He hears me this time and shoots up with a wince and quickly makes his way over to me.
“You’re awake. Do you need anything?” He takes my fingers in his and strokes my thumb.
“Water.”
“One minute.”
Before I have time to think, he has a plastic cup with a straw in his hand.
“Take a sip.”
Holding it to my mouth, he puts the straw between my lips and I take a slow drink, and then some more. I never thought I’d ever be so greedy for water, but I am now.
“Hey, guzzler. Slow down.”
I release the straw from between my lips and let Donovan take my drink away. I test my voice now that it doesn’t feel so dry, “How long have I been asleep?”
“All night. You’ve been in and out of it really.”
Donovan pulls a chair up to the side of the bed and takes my hand, pressing it against his cheek, which is coated in a sexy five o’clock shadow. “You look sexy, and tired.”
“I’m exhausted, but I’ll sleep when you’re out of here.”
“When?”
“The doc said all being well, he’ll release you tomorrow, but he wants to see how you’re feeling first.”
Caressing his face with my fingers, I slide them between his lips and feel the tip of his tongue make contact. My fingers tingle.
“Enough of that.” Donovan takes hold of my wrist and places my hand back on the bed, but keeps his hand wrapped around me. “I can’t stop touching you.”
“Don’t ever stop.”
“I don’t intend to.” He lets out a long sigh and rests his head on the bed beside my hip, and closes his eyes. Poor guy is exhausted. Reaching out, I gently caress his face and smile when he sighs into my hand.
I’m so in love with this guy and knowing he loves me just as much makes my heart pound. He’s a good guy, and he doesn’t know it yet, but when I get out of here I’m moving in with him, well I hope I am. I guess it depends on how mobile I’m going to be because I don’t want to dump my injured ass on him.
Feeling sleepy again, I start to drift off when the door in front of my bed starts to open. Reece.
Crap!
My eyes widen when he looks at me for what feels like hours, but are probably mere seconds before his eyes travel to Donovan, and then back to me..
“Don’t panic,” he whispers. “I know all about you and Donovan. Right now though I want to know how you’re doing?” He comes over to the side of the bed next to Donovan and kisses me on my forehead with his arm resting above my head on the pillow as he stays close.
“I’m sore, but okay.”
He’s my big brother and I love him so much, which makes me feel guilty for doing this on his wedding day. “I’m sorry,” I mumble and start crying. “I’m so sorry for ruining your wedding night.”
“Shush. Mara. God. You didn’t ruin anything, well apart from your dignity,” he smirks, but I’m not fooled with the tears in his eyes. “You scared the ever living shit outta me, sis. If I ever catch you in heels again I’m going to pick you up and yank the damn things off. You got that.”
“Yeah.”
“She’s sticking to her boots after this. I’ll make sure of it,” Donovan adds.
“I thought you were sleeping.”
“I was.” He scowls at Reece, who grins.
“How do you know about Donovan and me?” I ask needing to know whether Donovan told him or whether it was my trip down the stairs that had him realizing we had become more than friends.
“I’m not an idiot, Mara. Reverse psychology, and it worked a treat.”
“I’m confused.”
“I told you both to stay away from each other—reverse psychology.”
Really!
“So you mean to tell me, all the time we were worried about how us being together would affect you, you wanted us together.”
Reece grins.
“You’re a dick,” I point out.
“Yeah, but you love me.”
“Hmm.”
“Good morning. How’s my patient today?” the nurse asks barging in as though there isn’t two guys at the side of my bed.
“Okay…I think. My whole body feels as though I’ve been hit by an eighteen-wheeler, but can I ask what my injuries are?”
I should have asked Donovan, but he looked so ready to break that I’d wanted to spare his feelings and wait.
“That’s what stumbling down stairs will do to you. The doctor operated on your arm last night and put a couple of pins in there to help it heal so you haven’t to move it. A cast will be going on later today once the swelling has reduced a bit more. Your ankle is badly sprained so you’re going to have trouble getting around for a while because we can’t give you crutches with your arm like it is, although if you need it they might give you one crutch to help you balance.”
“Wonderful. So I’m going to need help getting around? Is that what you’re saying?”
“I’m afraid so Honey.” She straps the blood pressure cuff around my good arm now that the guys have stepped over to the window for her to do her job. “Don’t worry. You’ll be back on your feet in no time providing you don’t put any pressure on your ankle. You have a handsome young man to look after you.”
My neck still aches, but not as much as when I woke up so I look at Donovan and catch my breath.
The machine lets out weird noises, causing Reece and Donovan to stand straight against the wall.
“Breathe, Mara.” She chuckles.
“Which one of you two will be looking after her recovery?”
“That will be me.” Donovan moves away from the wall. “She’s my girl.” He smiles.
“How are you going to look after my sister?” Reece frowns.
Donovan turns to face him. “Do you have a problem with me looking after my girl?”
“This is weird.”
“I want her with me. No, I need her with me.” Donovan stands his ground.
“I’m not arguing,” Reece states and walks back over to me. “I’m going to go.” He kisses me. “You didn’t ruin anything—you remember that, okay?”
Nodding hurts, so I grimace, and say, “I will. I love you brother.”
“I love you sis. Don’t ever frighten me like that again.”
“I’ll try not too,” I whisper.
He pulls Donovan into his arms for a manly hug. “Take care of her…and get some sleep.”
“Yes, Mom.”
Chuckling, Reece leaves us in peace.
“I meant it, you know. That I want to look after you—that I want you with me at my place.”
“Good, because that’s the only place I want to go.” My eyes start to droop.
“The nurse snuck some more painkiller into your drip so sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“I love you, Donovan.”
“I lov—”
I’m asleep before he finishes.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Donovan
The best thing for my girl right now is to let her sleep. It’s difficult because I just want her awake and smiling at me so I know she’s okay.
I’ve been at the hospital since they brought her in, and by her side since she got out of recovery so I’m exhausted, but unable to leave her.
She looks so fragile sleeping in her bed that it breaks my heart seeing her like this.
Resting my head back down on her bed, I cover her hand with mine and close my eyes. They snap open seconds later when I hear the door open.
“Stay where you are, Donovan,” Cindy says moving a chair beside mine as she wraps an arm around my shoulders. “You look ready to drop. Why don’t you go and get some rest while I’m here.”
I’m shaking my head before she’s even finished speaking. “I won’t leave her.”
“Let’s look at it a different way then. How are you going to look after my daughter when she gets out of here if you’re sick yourself?”
Fuck. She has a point. But how the
hell can I leave her?
“I’ll drive you,” Reece offers.
I had no idea that he’d come back into the room. My strength has deserted me. I really don’t have the energy to put up much of a struggle.
“Donovan, c’mon man. She’s going to need you when she comes home. The last thing she needs is to worry about you as well.”
“I hear you.” I let out a loud sigh. “Both of you,” I add.
“You won’t leave her, right?” I ask Cindy.
She offers me a sad smile. “She’s my daughter Donovan. I promise not to leave until you get back. Now go and get some proper food inside you and sleep for a bit…and maybe shower.”
I burst out laughing.
“Am I that bad?”
“You’re getting there. Go. The sooner you get some food and rest, the sooner you will be back here.”
“Alright.”
My eyes wander back to my girl. Bending close, I kiss her gently on the lips before pulling back. Leaving her is harder than I ever thought.
I mean she isn’t in the hospital with a life threatening illness. She has a badly broken arm and swollen ankle, but I love her and I’m worried about her. Her fall frightened the fuck out of me, which I’m not sure I’ll ever get out of my head.
Sighing, I give her mom a hug and without looking back because if I do I won’t leave, I walk out of the room with Reece—exhausted as fuck.
~*~*~*~
“Donovan, you need to wake up.”
“Donovan, c’mon man.”
I’m going to punch Reece if he doesn’t shut up. I’ve only been asleep for five minutes.
I carry on ignoring him.
“Okay, if you don’t wake up I’m going to take a picture of your naked ass with my phone and plaster it all over facebook….1…2…”
“Fuck you.”
I grab the sheet and pull it over me as I turn to lie on my back. Then it hits me—Mara.
“What time is it,” I ask Reece while dashing to the bathroom to relieve myself.
“Three.”
Opening the shower door, I quickly step inside and turning the taps on, I catch my breath as the water hits me. So fuckin’ cold! Well at least it woke me up. If it’s three in the afternoon that means I’ve been out of it for about four hours.
Turning the taps off after what must be the quickest shower in history, I wrap a towel around my hips and walk back into the bedroom to find Reece spread out on my bed.
“If you didn’t keep your woman up all night you wouldn’t be so tired.” I smirk.
“My woman is the one keeping me up. I don’t know where the fuck she gets her energy from because I’m fucked.”
Laughing at him, I quickly drag clean jeans, tee shirt and boots on before heading out into the front of my house where I stop dead.
How the hell I didn’t notice the smell of food while I was in my bedroom is anyone’s guess because there is no way this didn’t travel. Chilli. My stomach chooses this moment to grumble.
“Sit. You’re not going anywhere until we’ve fed you. Cindy rang not five minutes ago to check on you. Mara is more awake now and she’s okay. She said to tell you to stop worrying about her and to look after yourself before you go back to the hospital.”
With a nod of my head, I acknowledge what Thalia just told me as I sag into the chair at the dinning table.
“Thanks for this girls, and that smells good.” My stomach growls again.
“You should have eaten before now,” Callie tells me. “She’s going to be okay. You know that, right?”
I smile. “Yes, I know she’s gong to be fine. And I’ll be fine when she’s out of that place and back here with me.”
“We hear you.” Phoenix sits with me before Reece joins us and then the girls are placing dishes of food on the table; chilli, rice and homemade cornbread.
“Dig in,” Callie says.
She doesn’t need to tell me twice.
Filling my plate with food, I start to eat savoring the flavors. This is damn good and even though I’ve thanked them, I don’t think they realize how much I appreciate this. In fact, until I sat down and started eating, I hadn’t realized how hungry I am.
As soon as I climbed in my truck from the hospital, which Reece has been using, I was out for the count waking up briefly to get myself in the house before I stripped and dropped to my bed.
Now, thanks to my friends, I’m refueling and eager to get back to see Mara.
“I’ll take you back soon,” Reece says. “You were thinking rather loudly,” he adds obviously seeing my questioning look for what it was.
“Phoenix can follow so I have a lift back. That way you can keep your truck with you.”
“That will work,” I agree.
Taking another piece of cornbread, I scoop up some more chilli with it and catch Callie watching me. As I’m shoving it in my mouth, she grins.
Is there something wrong with it?
“You’re really enjoying that,” Callie states.
“I sure am, and not because I haven’t eaten since sometime yesterday. This really is good and you’ve no idea how much I appreciate you cooking this for me.”
“Hey, she’s my girl. She cooked it for me.”
Callie rolls her eyes. “Reece, just eat and stay out of trouble.”
“I thought you liked my kind of trouble.”
“I do.” She gives him a look, which has his eyes narrowing.
I chuckle.
Pushing my plate away, I stretch and standing up, look to the girls. “Thanks for that.”
“You’re welcome.”
Callie comes and hugs me followed by Thalia. “Take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
The guys hug and kiss their women before we all trudge outside to the trucks to take me back to the hospital and my girl.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Mara
The pain in my arm is manageable at the moment so while I can handle it I’m refusing anything stronger because I don’t want to be out of it when Donovan gets back here.
I’ve eaten all my lunch because I was so hungry, and I’m not sure why people complain about hospital food because that wasn’t too bad. I’m just glad my mom has finally gone for a walk to the shop to get me something fizzy and some chocolate. My sweet tooth is calling.
I’m trying to concentrate on the magazine that Mom brought me, but I’m just not in the mood and I feel restless. I know what I’m restless for and that is for Donovan to get back here. I know he needed some rest and proper food, but I just want him here. I’m really trying not to be too clingy with him, but I feel as though something is missing when we’re not together.
Looking towards the opening door to my room, my heart flutters hoping it’s Donovan then drops to my toes when I see Sarah.
“Can I come in?”
“I guess.”
Sarah looks nervous as she approaches my bed with her hands flexing around the straps of her purse.
She sits in the chair beside me.
“How are you feeling?”
Does she really care?
I answer her anyway, “Not too bad.”
“Good. Good.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes. I can’t help hoping that Mom will get back soon to save me and I’ve no idea what Sarah’s thinking about.
Finally having enough of the silence, I ask, “Why are you here?”
She flinches as though I’ve hit her and I watch as her eyes tear up. “I’m sorry, Mara.” She swipes at a wayward tear. “I’ve been a bitch to you and I’m sorry. I’m sorry for calling you a whore. I’m just damn sorry about everything. I’m pissed, okay. So damn angry—not at you—at someone else or me. I haven’t decided properly. Anyway, the truth is I do like Donovan but not in the way you obviously do. Okay, perhaps that’s a lie. I used to like Donovan that way, but I haven’t for a long while. He just seemed handy to get my own back on someone. No matter though, you’re my sister and I shouldn’t h
ave treated you that way. I’m sorry.”
I’m stunned. I never in a million years expected her to apologize to me. And who is this someone she’s referring to? She’s so damn private. I need to accept her apology though if we’re going to move forward. She’s my sister after all.
“Apology accepted. Who are you talking about?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes it does. If they caused you to act like you have been then it matters.”
“It’s just some guy I met at college. We dated a few times, well more like three months and then it went to shit. I’m good now and I really am sorry for being a bitch with you and Donovan.”
“Okay, but what about Dahlia? Why did you blackmail her?”
“Oh God,” she puts her head in her hands. “That was so stupid. Part of me stills blames her for Dad, even though I know it isn’t her fault which just doesn’t make any sense. When I saw what I did, I thought it would keep her away from us and it didn’t work in the end. I just can’t accept her yet. I’m not ready and I’m not sure if I ever will be. I don’t want to talk any more about that.”
“Okay.”
“I better go.” She kisses me on the forehead and then chuckles when she sees my stunned expression. “I wish I had my phone handy to capture that look.”
“I’m surprised.”
“That’s sad really because you shouldn’t be surprised. But we’ll work on it.”
“Okay.”
On her way over to the door, it starts to open and this time my heart beats so damn fast when I see my sexy man walking in. He’s changed clothes and shaved, making him look a lot better than he did when he left here hours before.
He checks me out. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Donovan, I want to apologize.” Sarah steps in front of him. “I’m not going to get into it, but I’m sorry for being a bitch. You won’t have to worry about me from now on. I’m going to try and get back to being sisters with Mara instead of enemies.”
“That’s good.”
“I’m going. Take care of my sister for me.”
And with that, she’s gone.
“Um. Seriously?”
I grin. “Yep. Hopefully it will last longer than a week.”
Donovan shakes his head and comes over to me. He rests his arm on my pillow and caresses my face. “I missed you.”
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