The doctor barked out a couple orders to the nurse who shut down the alarm and handed the doctor some gauze as the doctor put on gloves.
“Mr. Tobin relax. I know you don’t like the tube. I’m going to take it out, but you have to be still.”
The doctor was trying to remove the tape securing the tube to Wes’ face, but Wes was pushing at him. Wes' eyes were searching the room and his hands were trying to shove the good doctor away. Jo realized that Wes was looking for her. That he wasn't trying to stop the doctor from working on him, but he was simply trying to remove him from his line of vision. Jo stepped to the bedside and before the nurse could push her back she grabbed Wes’ hand. The effect was immediate. Wes' eyes latched on to Jo's face and he completely calmed.
The doctor shot Jo a look and then told the nurse it was fine. He then removed the tube and waited to make sure Wes could breathe on his own. It took a few tense seconds before Wes began breathing normally. The entire time Jo spoke softly to him. His eyes never left hers. Jo could see that it wasn't until Wes finally took his first deep breath that the doctor seemed convinced that his patient could breathe without help.
“Okay Mr. Tobin, no breathing tube for you I guess.” He chuckled.
The doctor checked Wes' vitals and looked under the bandages for bleeding.
“Mr. Tobin can you move your arms for me?”
Wes lifted his one arm one easily, but grimaced when he tried to lift the other one that had a bullet removed from under the shoulder.
“How about your toes?” The doctor held the bed sheet up and watched Wes wiggle his toes.
“That’s excellent. We’re going to move you to a room, Mr. Tobin. If you understand please blink.”
Wes blinked.
“Very good. You don’t have to go to ICU now that the tube has been removed. Try not to move your neck too much.” Wes blinked again.
The doctor looked at Jace, Andy, and finally to Jo.
“How about if we let the little lady stay with him?” The doctor said to the men. “She seems to have a calming effect on him.”
Jace and Andy nodded. Jace came up behind Jo and looked over her shoulder to his friend. “Welcome back man.”
Andy added. “You saved Ginger’s life Wes. No one was hurt, except you.”
Jo felt Wes relax a little. She was still holding his hand.
“We didn’t catch him though.” Jace answered the question that Wes couldn’t voice himself.
“We’re going to head out. We will be back after we do some damage control and check on Ginger. Jo if you need anything call one of us okay?”
Jo looked at them and then back to Wes. “Okay, but I’m not leaving him.”
“Yeah, we figured.” Andy said with a smile.
"Wes, you good man?"
Wes blinked.
The two men said goodbye to Wes as brothers would with gentle pats. They were all smiles now, but they had been scared to death that the wound to the neck had been fatal or life changing. The fact that he could move his toes had eased their minds considerably. Jo pulled the chair up next to Wes' bed and placed her hand in his again.
“Go to sleep Wes. I’m not leaving. I promise.” Wes felt his eyes grow heavy and he couldn’t help the sleep that over took him.
An hour later Wes was moved into a private room and Jo settled once again into a chair next to his bed. She held his hand and rested her forehead on his arm. Soon Jo had fallen asleep.
She woke up to a nurse bustling in to check Wes' vitals. She brushed the sleep from her eyes and saw that Wes was awake and watching her.
“Wes? Oh my gosh.”
He was grinning at her.
"Well good morning sleeping beauty." The matronly nurse said good-humoredly seeing that Wes had woken up.
“How about some water?” Jo asked him.
“Yes.” He rasped out.
“Are you supposed to be talking?” She said to him, and then she directed the question to the nurse. “Is he supposed to be talking?”
The nurse chuckled at her concern. “If he can, it’s okay. He shouldn’t push it.”
“Hear that Wes? Don’t push it.” She said giving him as stern a look as she could muster. Inside she was doing a happy dance that he was already on the mend.
Jo filled the pink plastic cup and inserted a straw for him. She then lifted the head of the bed up and helped him drink. Wes had wrapped his hand around her wrist to steady himself and when he finished he murmured a thank you.
“His throat is going to be sore. He can have water, juice and jello. You'll find all of that down the hall." She said kindly before leaving the room.
Jo nodded. “I’m going to get you jello.” Jo turned to go but Wes maintained his grip on her wrist.
“Wes?”
He pulled her closer to him, his eyes finding hers. She knew he wanted to tell her something. She guessed what it was. “I’m not leaving you Wes. I’ll be right back. Jello. Then I’m right back, I promise.”
She saw him relax and she placed a tiny kiss on his cheek. He let go of her wrist and let her leave.
Wes spent the next two days nodding off and on. Each time he woke up he stayed awake long enough for her to feed him some jello or sherbet and some water. Jo only left his room to fetch things from the refrigerator down the hall. She knew she looked a mess but she didn’t care. She couldn’t leave him.
It was the third day of Wes being in the hospital and he was starting to stay awake for longer periods of time. The doctor had taken the catheter out, but the IV remained hooked up to him. He was allowed to use the bathroom if he felt strong enough, which he always did, however someone had to be with him. Andy and Jace had visited each day, sometimes more than once. They always helped Wes to the bathroom when they were there, other wise she helped him. Each time they were there they told Jo they would stay with him, but she refused to leave.
Jo had kept Auggie and Griff posted on Wes' condition, like she had promised, and when she spoke with them that morning she asked Auggie to bring her a change of clothes to the hospital.
Jo looked at her phone when it pinged, alerting her to a text message. Auggie was on his way up with her clothes. When he came into the room he saw that Wes was sleeping and Jo was fiddling with an App on her phone.
“Thanks Auggie.” Jo whispered taking the plastic bag of clothes from him.
“How’s he doing?”
“Better I think.”
“Yeah. Okay you need anything else?”
“No, I’m good. You guys should head back to the Lake.”
“Yeah, Griff needs to get to work.”
“I really appreciate everything Auggie.”
“I know kiddo.” Auggie hugged her good bye.
With clean clothes in hand Jo decided she needed to shower while Wes was still sleeping. There was a family shower down the hall so she gathered her things and left the room.
Wes woke up to an empty room. He looked around and didn’t see any signs of Jo. Did she leave? Would she just take off? Wes’ brain wasn’t functioning on all cylinders yet. All that was registering was that he needed to find Jo. He used the remote to bring his head all the way up and slide his feet to the floor. Sitting up made him dizzy and he had to gulp a few breaths to not pass out.
He slowly worked himself into a standing position and grabbed the IV pole still connected to him. He then padded unsteadily out the door and down the corridor, not even knowing where he was going.
When he reached the nurse's station two nurses came running towards him. “Mr. Tobin how are you even standing!”
“You need to get back into bed.” The other nurse barked.
One of the nurses told another nurse, who was sitting behind the desk to get a wheelchair. It was at that moment that Jo rounded the corner, clean from her shower. Her long hair wet, her face scrubbed clean, holding her unkempt clothes that she'd been in for the last four days. She saw Wes standing in the hallway with the nurses bracketing his sides. His eyes fell on
her and he stilled. Jo ran to him.
“What are you doing?” She chastised him gently. One of the nurses moved away from his side and Wes put his arm over her slight shoulders and she wrapped her arm around his back.
“Looking for you.” He said in choppy breaths. He was exhausted and black spots swam in front of his eyes. He hoped he didn’t go down right there in the hallway.
“Well you idiot. You found me. Now let's get you back to bed.” Wes had paled with the exertion. He had been afraid she’d taken off. Jo managed to get Wes into bed without help of a wheelchair. He was worn out from his little excursion.
“Wes.” Jo said sitting down on the bed next to his body. Her hand resting on his chest. “You need to stay in bed.”
“You need to stay with me.” He smiled looking exhausted, yet mischievously at her.
“Oh you are feeling better aren’t you?” She laughed.
Ginger and Leena chose that moment to arrive in the room. Jo stayed where she was on the bed; Wes kept his hand on her thigh holding her there. Jo did not like this woman and the feeling was entirely mutual.
“Oh Wes.” Ginger said dramatically. “I’ve been so worried.” She wedged her self between Wes and Jo and leaned down to hug him.
“Ginger.” He said gruffly. Jo could not stand the woman. The hurtful memories of seeing the two of them kiss resurfaced and she became agitated. Wes clamped down on her thigh. He had felt her tense up. For an injured man he was still surprisingly strong.
“Where's your security?” He asked irritated that his throat was still raw and he couldn't yell at her.
Leena answered. “They are in the family waiting room down the hall. You can only have two visitors at a time.”
Wes eyed them suspiciously looking first to Leena then to Ginger.
“We thought we could spend some time with you now.” Ginger purred flirtatiously.
“Jo stays.” Wes said. Jo covered the hand he had on her thigh with hers.
“But Wes, baby, I just want to see that you’re okay. You saved my life.”
Jo could tell that Wes was becoming agitated and he had already taxed his voice and his body enough for one day.
“Can’t I stay with you now?’ Ginger pouted.
“Ginger give it up. Wes is my boyfriend. He never was yours. If you’re looking for some more PR look someplace else.”
Ginger looked pissed and just before she opened her mouth. Jo spoke again. “If I have to call his lawyer and slap a restraining order on you I will. You won’t like the kind of PR that I can generate.” Jo was seething that this woman was being such a diva.
Andy walked into the room and took one look at Wes and knew that he was upset.
“Wes, want me to call Frank?” He said.
“Oh for God sakes.” Leena finally said. “We’re leaving.” Leena hurried Ginger out the door.
“Frank?” Jo asked.
“Lawyer.” Andy replied.
Jo smiled at Andy. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“So I can stay for a little while if you want to go shower or anything?”
Jo pulled her wet hair over her shoulder for Andy to see. “Nope I’m good. Wes how about if I give you some alone time with Andy?”
She saw that Wes looked upset so she leaned down close to him so he could whisper to her.
“You want to go?” He asked in a raspy voice.
“Nope.” Jo looked into Wes eyes and tenderly brushed her fingertips over Wes’ cheek then pushed a lock of hair off his forehead. “As long as I’m not wearing out my welcome; I think this is where I belong. I'm a little tired though so I’m just going to lay down on that couch over there okay?”
She leaned down and kissed his lips gently.
“Good answer.” Andy said from the chair he now occupied.
“Good kiss.” Wes said softly.
“Guess I’m staying then.” Jo said affectionately.
Jo got off the bed and curled up on the small couch. She was content to simply be near Wes and let the men talk. Wes must have felt the same way although he kept looking at Jo who had already fallen asleep.
Andy did most of the talking during his visit. He told Wes that they had a lead on the shooter after going through the Club's surveillance tapes. He also told him how Jo had told Ginger off in the waiting room and had called him ‘her’ Wes. Wes had a huge smile on his face.
“I like her Wes.” Andy said looking over at the slumbering woman scrunched up on the small couch.
Wes smiled. “Me too.” He whispered.
“Yeah, I can tell.” Andy answered with a little sarcastic grin. Wes shrugged his good shoulder. He then reached for the blanket that was down near his feet trying to lift it up.
“What are you doing?’ Andy asked.
“Cover Jo.” He croaked out.
“Oh, okay.” Andy took the blanket and covered Jo. When he turned around Wes was holding a pillow with a love sick smile on his face.
“Pillow too?” Andy said chuckling. Wes nodded.
“You got it bad my friend.”
Wes simply nodded. He knew he cared for Jo, a lot. His feelings for her were nothing he had ever experienced before and it made him edgy. She could calm him with her touch yet make him do stupid things, like get out of his hospital bed just to find her. He was normally in control and rational but when he thought of Jo he became a mess of uncontrollable urges. He hoped she was feeling it too.
Jo slept soundly for the first time in days, curled up on the small love seat in Wes’ room. She awoke to the noise being made by the woman carrying in Wes’ food tray. She knew what he was eating since she had filled out the dinner menu for him earlier. Wes watched as she sat up and stretched her arms over her head. He was once again struck with how beautiful she was. Her hair was crazy wild since she’d fallen asleep with it still wet. Her clothes were rumpled and her eyes were hazy as she shook her self conscious; but she was still gorgeous. Wes’ heart thudded hard inside his chest. Yeah, he was definitely feeling better. He crossed his legs and pulled the bedside tray over his lap to hide the rising flesh between his legs.
Jo stood up and came over to help him eat. When Andy had left he had napped a little. His walk about earlier, although it had only been about fifteen yards had really zapped him.
“Hey.” She said giving him a light kiss.
Wes smiled up at her. His throat was killing him, his shoulder burned, but it was his neck that really pained him. It hurt to move it but he didn’t want to take any more pain pills they made him loopy.
Jo sat on the edge of his bed and fed him scrambled eggs and broth. Wes found he was actually hungry and Jo was delighted when he ate everything. He then realized Jo hadn’t eaten and his eyes found hers when he gently gripped her wrist as he took in the last spoonful of soup.
“What?” She asked concerned.
Wes nodded at his food tray. “You eat.”
Jo understood that he wanted her to eat, but the only thing left on the tray was applesauce.
“I’ll go get a yogurt from the refrigerator down the hall.” She told him. Wes didn’t let go of her wrist and he looked perturbed.
“Wes I’m not that hungry.”
“You need more.” He whispered hoarsely.
“Let's worry about you okay?”
Wes continued to look at her and she saw that he looked unhappy.
“Are you hurting Wes?”
Wes nodded yes.
“Why? Do you want me to get the nurse?”
Wes shook his head no. Wes signaled for her to lean closer to him so Jo wheeled the hospital table back from the bed and leaned in placing her hands carefully on either side of his head. Her face was inches from his and she scrutinized his face for some sign of what she could do to make him more comfortable.
“I want to take care of you.” He said as his hand feathered through her disheveled long hair.
Jo leaned down and kissed his lips so softly.
“Yeah I know this
is probably killing you right?” Wes nodded. “But Wes you need someone to help you right now and as long as you don’t mind, I want that person to be me.”
Wes pulled her back down for a gentle kiss. He released her and muttered. “Breath.”
“Are you having trouble breathing?” Jo asked worried.
“No bad.”
“Oh, bad breath?” She chuckled.
Wes nodded.
“Let’s brush your teeth then.”
Jo helped Wes brush his teeth and then got a washcloth and washed his face and part of his neck. She ran the warm wet cloth down his arms then his torso and when Jo saw the bulge that presented itself she chuckled. Wes smiled self-consciously. Jo glanced towards the open door then cupped his length with her other hand. Wes shut his eyes and moaned.
“I think I’ll take care of that for you big guy.”
Wes watched with hooded eyes as Jo gripped his shaft under the covers and worked her palm over him. Jo kept an eye out for anyone that might walk into the room as she moved up and down his hard member. She stopped stroking him and Wes groaned thinking she was done, but instead Jo reached into the bedside table and pulled out the small bottle of lotion poring some in her free hand.
Wes grinned at her and Jo felt a flutter clear to her womb with how sexy he looked at the moment. She kept the wash cloth in her other hand and steadfastly worked his rigid shaft aided by the slippery lubricant, using long firm strokes that ended in twists over his satiny head. Wes was clenching his teeth down to remain quiet. Jo watched him carefully worried that it would be too much for him.
"If this is hurting you Wes, tell me, okay?" Jo said softly as she continued to stroke him.
Wes touched her cheek affectionately. His hand was shaking slightly.
"It feels so good Jo." His voice was husky. He pressed upwards forcing his length through her closed fist provocatively.
Jo never took her eyes off his face. Her hand remained under the sheet working him into an intense bundle of heat. She felt him start to quiver and knew he was close so she picked up her pace and leaned in to kiss him. He pushed into her hand and shot cum into her palm that covered his soft dome shaped head. Wes sank into his pillow satisfied and spent. Jo wished she could photograph his face at that moment, loving the smile that he wore, to keep it with her forever.
One Tough Love Page 17