Eternal Bliss

by Bonni Sansom

The only "do" he didn't like was the one about ending the first date with a handshake. He had much more in mind than a handshake.

  He threw the book on the bed, checked himself in the mirror, and headed out.

  Kyle caught him in the kitchen. "Where are you off to looking so ... spiffy?"

  Jeff looked down at his shirt. "I wouldn't look so "spiffy" if you would do the damn laundry every now and then."

  Kyle laughed. "I hope she has a sense of humor, whoever she is."

  "I think Melanie won't care if I'm wearing this."

  Kyle stopped laughing. "You're going out with Melanie wearing that?" He pointed at the shirt, with his brow raised.

  "When you do the laundry, I'll wear something up to your standards."

  Kyle shook his head. "Just treat her right. She's not like the girls you usually go out with. Where are you taking her?"

  "Mack's," he said, like it should be obvious. "What about you? Where are you off to?"

  He huffed out a breath. "I have a date with the guillotine. I'm having dinner with Laine and her parents."

  Jeff laughed in loud guffaws. "You're screwed. I can't believe you're going through with this. Is she worth meeting rich and richer?"

  "Hell yeah, she is. You go out with Melanie and see where you end up."

  "Man, I'm just having fun with her. I ain't gonna end up where you are, with my balls on the chopping block." Jeff checked his watch. "I gotta go. I don't want to be late."

  "Yeah, whose balls are on the chopping block?"

  Jeff flipped him off and left.

  Kyle yelled after him, "Anybody ever tell you you're an asshole?"

  Jeff yelled back, "Yeah, you, every damn day of my life."

  Kyle checked his watch. It was time for him to go as well. I'd rather be fighting a three alarm fire than meeting her parents.

  He squared his shoulders and headed out the door.

  The drive over seemed shorter than usual. He parked in front of the garage and walked up to the door. He rang the bell and was grateful Laine answered. He kissed her, just a sweet little peck. The last thing he wanted was for her mother to catch him with his tongue down Laine's throat. He walked in, remembering taking her up against the door, and his groin tingled.

  "Hey, babe, you look beautiful." She always looked beautiful, but she had on a thigh and cleavage revealing blue dress that would tempt a monk to sin. He smelled her clean honeysuckle scent and had to rein in his libido. Now would not be the time to back her against the wall and take her six ways to Sunday.

  "Thank you. You look nice, too." She leaned in to whisper, "I just want to apologize in advance for my mother's behavior." She gave him an apologetic smile.

  "It'll be okay, babe." He raised his hand and caressed her cheek.

  "I'm not so sure about that." She twined her fingers with his and led him to the dining room.

  Kitty, wearing another flowing silver outfit, came around the table to take his hand. "Welcome, Mr. Logan. Laine has told us the two of you are dating."

  Damn, why not get right to the point. He thought.

  "Yes, ma'am, we are dating."

  He noticed her father sitting at the end of the table looking bored. He let go of Kitty's hand, approached her father, and stuck out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, sir."

  They shook hands and her father mouthed "I'm sorry." Then said, "It's nice to meet you, too, son."

  'Let's sit, shall we?" Kitty said sharply.

  Kyle winked at Laine and took his place across from her at the formal table. There was a set of plates and a row of silverware in front of him, along with a water glass and a wine glass. He cleared his throat and asked Kitty, "What's for dinner?" That apparently was the wrong thing to do.

  "Mr. Logan, what is it you do for a living?" Kitty asked.

  He was getting pretty tired of the haughty attitude and the Mr. Logan shit. If the woman wanted to spar, he'd go ahead and get it going. "I'm a firefighter, Mrs. Peyton, and if you don't mind, why don't we get to the point. I'm dating your daughter and you don't approve. I get it. I'm nobody important, but I love your daughter and I don't care if you like it or not." He stood, walked around the table and helped a shocked Laine out of her seat. "Thank you for a lovely evening, but I think I've lost my appetite. Laine, shall we?"

  Laine opened her mouth and closed it again looking a lot like a trout out of water, but took his hand and stood.

  Kitty gasped and held her hand over her heart. "Well, I never."

  Her father laughed and said, "Kitty, let the kids have their fun." Then turned to Kyle and said, "Young man, I like you. As long as you're good to my daughter, I don't have a problem with you dating." He threw his napkin on his plate and said, "I've lost my appetite, too and I'm going to the golf course. Don't wait up, Kitty dear."

  Kyle quickly led Laine out of the room before her mother had a chance to recover.

  "I can't believe you said you love me," Laine said, a little breathless.

  "To be completely honest, neither can I, but I do." He backed her up against the wall, and kissed her hard. His tongue explored her mouth, leaving nothing untouched, just as he was going to do to her body. All he had to do was get her out of there.

  "Where are we going?

  "My place, unless you have another suggestion." He helped her into the truck.

  "No, that's fine with me."

  Kyle walked around the truck just as her father was pulling out of the garage. Kyle waved to him and got a thumb up in return. Yeah, Mr. Peyton was an alright guy, Kyle decided. He hopped in the truck, took her hand, kissed it, and put it in drive. Dinner was turning out to be just fine.

  He pulled away from her house feeling a hell of a lot better than when he had arrived.

  He noticed Laine was quiet. "What's wrong, sweetheart? I know I was a little hard on your mother, but she had it coming."

  "No, it's not that. I just need to talk to you." She bit her lower lip and shifted in her seat.

  Oh no. I don't like the sound of that.

  "Kyle ... ," She laced her fingers together in her lap and looked down. "I didn't start."

  "Didn't start what?" he asked confused.

  She blew out a loud breath, "My period." She looked at him and cringed.

  He damn near hit the car in front of him. "You're serious?" He knew she was, but he still had to ask.

  "Yes, I'm serious. I wouldn't just say that." She balled up her fists and smacked the seat.

  He pulled over and stared out the windshield. Not exactly the way he wanted to start his life with her. But he'd take her any way he could get her. "You'll have it, right?"

  "What? Maybe, I don't know. I'm not really ready to be a mother. Look at mine. I don't want to be anything like my mother."

  "If you're pregnant, we'll do the best we can to raise the baby." Hell, it wasn't like he had any experience with what it was like to be a parent. His grandparents did the best they could, but it wasn't like having his own parents around.

  "We? What do you mean, we?"

  He turned in the seat facing her and took her hand in his. "I mean we'll get married and raise our baby."

  "No! We won't be getting married. Kyle, I can't do this." She turned abruptly, opened the door and jumped out of the truck.

  He opened his door, jumping out to go after her and got sideswiped by a passing car. His body flew forward landing in the middle of the roadway.

  * * * *

  Laine turned when she heard the screech of tires and the thud of impact. She screamed when she saw Kyle fly in front of the car and land with a thud on the pavement. She ran toward him. The driver of the car was on his cell standing over Kyle's crumpled body. There was blood coming from his ears and nose. She knew what that meant. Her father had been a Neurosurgeon for years. He had a head injury. She dropped to her knees next to him, tiny rocks were biting into her knees, but she didn't feel it. She didn't know if she should touch him or not, so she fluttered her hands helplessly over his broken body.

  "K
yle, I'm here. I'm here." What had she done? Hot tears fell from her eyes, dropping on the pavement mixing with his blood. She barely registered the sound of the sirens approaching.

  His breathing was labored, but he was still breathing. His leg was bent in an unnatural position. No doubt broken. She wanted to take it back, make it go away, fix it, but couldn't do anything but stay next to him. "Ohmigod, Kyle, I'm so sorry. I love you."

  Someone – she didn't know who, and she didn't care – pulled her away from Kyle's body. She watched helplessly as they worked on him. She panicked when she saw them start CPR. She tried as hard as she could to get to him, to hold onto him one last time, to tell him she'd been wrong. To tell him she loved him, she would marry him and have as many babies as he wanted, but something held her back. Her stomach lurched, threatening to spew. God, she'd killed him. She'd killed the man she loves because she was scared. Too scared to take a leap of faith and say "I do". The lights and sirens made her head spin, her heart pound too fast. Her world tilted on its axis, she felt heaviness, and her world faded to black.

  "Doctor, she's coming around." Laine heard.

  "Where is he?" She asked. Her head was groggy and hurt like hell. God, she felt like she'd been hit by a truck. Realization slammed into her. She wrenched up in the bed trying to scramble to her feet. She had to get to Kyle.

  "Whoa, there, ma'am, you need to take it easy." An older man with kind blue eyes and grey hair said, trying to settle her.

  "Kyle. I have to get to Kyle. Where is he? Is he still alive? You have to let me see Kyle," she cried.

  "Ma'am, I don't know who Kyle is, but if you calm down, I'll find out."

  She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. The faster she calmed down, the faster she could get to Kyle. "Kyle was hit by a car and I imagine was brought here. I was with him and I need to know if he's okay or not." She choked up on the last word. She remembered seeing the paramedic pushing on his chest while the other one squeezed air into his lungs. He was so white against the red that freely flowed from his broken body. Her heart sank when the nurse and the doctor exchanged glances. She knew it, he was gone. She'd killed him. She put her palm flat against her abdomen and cried. She let the tears go, dripping leaving stains all over the white sheets.

  The doctor put his hand on her back, rubbing in soothing circles. "Ma'am, I'm sorry, but he's in surgery, and it doesn't look good."

  Her head snapped up. "He's still alive?" She threw the sheet off of herself, swiped her face and stood. "You have to take me to him."

  "But you should rest."

  "I'll rest when I know he's okay. Now where is he?" She flung the curtain open, searching for a directory. She recognized this hospital. She'd spent half her childhood here. If she could figure out exactly where she was, she could find the shortest route to Kyle. She walked the hall, found the arrows she was looking for, and headed for the surgical floor. She got off the elevator and half the fire department was there, including Melanie.

  Melanie ran to her. "Laine, what happened? Jeff and I were having dinner, and we got a call saying Kyle was on his way to the hospital."

  She started to tell Melanie, when Jeff exploded at her.

  "There she is! This is all her fault." Jeff headed her way at a fast pace. For a moment she thought he was going to hit her. She'd take it, too. She was responsible for this, but she needed to know how he was and if he was going to make it. She straightened her shoulders, bracing for whatever Jeff was going to do. Melanie stepped in front of her, stopping Jeff in his tracks.

  "Move, Melanie." Jeff growled.

  Melanie stood her ground.

  "Fine, then I'll move you." He picked her up and set her to the side. Another of the firefighters stepped in and grabbed Jeff by the arms, holding him back. The paramedic she remembered from the day she met Kyle stepped in front of her and ushered her to the elevator, against her protest.

  "What are you doing? I need to be here for Kyle. He needs me."

  "Yeah, but he needs you alive. And Jeff isn't in his right mind right now."

  She wanted to scream. All the forces were against her getting to Kyle. She did the only thing she knew she could. "What's your name?"

  "I'm Steve; I work with Kyle and Jeff."

  She put her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eye. "I need to know how he is. I need to know, because I'm going to have his baby." Her cheeks were once again soaked. Steve stood there staring at her, not saying a word. "Steve?"

  "Yeah, I heard you. I just don't think this is the best time to reveal this info. Jeff will blow a gasket."

  She had had enough of this Jeff shit. "I don't give a rat's ass what Jeff will do. I have to know how Kyle is. Please, do this for me. Put me wherever you want, but please, help me."

  "Okay, but you have to stay away from Jeff. I mean it, he will hurt you."

  "I know my way around this hospital; there's a waiting room exactly like the one you were in on the other side of the surgical floor. If I wait there will you call me, or come tell me how he is? Please, I need this. He'll never know I'm there, I promise."

  "Alright, I'll come let you know something as soon as I know."

  She hugged him tight. "Thank you." She got off on the next floor and headed to the other waiting room.

  * * * *

  Jeff had never been so livid in his entire life. Just the sight of her made him want to kill. She was responsible for Kyle being on that table. He and Melanie had been enjoying a nice meal together when he got the call from the other firehouse telling him Kyle was injured in an accident. He had driven so fast to the hospital, it was a miracle he hadn't hit anyone.

  Kyle was all the family he had. They weren't blood, but the closest thing. Kyle was the best friend he had growing up in the foster home. They had both lost their parents and had that in common. They would hang out on Kyle's grandparents' farm. Pops and Grams were like parents to him, too.

  Kyle had to be okay.

  "What is wrong with you, man? You don't go after a woman like that," Pete said after Steve took Laine away.

  "If Kyle dies, it's her fault." Jeff spat out.

  The elevator opened again and he tensed expecting her to be back. Steve stepped out alone and Jeff relaxed a bit. "Where is she?"

  "She left."

  "Bullshit. I know she's still here. Where is she?"

  "Look man, why don't you forget about her and concentrate on Kyle. He's gonna need you when he gets out of there."

  Jeff realized he was right, and calmed down a bit. "I just better not see her."

  "You won't." Steve reassured him.

  "You will see me though," Melanie spoke up. "I don't know what the hell you were thinking, but there is no way I'll let you hurt Laine. She didn't make that car hit him. It was an accident."

  "You might want to go ahead and go too," Pete said.

  "No, I'm staying right here until we know something." She crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground.

  Jeff finally calmed down enough to see reason. "I'm sorry, Mel. I wasn't going to hurt her," he lied.

  She scoffed, "Uh, yeah you were, and you bruised my shoulders moving me, asshole."

  He broke down when she called him an asshole. It was all too much. He couldn't handle losing Kyle. He knew the line of work they were in was dangerous. He knew it was a risk they took every time they went out on a call, but this wasn't a call, this was a hideous accident caused by a woman.

  He sat down in an orange plastic chair and let his head fall into his hands. Hot tears fell down his face. He felt Melanie put her hand on his arm. Just her touch was enough. It was a comfort to have her there. She had been the only reason he hadn't hurt Laine, and now that he was calm, he realized what a mistake he was making. He'd never raised a hand to a woman in his life.

  "Jeff, the doctor's coming," Melanie said.

  His head snapped up, and he stood bracing for the worst.

  "Who is the next of kin?" The doctor searched the faces for someone to speak
up.

  "Jeff raised his hand. "I am."

  The corridor full of bodies seemed to split in half letting him through. He grabbed Melanie's hand and pulled her along. He couldn't go through this alone.

  "Hello, I'm Dr. Gross, could we speak privately?"

  They rounded the corridor into another hallway. "How is he? Is he still alive?"

  "Yes, he's still alive, but he lost a lot of blood and he has a brain injury, so we won't know anything for a while. If he makes it through the night, we'll have a better idea. I need to get back in there, but I'll update you in a little while, if anything changes."

  Jeff's heart sank. He had heard those words before. "If he made it through the night." His father hadn't made it through the night, and the chances were, Kyle wouldn't either. Now Jeff had the task of breaking the news to the fire crew in the waiting room.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Laine had been waiting for Steve for what seemed like hours. It probably had been. Finally, after watching the elevators open and close for the thousandth time, he emerged.

  She rushed over to him. "How is he? Please tell me he's going to make it."

  His face contorted and she knew. "It doesn't look good," he said.

  "But he is still alive."

  "Yes, he's still alive, but he has a brain injury, a punctured lung, and his leg is broken. If he makes it through the night, he'll have a long recovery. Give me your number and I'll keep you posted. You should go home and rest. The other medics told me you passed out after he got hit."

  "No. I'm going to be here when he wakes up." She balled up her fists ready to explode if anyone else told her she couldn't see Kyle.

  "I'm afraid you're not going to be here. Jeff has excluded you from visiting him. He has power of attorney in case of injury or death. He told Dr. Gross you were not to visit, and if you did, to call security."

  Laine relaxed her fists. That would be her way in to see him. Dr. David Allan Gross had a few things to make up for, one being leaving her at the altar.

  "Steve, thank you." She stood on tiptoe and hugged him.

  "Laine, I know Kyle and he's strong. One of the toughest bastards I've ever been around, and if he knows you're waiting for him, he'll pull through. Did he know about the baby?"