Needing Him

by Kennedy Fox

  “Her and the baby are fine.” She smiles warmly.

  The baby? My eyes widen in response, but I drift back to the darkness before she can explain.

  When I feel someone’s palm on my cheek, I reach up and place my hand over it, hoping it’s Emily.

  “Evan.” Her small voice is music to my ears.

  I peek up at her and smile. The tube has been removed but the oxygen line under my nose is still in place.

  “Hi, baby.” My voice is weak and gravelly, my throat dry and sore, but I’m just so relieved to see her that I don’t care.

  “Hi.” She chuckles. “I was hoping you’d wake up today. They’ve been decreasing your medicine for the past eight hours and finally took you off the ventilator.”

  “Are you okay?” I ask, gripping her hand.

  “I am now.” She exhales, and I notice the dark circles under her eyes. “I’ve been anxiously waiting.”

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” I bring her hand to my lips and press a soft kiss to her knuckles.

  “You have nothing to be sorry for, babe. You saved my life.”

  “I’d do anything for you, Emily.”

  Her eyes tear up, and soon, they’re falling down her cheeks.

  “I know.” She wipes her cheek and smiles. “Do you remember what happened?”

  “Kinda. The last thing I remember is taking Richard to the ground, and then you leaning over me. I remember feeling a lot of pressure on my chest before things went black, and then I woke up in here.”

  “He stabbed you,” she explains, the horror on her face telling me everything I need to know. “The cops arrested him, and the paramedics rushed you to the ER. You went right into surgery, and to prevent infection or complications, they kept you ventilated.”

  She saw everything and knew exactly what to do in order to contain the wound. Thank God she acted right away because we both know I could’ve easily bled out from a stab wound.

  “You also hit your head pretty hard on the concrete when you fell backward, so they’ve been monitoring you closely for a week.”

  “A week?” I gasp.

  “Yeah,” she breathes out. “Longest week of my life.”

  “Come here.”

  She moves her body closer so I can kiss her lips. “You saved my life, too.”

  “I only wish I could’ve prevented it in the first place.” Her pained expressed causes my heart to race. None of this is her fault, and I know she feels guilty, though she has no reason to. Richard deserves all the blame, and I won’t let her think otherwise.

  “Losing you would’ve destroyed me,” I tell her sincerely. “I’d take a knife or bullet for you any day of the week if that meant keeping you safe.”

  She lowers her eyes and swallows as she continues to squeeze my hand. “I really thought I was going to die. In those moments, I could only think of you and what this would do to you and how I never told you how I really felt.”

  I smile up at her, remembering those three words she whispered to me. “So tell me again,” I encourage, desperate to hear them.

  “Again? You heard me?” Her eyes widen in surprise.

  “I don’t remember much after falling to the ground, but I remember your voice. It’s what I held onto because I wasn’t ready to leave you either.”

  She laughs between sobs, and I hadn’t realized she was crying again. “Don’t cry, sweetheart.” I bring my thumb to her cheek.

  “I love you so much, Evan. I’ve never been surer of anything in my life than those words, and I hated that I hadn’t told you sooner.”

  Hearing her say that brings so much joy to my heart that if I weren’t just recovering from surgery, I’d pull her into this bed with me and make love to her all night long.

  “Good,” I say. “Because I’ve been in love with your sassy mouth and red heels since the moment I laid eyes on you.” I flash her a cocky grin. “I just didn’t know it yet.”

  “Well, aren’t you smooth?” she teases, leaning over and pressing her soft lips against mine.

  “Don’t need to be when you’ve already got the right girl.” I wink.

  “Glad to see nothing’s changed,” Emily mocks with a smirk.

  “Just my dignity.”

  Emily snorts, shaking her head.

  “Knowing someone’s been changing out my piss bag for the past week really questions your manhood.”

  “Always the prideful poet.” Emily snickers.

  “Look who’s up and talking,” Fiona says, entering the room with my chart in her hand. “You’re looking much better.”

  “Thanks,” I respond. “How’d you get to be the lucky one to take care of me?”

  “I fought off some of the ICU nurses,” she teases. “But mostly, I’ve just been checking in on you so I could give updates to everyone in the ER. They all miss you.”

  “I miss you all too. I’m surprised Veronica didn’t fight you for the position, though.” I laugh, knowing how protective Veronica can be.

  The room goes silent, and I notice Emily’s eyes lower with sadness.

  “What’s wrong? Is she okay?” Veronica and I have worked together for years, and I’d be distraught if anything happened to her.

  Emily shakes her head, and Fiona busies herself as Emily tries to explain. I hear her words, but they aren’t making sense. Veronica would never betray me like that. Even though I kind of figured she wanted more than just a friendship, I never once implied that the feelings were mutual.

  “I can’t believe this,” I say, completely stunned once Emily tells me everything.

  She squeezes my hand, and I can tell she was just as shocked to find out as I am.

  “So what’s happened to her now?”

  “They arrested her, and charges are pending for being an accomplice to my kidnapping, though according to Richard, she propositioned him to kidnap and kill me, so the prosecutor is pushing for an attempted homicide charge.”

  “Jesus,” I mutter, shaking my head in disbelief. “And what’s going to happen to Richard?’

  Emily rolls her eyes, and I know she’s been dealing with a lot more than just me this past week. “His attorney is pushing for an insanity plea.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “I know, but don’t worry. The prosecutor will fight hard for all of us since we have documentation on everything he’s done to me the past year, including the restraining order that he continuously broke even though he knew the restrictions.”

  “Justice will be served,” I tell her. “That I believe.”

  “Can we come in?” I hear the same male’s voice from before, and when Emily faces the door, she waves him in. “The Bishops are here, too,” he adds.

  “Yes, come in,” Emily says. “He’s awake now and talking.”

  My mother barrels in and immediately wraps her arms around my neck. My father comes to my side and cups his hand on my shoulder.

  “Hi, Mama. Hey, Dad.”

  “Son.” My dad nods. “Glad to see you’re awake.”

  “Me too.” I grin.

  “I’ve been so worried about you. Thank God you’re okay. I’ve had the entire church praying for your recovery.”

  I smile. “Thanks, Mama. I’ll be fine.”

  “You scared the dickens out of me! Don’t do that to me again,” she scolds, patting my cheek.

  “Evan, I want you to meet my father.” Emily grabs my attention to the man standing next to her. “He came a few days ago.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” I hold my hand out as far as I can, and he graciously takes it.

  “The pleasure is all mine.” His voice is deep and rough, but I hear the sincerity in his tone.

  I’m surprised how much Emily looks like him. They share the same dark hair and facial features. From what she’s told me, they’re pretty close, and it’s evident in the way he looks at her how much he loves and cares for her.

  “I wanted to come here and personally thank you for saving my little girl’s life. I know
, given the circumstances, we both could’ve lost her that day, and I’ll forever be grateful you came to her rescue.”

  Looking at Emily, my heart pounds harder hearing the truth in his words.

  I love her so much, and if the opportunity to tell her would’ve been taken away from me, I would’ve been even more devastated. I’m not going to take being able to tell her how I truly feel for granted.

  “I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” I tell him truthfully.

  Fiona enters the room and informs us I can probably go home in a couple of days, which is a goddamn relief. Any longer and I’ll go stir-crazy in here, but I know it’s all procedure.

  My parents leave for the night, but I know they’ll be back before I get discharged. I’m sure they’ve been giving updates to the rest of the family, and when Emily hands me my cell, I see dozens of messages and voicemails.

  “Well, I’ll let you get some rest and head back to my hotel,” Dr. Bell says. “I’ll stop in before I head back to Houston,” he tells Emily. “I love you.” She hugs him before he turns away. “Oh.” He stops and spins back around. “Congrats. I’m happy for the both of you.” He winks at us before walking out and closing the door behind him, so it’s only Emily and me.

  “Congrats?” I ask puzzled. “What’s he talking about?”

  “Well—” she begins, then stops when I interrupt her.

  “Wait…” I rack my brain as the memories surfaces. “I remember.” I look up at Emily, and a wide smile spreads across my face. “We’re having a baby.”

  She nods and bursts into tears. She covers her mouth, trying to hold them back, but I don’t want her to. Reaching for her hand, I pull her closer until her forehead is against mine.

  “I didn’t think I’d ever feel this kind of happiness in my lifetime, but you continue to surprise me, and every day, you make me happier and happier. I had no idea what true happiness felt like until you came into my life and showed me. Now that you’re carrying my baby, I’m pretty sure my heart might burst.” I cup her cheeks and press her mouth to mine, tasting her salty tears on my lips. “I love you and our baby so fucking much. Don’t ever doubt that for a second.”

  “I’m so relieved to hear you say that because I’ll be honest and say I was mildly freaking out at first. Then before I even had the chance to tell you, Richard grabbed me, and when he stabbed you, I thought for sure the opportunity for us to be a family had been taken away. I don’t ever want to take that for granted again.”

  “I remember your words,” I reassure her. “I just didn’t grasp them until now.”

  “Are you sure you’re ready for this? That we’re ready?”

  I smile and look into her gorgeous green eyes. “Never been surer of anything in my life as long as it’s with you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  EMILY

  THREE MONTHS LATER…

  Evan has been an absolute dream come true, and sometimes, I still pinch myself to make sure he’s real. I love how excited he is for the baby even though the morning sickness all night long makes me miserable. He’s always there to hold my hair back and get me anything I need—including the black licorice that makes him cringe. He definitely has a softer side that I love just as much as his hardass, brooding one.

  Things definitely didn’t start out easy for us, but it’s all been worth it so far. I’m waiting for Evan to show me his third eye or tell me he has a love child or something, none of which he has. Though he’s not perfect, I can’t deny that he’s perfect for me. Each day, my love for Evan grows, and I know he’s going to make the best dad.

  Together, we’re going to give our little one a wonderful homelife on the ranch, and he or she will be surrounded by a family who loves wholeheartedly. I promised myself when I had kids, I’d make sure he or she was given everything I wished I had as a child—unconditional love, affection, and lots of adventures. Though having a baby wasn’t something I’d planned on yet, considering I wanted to focus on my career, my plans have changed, and I’m okay with that.

  It helps that Evan fully understands the lifestyle of being a doctor, and that’ll always be something that bonds us together. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s sexy as sin, has a family that loves me, and continues to show me how loyal and protective he is. He’s the full package, and I’m happy to say he’s mine.

  Kiera was more than ecstatic to hear I’m expecting. Of course, once the shock of everything that happened with Richard and Evan’s injury wore off, she went into planner mode. She’s already sent a list of her favorite baby names, links to cute nursery themes, and ideas for the baby shower she insists on hosting—she may have to fight Mrs. Bishop for that one though. She’s gone completely nuts, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  “So I have a confession to make,” I tell Evan as I continue getting ready.

  “That you love me more than black licorice, I’m the best sex you’ve ever had, and that no other man has ever made you come as many times as I have,” Evan spits out so effortlessly, I can’t help but wonder if he’s been thinking on that one for quite some time.

  “Yeah, something like that.” I snort, shaking my head at his arrogance. “Actually, I was snooping through some of the patient files from when I was off work that week and found a rather interesting one.”

  “Oh yeah?” he asks, reaching for his shirt and muttering curse words that my clothes have taken over half of his closet. Once Evan was discharged from the hospital, I stayed at his place and took care of him, and eventually, I sold my condo and moved in with him permanently. Then we decided to make plans to build a house closer to his family, which I’m the most excited for.

  “Does the name Justin Hayes ring a bell?” I hold back a smile. I nearly choked laughing when I read over the chart yesterday.

  His eyes widen as he pinches his lips together. “Yeah, you mean Mr. Butt Plug and his Prince Albert?”

  I cluck my tongue and point my finger at him. “Bingo.”

  He chuckles. “What about him?”

  “Well…” I hesitate but then go for it anyway. “It wasn’t exactly the way I envisioned you meeting my ex-boyfriend, but I gotta say I’m quite glad I wasn’t there.” I burst out laughing, unable to contain it when the realization hits his face, and he scowls.

  “You’re joking.”

  “Wish I was because what the fuck was he thinking, but yeah, that was him.” I cringe, thinking about his hands and mouth on me. Ugh. What a freak.

  “Why the hell would he be all the way up here?” He asks the same question I had when I saw his name.

  “I have no idea. He has friends all over the state from college and med school, but damn, that’s a long drive for a booty call.”

  He snickers. “Literally.”

  “Oh God.” A realization hits me. “Every few months, he’d take road trips to visit friends up here, and now I’m wondering if that’s what he was doing the whole time.” Considering I caught him cheating on me, it’s not a farfetched idea. I never thought twice about it because I knew most of his guy friends, but now I’m wondering if it was all a cover-up to meet chicks and have weird, kinky sex with them.

  “He’s obviously an idiot,” Evan says. “Didn’t know a good thing when he had it. Should’ve shaken his hand and thanked him for giving you up.” He chuckles, and I roll my eyes.

  “Just so you know, I never did anything with a butt plug. In case you were wondering.”

  “Too bad.” He stalks toward me, looking sexy as hell in his snug T-shirt. “I wouldn’t mind playing with one in your tight little ass.” He wraps his arms around me and leans over to whack me on the butt.

  “You’re awful,” I tease, chuckling. “Is it weird that I’m wondering how far a person has to push a butt plug in for it to get stuck?”

  He shakes his head at me then starts widening his fingers apart to show me how many inches the plug was. “Probably a good five or six inches.”

  I shudder at the thought of it.

  “Well, i
f the baby didn’t make me nauseous before, that just did.”

  He laughs, leaning down to press a soft kiss on my lips. “We should probably head out anyway.”

  “Okay, I think I’m ready.”

  Evan’s wearing his cowboy boots and Levi’s. Though he spends most of his days off helping on the ranch, I’m still not used to seeing him dressed like this and ready to work. Being a good sport and wanting to help out too, I put on my best impression of cowgirl clothes too—jeans, boots, and a snug T-shirt that hugs my growing baby bump.

  “You know you’re not working out in the pastures with us,” he tells me as we walk to the truck with his arm around me. Since finding out I was pregnant, he’s made sure I take it easy and don’t overwork myself, though I’m perfectly capable.

  “Why not? Your father already said it was fine.”

  Evan rolls his eyes but gives me a sideways smirk. “You know he was just trying to make you happy, but Mama isn’t going to let you go out there carrying her grandbaby either.”

  “We’ll see.” I bite my bottom lip, and he pulls me into his arms and kisses me.

  “You’re so defiant, and you know what that does to me. We might need to be late,” he says, arching his hips into my body, feeling his erection.

  “No, sir.” I chuckle, finding the strength to push him away. “You know punctuality is your middle name. Can’t be late. Plus, your mama is making lunch and expects us to be there.”

  “Right.” He grunts.

  Mrs. Bishop insisted we come for lunch, and I couldn’t deny the invitation. I’ve noticed she has a way of making people do exactly what she wants without the guilt trip; it’s a part of her Southern charm. As we drive to the ranch, I can’t stop laughing when Evan suggests we go home, take off our clothes, and lie around naked all day.

  “We have plans, though,” I remind him.

  “It’s hot as fuck outside,” he snaps back with a smirk.

  “And you’re suggesting what again?”

  He doesn’t have to say another word. With a simple eyebrow raise, I know exactly what he wants to do instead. Being pregnant has made my sex drive increase to a crazy level, and I almost consider it, but skipping lunch isn’t an option. I laugh again, but he gives me his infamous smoldering sexy look, and I’m tempted to tell him to turn the truck around to do exactly as he suggested.