a pang of guilt for leaving Amber alone while she was sleeping. Nicole wondered if she had stayed if Amber would still have had the nightmare.
“Then to the shower it is?”
“I’ll tell Zach we’ll be down shortly, you just want to shower after getting out of the hospital.”
“Okay,” Amber said as Nicole got up and got dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants and went downstairs.
“Good morning,” Zach said as Nicole came down the stairs.
“Good morning!”
“How are you this morning?” He turned a bit red and smiled.
“Er, I’m good. How are you?”
“I’m good. Heather and Jill will be coming by shortly. I hope that’s okay.”
“That’s fine. I was just coming to tell you that Amber will be down in a little bit. She wants to try to shower to get rid of that hospital scent.” Nicole tried not to smile too much.
“Oh…um…okay…Oh, hell. I heard you two,” Zach blurted out, looking at the floor.
“You…OH…sorry.” Nicole blushed at the thought of what Zach heard.
“Don’t be. I wasn’t going to tell you, but I’m horrible with secrets.”
“Just tell me this, do Heather or Jill know?”
“Heather…”
“Crap…I’ll warn Amber. We’ll be down in a bit.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m having a hard time buying that because I love that woman so damn much.”
“Never be sorry for loving her. She deserves all the love in the world, and she feels the same way toward you. I’ve heard so many things about you, about dreams she had for you two…god, I want to pummel her father and brother for what they did.”
“We all do, but at least they can’t touch her now.” Nicole put a hand on Zach’s shoulder and offered him a supportive smile.
“True. Now go get her showered so I don’t have to blush with Heather and Jill for too long.”
“Yes, sir,” Nicole said as she headed back upstairs.
Amber lay there daydreaming about the morning and how good it felt to wake up next to Nicole. She knew it was going to be harder for her to leave, but the ghosts that haunted her here weren’t going to go away, ever.
Nicole came back into the room, and Amber could tell something was up.
“Is everything okay?” Amber asked, her voice laced with concern.
“Yeah…um…Zach heard us, and Heather knows, as well.”
“Ohhh.” Amber groaned as she put a pillow over her face. “I’ll just stay up here for the day.”
“He’ll behave, he was blushing as much as I was.” Nicole laughed.
“It isn’t him I’m worried about. It’s Heather that I don’t want to see a knowing smirk from.”
“Well, let’s get you showered so we won’t be doing that when she arrives. We may never live that down, either.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Amber smiled, her mind flashing to an image of a naked, wet Nicole.
Nicole helped Amber out of bed, and they moved into the bathroom where Nicole covered the bandage on Amber’s side with protective tape so it wouldn’t get wet. She helped Amber get out of her sling and brace, as well as her remaining clothes.
“You’re staring at me,” Amber said, feeling self-conscious.
“You’re so gorgeous,” Nicole said in a lust-filled voice.
“So are you.” Amber pressed her body against the now naked Nicole and kissed her neck.
“We better shower.”
“Maybe we need to make it a cool shower,” Amber suggested.
The slightly warmer than lukewarm shower was calming for them both. Nicole helped Amber get cleaned up before she washed herself. They were admiring each other’s body, but the knowledge of Zach downstairs and Heather and Jill heading over helped to quell some of their urges.
Nicole wrapped a towel around herself before she towel-dried Amber and helped her get dressed. She then got ready herself. Amber pulled Nicole close with her good arm, and they exchanged several soft kisses before they made their way downstairs just minutes before Heather and Jill arrived.
“Good morning.” Amber entered the living room where Zach was seated.
“Good morning,” he replied but couldn’t meet her eyes and turned a slight shade of red.
“Yeah, sorry you…um…heard us.” Amber blushed, placing a hand on Zach’s shoulder.
“Don’t be. It made the fact that I have to leave today a bit easier. I know you’re being well looked after,” Zach said as Amber took a seat in a chair near him and Nicole brought in some coffee for herself, Zach, and Amber.
“You have my word that I’ll take very good care of her.” Nicole kissed the top of Amber’s head as she handed Amber her coffee.
“I know, and I believe that, but it’s hard for me to let go a bit. We’ve been connected at the hip for ten years.”
“I would be the same way…but trust me, Nicole especially, and Heather and Jill will take good care of me until I get the approval to come back to New York.”
“I know, I know,” Zach said. “Don’t push it, but get home soon!”
“Call her daily. She’ll need to talk to someone other than me, I’m certain.” Nicole giggled. “Plus, I doubt she’s going to listen to me on the not pushing it, and I’m going to need some reinforcements.”
“Oh, I should call Lucinda today,” Amber said abruptly.
“Yeah, that might be a good idea. She was really concerned when I talked to her the other day.”
“Nic, help me remember. I have a feeling with these pain meds my mind is going to be a bit fuzzy.”
“Do you want to do it now? It’s an hour later there,” Nicole said.
“Yeah, do you know where my cell is?” Amber started to get up.
“Freeze. We’ll leave, and you stay seated.” Nicole handed Amber her phone. Amber smiled back.
Nicole and Zach excused themselves and went into the kitchen to give Amber some privacy.
“Amber?” Lucinda said.
“Yeah, Lucinda, it’s me.” Amber smiled into the phone.
“It’s so good to hear your voice. Are you okay? Zach said you were hurt pretty bad.” The concern in Lucinda’s voice made Amber feel better because she knew that Lucinda truly cared for her.
“I was, but I’ll be fine. I wanted to call to make sure you were aware that I was doing fine and to tell you that Zach will be bringing the release forms back with him today. I have to stay for another week or so. Basically, until the doctor here says I can fly.”
“Why do you have to stay if you’re okay?”
“I have a broken collarbone, a broken shoulder, and an incision where the bullet went into my side. The doctors don’t want me to fly just yet. I should be cleared to come home in a week provided I don’t get an infection.”
“Well, take whatever time you need. I have the artwork, so I can start getting things ready for the show.”
“Thank you. I’ll be back in New York and back to work as soon as I can.”
“Take care of yourself, we’ll worry about the rest later. Your place in the show is safe, and it isn’t for another two months. Your job is also safe, so please, just do what the doctors tell you.”
“Thank you for your understanding and everything else,” Amber said.
“I can’t let my best new talent get away,” Lucinda said as Amber heard the smile on her face.
“Lucinda, you’ve known me for ten years, I’m not that new of talent.” Amber laughed. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Ok
ay, if you need anything, just let me know. Bye,” Lucinda said.
“Goodbye,” Amber said and hung up.
Jill and Heather arrived just as Amber was finishing her phone call.
“Good morning.” Heather smiled as they walked into the living room.
“Good morning.” Amber smiled at the two women.
“Who would you be calling at this hour?” Heather said.
“My boss. I wanted to touch base with her and let her know I’m okay. The last time she talked with Zach, I was still in surgery. He just texted her that I was out and okay.”
“Ah,” Heather said as Nicole and Zach came back into the living room.
“I’m taking those damn keys away from you, Jill, if you’re going to keep breaking in,” Nicole teased.
“I’m a cop, Nicole. I know how to pick locks, too.” Jill stuck her tongue out.
“Plus, how were we to know that you two were done with your morning adventure?” Heather grinned as Amber and Nicole blushed and Zach bowed his head.
The group enjoyed their breakfast and talked about life beyond the scope of Amber’s family and her injuries. After a couple of hours, Zach reminded them that he needed to get to the airport so he could make his flight back to New York.
The ride to the airport was a somber one for Amber. She knew that Zach had to get back and that Nicole was going to be with her, but for the past ten years, this man had been her security blanket and safe place.
“I’m going to miss you,” Zach said as he awkwardly hugged Amber so as not to hurt her.
“I’m going to miss you, too.” Amber held back tears.
“No heroics.” Zach pulled back and looked Amber in the eye. “Don’t push yourself.”
“I promise. Do you honestly think those three are going to let me push it?”
“Well, I trust one of them not to let you push it. I somehow think the Woods sisters can be swayed.”