10
Vivienne
Thirty minutes later, we pull up to the emergency room, and Wade escorts me past the front desk and into the back. He’s greeted by every person we pass. We stop at the desk in the middle of the large room, where he asks for Monica and an X-ray.
Monica comes rushing out and escorts us to a private room. I don’t want Wade in the room with me, to see me like this, but he refuses to wait in the hall. Monica listens attentively during her initial examination. The bruises have already begun to form, so I avoid Wade’s face during the process.
I pull on the hospital gown Monica hands me, and turn, letting Wade tie me off. The warmth of his fingers sends tingles up my spine. I’m glad now that he refused to leave, as the shock of what happened begins to wear off and the pain sets it. Thankfully, the doctor on call has already ordered something to help me relax.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Wade’s voice fills the quiet room we’ve been sitting in for the last twenty minutes. He’s anxious; not that I blame him. Jeffery’s down the hall, and even though he has a guard posted at the door and is unable to stand up right now, knowing he’s close isn’t doing either one of us any good.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.” I shake my head and pick at my nails. I know I’ll have to talk about it eventually, but now isn’t the time. Now is too soon. Now, I just want to get this part over with and stay in bed for a week.
I call Tori while we wait for them to take my X-rays. She’s been in a love bubble with Jason and has all but disappeared. To say she’s shocked and worried is an understatement. It takes me a few minutes to assure her I’m all right. Wade is watching me the whole time, tense, and when I ask Tori if she can pick me up from the hospital, his jaw clenches and he takes the phone out of my hand. “I’ll be taking her home, Tori. To my house. Tell Jason to bring you by.” Then he hangs up and looks at me, daring me to challenge him, but I can’t. I like it when he goes into caveman mode.
“Well, it looks like they can get you into X-ray sooner than we anticipated.” Monica walks into the room but stops suddenly, catching the look passing between Wade and me. “Your mother is going to shit bricks over this one.”
Wade tears his gaze from me and turns to Monica. “She’s going to love Vivienne, don’t you think?”
“She always said you’d fall hard.” The older woman looks at me and winks. I swallow hard. His mother? Shit. With everything going on and the newness of us, I hadn’t considered the world outside out little bubble yet. I have no doubt my family will love him, especially after I tell them about the way he came to my rescue, but I can’t help but worry what his will think of me. “And yes, I think she’s going to love her.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d let me be the one to tell her.” I feel my shoulders sag a little. Monica’s words give me a small feeling of relief.
“Damn, I was hoping to rub it in her face that I got to meet her first.” She laughs.
My X-rays come back clean, indicating Monica’s earlier assessment was correct. While bruised ribs are nothing to be proud of, it means my recovery time won’t take as long. Tomorrow morning is going to be a bitch, though. She wraps my ribs with strict instructions about how to care for them, but it’s Wade who struggles.
It takes three nurses and two doctors to assure him I’m all right, that all I need is rest. In fact, I’ve called in sick at both jobs for the next week at his insistence. I planned on taking some time off anyway, but I’d do anything to put him a more at ease. It’s bad enough he’s about to head back to work for the next week; the guilt over not being there for me is eating at him already. Nothing I seem to say helps.
I’m signing the last of the discharge papers when Randy and JJ stop in with more information about Jeffery. Beyond a broken nose, he is going to be fine physically. Legally, he’ll be facing some serious charges, and after I give my official statement, he won’t see the light of day for a long time.
“You make sure Wade brings you by for dinner sometime.” Monica hands me a copy of the official paperwork and a prescription for some painkillers. “I make the best lasagna in three counties.”
“I look forward to trying it.” I smile, feeling utter acceptance from the older woman. I reach out and hug her close. “Thank you for everything.”
She hugs me back before laughing off her part in helping me. Then she pulls back and grows serious. “He’s worried about you, Vivienne. I know you’ve been through a lot tonight, but almost losing you scared the shit out of him. I’ve never seen him this way about anyone. Take it easy for both of your sakes.” She pauses before reaching out to take my hand. “He’s a good man, and he deserves a good woman. I’m glad you finally came into his life.”
The drive home is surreal. Monica’s words replay in my head over and over. As happy as I am to be in his life, I’m over the moon to have him in mine. I know without a doubt that I’m the lucky one tonight.
He is the reason I’m nursing only bruises and am still breathing.
*****
It’s pretty late by the time Tori and Jason leave, but that doesn’t keep Wade and me from talking long into the night.
“I wish you didn’t have to go in so early,” I whisper into the dark room. Pressed to his side, I drape myself on his chest. The painkillers the ER doctor prescribed took effect an hour ago.
“Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” he asks for the one hundredth time tonight. If I didn’t find his concern so endearing, I would have gone crazy by now.
“You’re cute,” I murmur, letting my hand wander down the length of his chest, over his rock-hard abs, stopping at the waistband of his boxer briefs. Wearing nothing but one of his shirts again, I’ve only been able to think about having him inside of me, reminding me I’m alive. But he’s been dodging my hands and ignoring my not so subtle attempts at getting a response from him.
“Hands off,” he laughs, reaching down to move my hand, but I’m quicker. Slipping my hand into his briefs, I grasp his cock, happy to find it at attention.
“Looks like someone’s happy to see me,” I giggle.
“You need to rest,” he states, wrapping his hand around my wrist, but I tighten my hold on him. He freezes.
“After you make love to me,” I murmur, stretching up to kiss his neck. Make love? Did I really say it like that? “Take these off.”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he groans before releasing my wrist and pulling down his briefs, letting me work his cock.
“We’ll go slow.” Lifting up, I carefully swing a leg over him and straddle him. “Let me do all the work.”
His hands reach for the hem of my shirt, but I don’t stop him, even though I know he’ll be angry I took the wrap off. I lift my arms, and he pulls it over my head. His breath hitches at the sight of my heavy breasts. His mouth finds one nipple, while his hands run along my back.
“Baby, I’m on the pill,” I whisper, feeling his hardness hit my clit. I’m breathless and growing more desperate with each passing second. I need him. The idea of stopping now to put on a condom feels impossible. I lift up and place the tip of his cock at my entrance.
“I haven’t been with anyone in six months, and I had my yearly physical for the station last month. I’m clean.” He barely gets the last two words out before I impale myself on him, taking him all the way down to his pelvis. Our groans are simultaneous and loud. “Fucking perfect.”
I move slowly, careful of my injuries. He matches my movements. His hand snakes in between us, pressing my sensitive nub. The additional pressure creates a new level of high, pushing me closer to the inevitable.
He grits his teeth, picking up the pace on my clit. I groan, loving the way he sets me off. He catches my gaze, quietly saying the words he wants to say with his eyes. I see them. I feel them. It might be too soon to say them out loud, but they’re there.
“Baby, I can’t hold off. You need to get there,” he admits before cupping my breast and pinching the sensitive nipple. What he doesn’t know is that I’ve been holding back, not wanting to rush the moment. I toss my head back and give way to my orgasm, clamping down on him. He jerks and groans underneath me, finding his own release at the same time.
Everything about the moment is more than I ever wished for. Wave after wave setting my heart on fire, setting my soul on fire.