by C. M. Lally
I race through the doors of the waiting area and find Aran there, going through a massive envelope full of children’s drawings. I look at her quizzically.
“They’re from our elementary school. All the kids wrote him Get Well notes.” She has tears in her eyes.
I say, “Wipe those tears sister, because…” I leave a long, dramatic long pause, and squeal: “He’s awake!”
She jumps up, dropping all of the cards and pictures off her lap and onto the floor. She jumps up and down as we hold hands and swing around and around the waiting room, like little girls on the playground.
We sit down on the ground, picking up the drawings and cards as I give her the details of him waking up. They are rather personal, but I don’t care.
She starts crying as I relay the story. “That’s so romantic,” she teases.
I swat at her jokingly. We’ve become so close over the past week. It felt good calling her sister.
We are still sitting there talking as a hoard of doctors comes into the waiting room. I’m startled at first and start to get up, thinking something went wrong with Nick after I left. We’ve never had this many doctors give us his daily report.
One of them notices the shock and panic on our faces, and rushes to reassure us that everything is fine. One doctor speaks for everyone, and asks us to come with them to a more convenient meeting room. We agree, and are escorted to another floor, into a room that looks like an executive board room. More people join us, with notebooks, pads and tablets. Everyone has a smart phone in their hand or pocket. They all have name badges and title placards on them somewhere. I see many RNs, an AD badge, a few PTs and OTs. One says SW. The remaining ones just say MD.
Eventually the meeting starts and it’s a presentation on Nick’s progress and prognosis. They explain what we can expect in the future, now that he is out of the induced coma. They go over potential setbacks and what’s considered a success when it occurs. They give us timetables for healing.
We also go over potential surgeries, if Nick wants them. Some won’t be optional, but he has to meet certain goals first before they can be scheduled.
When all of the speakers have had their chance to talk, I sink down into my chair, afraid to speak. I look over at Aran, and she appears to be in control and fully coherent. I watch her green eyes thinking and considering, forming opinions and questions inside that mind.
I, on the other hand, am a fucking mess.
They all look back and forth between the both of us. One of them finally asks, “Do you have any questions at this time?”
The only thought forming in my brain is “I’m overwhelmed,” and I must have said it out loud because the room gently laughs.
The lady with the SW badge rises and says, “From today forward, I’ll be meeting with you daily to keep walking you through this maze of health care schedules. Don’t feel like you have to take it all in now. This was just an informational session to keep you in the loop, and give you some control over the situation.”
We both nod our heads in agreement with her, as Aran thanks her for speaking up.
Social Services keeps their promise. They meet with us daily and help us to navigate Nick’s inpatient rehabilitation and surgical schedule. He’s eventually moved to a facility closer to Knightsen, so everyone can go home and gain some normalcy.
Zeus comes back to my house. Nick’s dad had been watching him, and I could tell he didn’t want to give him up after spending so much time together. According to Aran, Zeus was his last connection to his late wife. Maybe we can get him a puppy once Aran goes back to college in a few weeks. I’ll talk to Nick about it.
Life has been full, coming back home. We’ve all been a part of several fundraisers to help Nick with his medical bills. He doesn’t like that idea and gets defensive about it, but the public has spoken and they want to help. So we go and drink, sing, dance, and eat, with most proceeds going to Nick or the hospital directly.
Aran has kept Nick pretty busy signing things to auction off for the raffle baskets at these fundraisers. She swears it’s great OT or PT for him, with his arms. I think she’s the only one who could get him to do it. She must have some really juicy dirt on him. She just laughs it off when I ask how she does it. She’s busy packing to go back to school today, so we can’t go together like we’ve been doing.
I head on over to see him alone.
Chapter 23
Nick
Jenna’s on her way over. She doesn’t know I’m going home for good today. I begged the nurses and orderlies not to tell her. I bribed them with signed footballs and pictures, or anything they wanted signed, not to let on.
I’ve got Aran cooking dinner at my house for us. It’s been a long six weeks, and I’m eighty percent healed. Jenna and I are going to talk about us today. I don’t want to go home and not have her with me. I will not spend one more night without her.
It’s killed me not to be able to drag her into my bed and have my way with her, no matter how limited that might be. Lately, she’s taken to bringing my sister with her during her visits. I don’t know what that’s all about, but I suspect it has to do with control. She’s afraid we’d lose it if we were left alone. I still haven’t told her I love her. And she hasn’t said it since I’ve been conscious.
Well, not anymore. She’s mine, tonight and forever.
I’ve already been released and signed every paper imaginable, setting me free from this place. It’s not that they haven’t been good to me here, but I want my own bed and my things. My coffee and my food. My girlfriend wrapped around me in my sheets. I’m literally just waiting for my ride. She had better get here soon, or she’s gonna get punished for being late.
She breezes through the door right as I end my previous thought. Maybe I’ll punish her anyway for making me wait longer than I wanted.
I’m not in my bed as she expects, but up and dressed, with my suitcase in my hand. “You’re late,” I say.
She whirls around to find me and plasters a sunshine smile on her face.
“What’s going on?” she asks, walking towards me with her arms wide open for a hug. I drop my bag and pull her up onto me, now that I’m IV-free. I wrap her legs around my hips and hold her against me by grabbing her ass. I squeeze and release it several times while lingering with my kisses. “I get to go home today, and you’re my ride.”
“Oh, I’ll ride you, all right. Let’s go, now!” She laughs, pushing me out the door.
We hold hands, racing each other through the halls and through the front entrance to the parking lot. She’s been driving my truck to get her back and forth between here and work, and I can’t wait to see her take the wheel. She’s like a little stick of dynamite tucked into a mountain.
She tosses me the keys, but I just toss them back to her. “No. You’re driving. I wanna see this.”
She grins and runs to the driver-side door. “All right, buckle up. Safety first,” she informs me as I comply with her demands.
We arrive at my house, and she bounds out of the truck, coming to my side to help me. I take her hand in mine, and once my feet hit the ground, I pull her to me, rolling us to pin her up against my truck. “I’ve got a special evening planned for us,” I whisper in her ear as I kiss down her neck. “I have a nice dinner ready, then we’re going to talk about us. Once we have that established, I’m going to make love to you like you’ve never known. Does that sound good to you?” I lick her lips and kiss her deeply, not giving her time to reply. She groans into my mouth.
I’ll take that as a yes. I pull back and walk her through the front door, anxious to get this started so we can get to the amazing part.
I open the door, and the smell of baked spaghetti wafts to us. I can smell bread in the air, too. Aran has perfect timing it seems. I lead Jenna to the dining room, and we both release our breath in awe. The table is set for two, with my mom’s ivory tablecloth and fine china. The silverware is polished and gleaming. Candles are lit and reflecting off the dining r
oom mirror, illuminating the room even more. The rest of the house lights have been dimmed, and Aran has soft music playing.
It’s a perfect scene to make a perfect lady mine.
I pull her seat out for her, and guide it back to the table. I cut the casserole and place it on her plate, then pour us some wine, serving her first, as it should be. I glance up at her between bites and lose my train of thought. The flickering candles light up her big blue eyes, and I’m lost to her forever.
I am so in love with this woman; I have been for months. I just never found the right words to tell her. When I look at her, she makes my legs tingle and feel weak, like I just got sacked by a linebacker. I know if I try to stand in that moment, I’ll just fall down at her feet. But other times I hear her burst out laughing uncontrollably at something I said, and I feel as big and strong as a bear, proud that I made her lose control like that.
I crave those moments when I kiss her breathless and she throws her head back in passion, moaning for more, roaming her greedy hands over my body. She makes me feel loved and wanted. It warms me up from the inside.
That’s the love I feel for her; I just can’t seem to express it to her. Tonight, I’m going to try.
We finish our meal mostly in silence. I don’t eat much, too nervous that I’m going to screw this up. But if I do manage to say something wrong, I’ll just keep talking until I make it right this time. Lesson learned.
I walk her over to my couch, bringing the candles with us. I leave the music playing in the background. I sit down and put two pillows on my lap, asking her to lay back against them. I want her to lean on me—mostly to give me strength, but she doesn’t need to know that. I let her get comfortable while I find my words.
I run my fingers over her face and lift her hair back over her shoulders, smoothing it down her back. “Listen, Jenna. I want you to know that I could hear you in the hospital. I heard every word you said, from your disastrous trip to Los Angeles to my sister telling you horrid stories about me as a little boy. It all soaked in, and I want you to know that I love you, too.” I watch tears well up in her eyes. “Shh, don’t cry. This is the good part.” I bend down and kiss her lips. “I’ve loved you since before we knew each other’s names. I’ve been watching you sing for months, enthralled at how perfect you were, prancing around up on stage, singing your kind of sassy bad-assery. I kept wondering when you were going to see me in that crowd. I knew my time would come. I had faith, and it did come. I want you in my life every day. I want to be your choice, the one who gets to stay to experience your life with you. I only want you. Please say you’ll move in here with me, so that we can create us? Please say you want this, too? I love you so much, Jenna. Be mine?”
I lift her face up with my hands and clear the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs. She looks up at me through her lashes. “Yes. I want to create us. I’ll move in with you—and Zeus. You’re all I’ve ever wanted since the day I ran into you in the parking lot. I’d been watching you for months too. I saw you that first night I sang. I was drawn to you, but you had a wall built up. I could see it, and I had to figure out a way to climb up it to get to you. I left that first blue note on your truck that night, deciding I was just going to chip away at that wall. It’s nice to know I finally broke through. It took forever. I love you too, Nick.”
I scoop her up off my lap and carry her into what is now our bedroom. I set her down on the bed and lean down to her, slowly kissing her breathless. I unbutton the row of pearls going down the front of her shirt and push the sides open, exposing her lace bra.
Her pink nipples jut out, poking at the lace. I run my thumbs over the hardness of them and hear her exhale a sharp breath. I nibble at her skin, trailing kisses down her chest, sucking one nipple up into my mouth through the fabric. I pull the cup down and suck again as she arches her back high. She moans and grabs at my hair, cupping her hands around my neck, guiding me to her other nipple. I pull that cup down to grab hold of that nipple with my teeth, as well.
She is magnificent. She cries out my name as I sit up and release her nipple with a loud pop. I watch her scoot her butt back and forth on the bed, writhing, trying to grind and find friction to ease her ache.
“I’ve got you, Jenna. I’ll take care of you tonight. I promise.” I grab the waist of her shorts, pulling them down and tossing them to the floor. I sit up on my knees and just admire the view for a few moments, thanking the heavens above for giving me one of their Angels. I slide my fingers into the top of her lace panties and slowly slide them down her legs, caressing my palms down the length of her legs as I go, tossing the panties away as well.
Then I climb back up the bed, spreading her thighs wide and planting kisses up her legs every few inches. I stop at her knees, looking up at her to make sure she’s watching. She’s got lust in her eyes, and I know I can take care of that. I see her pink pussy glistening with wetness. She’s soaked for me, and I love that I do that to her. She gives me everything I’ve ever needed.
I bend forward and slide the tip of my tongue up her bare slit, sucking her hard clit into my mouth. I grab her ass and pull her closer to me. Separating her lips with my fingers, I continue to lave, lick, suck, and stroke her pussy with my tongue until I hear her whimper and lose control. Her breathing gets harder as she lets out a long, broken moan. She writhes uncontrollably and bucks her hips, pushing herself into my face by digging her heels into the bed. She wants more. I can feel her legs tremble and I know she’s close.
She comes, pressing her thighs against my head and grabbing my hair in a death grip. She screams my name, repeating it over and over until her voice is hoarse and it falls away in silence. I press two fingers inside, and feel her vaginal walls throbbing as she sucks my fingers into her. I stroke her gently with my fingers, coaxing her to come down from her high.
I feel her release her tight grip on my head as I stroke her stomach and kiss her hips. I run my tongue up the soft spots between her stomach and breasts, only to stop and suck on each nipple again. She pulls me up to her and kisses me deeply, tasting herself on my lips. I love the dirty girl side of her. She unbuttons my jeans and pushes everything down to my knees, watching my hard dick spring forth, licking her lips.
I’m hard as a rock, wanting her badly, but I don’t want to just fuck her tonight. I’m going to go slow and show her my love. I want her to feel it in every touch and breath I release.
I slide over to the side of her, pulling the nightstand drawer open and reaching for a condom.
She pats my hands away from the drawer. “There’s no need for that. We just committed ourselves to each other. It’s okay.”
I rub my hands softly up the sides of her thighs and twist her hips to meet mine. I guide myself into her, feeling her inhale against my neck and exhale as I slowly pull out. I enter her again, over and over, pushing as deeply into her as I can with every stroke. My God, she feels incredible. She’s velvet-smooth and warm as sunshine on my face.
This is what coming home feels like.
I roam my hands over her body, worshiping every single inch of her—every single inch that belongs to me. I will love her until the day I die.
I feel her body squeeze my cock tighter and tighter, like a vice, as she starts to whimper, mewling like a kitten. “Nick, I’m close again. Baby, I need faster,” she pants.
“No, babe. Tonight is about slow. Just relax. I told you I’ll take care of you. I promise. Just enjoy it.” I grip my hands on the back of her thighs and pull them up into the air, laying them bent over my shoulders. I change angles and create a steady pace for her to get off on, my dick rubbing her clit up and down with every stroke. This angle makes me go deeper into her, and I growl loudly in frustration not wanting to go faster and have it all be over.
Her pussy is so tight around me that the moment I speed up, her heat will make me come. I bend slightly forward and tweak her sensitive nipples to distract myself. She arches her back, twisting the sheets up in her hands, forcing her breasts
into my face. My cock bulges and I get that heavy pressure feeling in my balls.
She waves her hands in the air wanting me to lean closer, then rubs her hands up and down my stomach, feeling the valleys of my abdomen. I can’t take her touch anymore. Each stroke of her fingers on me pushes me toward the edge. I grab her ankles from over my shoulders, wrap my fingers around them, and simply thrust into her over and over, spilling my seed into her.
Then I ease out of her, rolling us over and pulling her to me, laying her chest against mine. Our hearts beat rapidly together. Our breaths mingle as one.
We both lean forward and kiss each other like there is only now.
There is only us.
Epilogue
Nick
9 months later…
I’ve been away from her for too long. Sometimes, I feel like I can’t breathe without her with me. Aw, hell. Who am I kidding? I can’t breathe without her. Period.
Damn these highways out of San Francisco. I hate sitting here, motioning to the lady in the minivan to go in front of me. “C’mon, merge quickly, people.” I pick up the velvet box on the seat next to me, rubbing my thumb over it again for the millionth time, trying to relax. I’m going to explode if I don’t get there soon.
I need to calm down. I refuse to finally get home to her frazzled and aggravated with road rage.
I miss her love. Her warm touch. Her laugh. Her naughty side. I need her every day to function. Oh, jeez.
I’m so glad the guys can’t hear my thoughts, although I’m sure they all love their wives. Their wives. Jenna will be my wife soon. I just need to get there to ask her.
Traffic slowly picks up speed, and I merge into the lane I need. One more mile to pass, and I’m onto the bridge and out of the city.
The puzzle pieces of my fucked-up life have been put together, and now the picture is complete. She’s going to be mine before the end of tonight, even if I have to walk to get to her. I’ve been in contract meetings with ESPN for the last two days, separated from her. My life has kind of been turned upside-down after getting caught in that forest fire last summer.