Graham awoke confused, blinking as he turned his head in every direction, trying to figure out where he was. Voices in the distance told him there were other people around. It took him a few moments to remember. The Kobricks. He was in hiding. With Kate.

He blew out a breath and glanced down. He was still wearing a towel. The sheets were pulled over his feet. Kate must have done that before she left. He’d been too warm for more covers. Somehow she’d sensed that and left him alone.

He reached out with one hand and patted the mattress, looking for the clothes he knew she’d left near him. The phone Blair had given him was sitting on the pile of clothes. She had been thoughtful. He should call his parents.

He needed to get dressed first and foremost. The idea of exposing himself to Kate before he was able to do anything about his attraction didn’t sit well.

He understood rationally she’d seen him naked, but a man in a coma was just a body. She was a medical professional. Seeing him naked while he was awake was an entirely different story.

Feeling stronger after his nap, he was able to pull on underwear and black sweatpants. He would be much happier when he got his hands on a pair of jeans. But the easier clothing would have to do for now. He also managed to pull to sitting and shrug a T-shirt over his head. And then he flopped back down with a sigh.

This really sucked. He was a horrible patient and an impatient human being. He hated not being able to do things for himself. If he could fast forward a week, he would in a heartbeat.

He took a breath and picked up the cell, palming it for a moment before dialing with shaky fingers. He knew his parents’ home phone by heart, assuming they hadn’t changed it in ten years.

After three rings, his mother’s gentle voice came through. “Hello?”

“Mom. It’s me. Graham.”

Silence. Several seconds of silence. What did he expect? “Graham?” Her tone was off, softer, questioning. “Is it really you?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” He smiled. It felt good to hear her voice.

Her breath hitched, and she let out a sob. “My God. It’s so hard to believe.”

“I know, Mom. I’m struggling to grasp it myself.”

“I followed the news. I knew there was a chance. But, I refused to let myself hope.”

His eyes slid closed. “I know it’s crazy. I wanted to hear your voice. I don’t have much time right now. Things are…hectic. But I wanted you to know I’m alive. I’m perfectly healthy. I haven’t even aged. I’m still the same me. When things calm down, I’ll get in touch with you again. Hopefully I can come visit soon.”

“Oh, honey, we would love that. Can we come see you?”

“Not yet, Mom. I really want to see you, but the government is trying to handle this delicately.”

“Okay, but soon?”

“Yes. How’s Dad?”

“He’s going to be furious when he finds out he missed your call.” She let out a forced chuckle.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. Give him my love please. I can’t use this phone again, so the number won’t help you.”

“Why? What’s wrong? Are you in danger?”

“No, Mom. I’m fine. They’re being extra cautious. I promise I’ll be able to see you soon.”

“I’m so happy. There are no words.” She sobbed again.

“I know. I promise I’ll call again as soon as possible, but it might take a few weeks.”

“Okay. I love you, honey.”

“I love you too, Mom.” He ended the call and gripped the phone against his chest. Hardest call of his life. His poor mother. What she must have gone through, especially in the last few months. Waiting. Hoping. And now he’d just had to ask her to wait even longer until everything with this Blue Cell shook out.

A soft knock on the door was followed by Kate sticking her head in.

He rolled his upper body her direction and reached out a hand.

She came to him, sat on the edge of the bed, and threaded her fingers with his.

“Sorry I was short with you earlier.” He handed her the phone.

“No problem. I remember vividly how frustrated I was for the first week. You’re way ahead of me both physically and mentally. You’ll be up walking around in no time. Did you call your parents?”

He nodded.

She disabled the phone and removed the battery. “Sorry. I remember how hard that call was.”

He didn’t deserve her, but he wasn’t going to let her get away either. From the moment she’d revealed she’d been attracted to him, he’d vowed to himself that she would be his. It didn’t matter that he’d thought she was out of his league, because it was apparent she didn’t see it that way. So, he was not about to give her a moment to change her mind.

“Can I stretch your legs? We haven’t done any exercises today.”

He nodded and rolled back so he was flat and staring at the ceiling. “The lucky thing for you is that I’ll never forget how well you took care of me when I needed it most. When you’re ninety and you fall and break your hip, I’ll dote on you like you’re the queen.” He shot her a grin.

She rolled her eyes as she lifted his closest leg and stretched it upward. “You’re incredibly confident about us. It makes me nervous.”

Bingo. “Why?” he asked. He would push her because he really didn’t think whatever her hesitation was had anything to do with him.

She shrugged, not meeting his gaze. “It’s just that we’ve kind of only known each other a few days, and we’re living under seriously intense circumstances. I worry.” She let that last word drop off as she bent his leg another direction.

He reached for her wrist on his leg and squeezed it. “We’ve known each other for years. I realize I was an idiot for all those years, hiding from you while thinking you were too vibrant and alive for me, but I know what your heart looks like.”

She shot him a glance, frowning. “What does my heart look like?” She brought his knee to his chest and stretched his glutes.

He still held her wrist. “You’re incredibly devoted to saving lives and work tirelessly to find a cure for any disease that hits your desk. You’re funny, with a friendly disposition that makes everyone around you feel better no matter what kind of day they’re having. When you laugh, the room lights up.”

She didn’t meet his gaze, but he could see the flush growing up her neck and cheeks.

He gave her arm a tug to make sure she was paying close attention. “I’m positive that when you love, you do so with everything you have and everything you are. I won’t squander the opportunity to own that.”

“I wouldn’t know,” she murmured, and then she climbed onto the bed and over his legs so she could work on his opposite leg.

“I get that. I’m sure you don’t give your heart away flippantly. I’m humbled that you would give me this opportunity. I promise I will never for a single day in my life make you sorry you took a chance on me.” Deep words for a burgeoning relationship that had no legs yet. They hadn’t even kissed. But he knew. And he also knew she did too.

She didn’t respond, and he let her continue working in silence for another ten minutes, though he watched her closely. When she finished, she surprised him by crawling up to his side and flattening her body along his, her head resting on his shoulder, her hand on his belly.

He held his breath, thanking God for this step, and gently settled his hand around her.

She lay there for several minutes before speaking against his chest. “There are things about me you don’t know. I’m worried about what you might think of me after I tell you.”

He swallowed. It was impossible to imagine she had deep secrets he wouldn’t be able to live with. “I’m sure there are hundreds of things about you I don’t know. Give me a chance. Maybe if you tell me a few important ones, I can put your fears to rest.”

She sighed and hesitated a few beats before dragging her fingers around his chest in an absent-minded pattern she was most likely unaware of. “You said you thought I was out of your league, when the truth is I have extremely limited experience with men.”

He sucked in a shallow breath, not wanting her to notice any reaction from him. Inside, he was fist pumping. Damn, she was hot. If she thought her lack of experience made her less attractive, she’d lost a few marbles. What were the chances two grown adults would have an equal lack of experience? “Why would I be disappointed to hear that?” he finally managed.

She shrugged against him. “You’re suddenly so confident and sure of yourself. And maybe you’re too sure of me. I’m worried you’ve got some inflated fantasy about me as if I’m some sort of sex goddess who’s going to rock your world.”

He couldn’t help it. The laugh bubbled out of him before he could stop it.

When she stiffened and then started to push off him, he grasped her tighter. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh. You just shocked me.”

She stopped shoving, but she did lift her face to glare at him, propping her upper body off his torso. “Graham, this is the hardest conversation I’ve ever had in my life, and you’re laughing. I’d rather take a verbal exam about human anatomy in front of a twelve-person board of professors than look you in the eye and explain my lack of experience.”

He sobered fast, wiping the smile off his face. “Kate, I’m so sorry. It was a knee-jerk reaction to your concerns. It’s physically impossible for you not to rock my world. I was shocked you would think so.” He ran a hand up and down her back, hoping to calm her. “I’m truly sorry,” he repeated in a lower voice.

Her face was red, and she looked away, pursing her lips. This was very serious for her.

He needed to tread carefully. His laughter hadn’t helped. He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Let’s clear the air here. How many men have you slept with?” Did she think she might not be able to please him in bed? Because that was crazy.

She took a slow breath. “None.”

Fuck me.

Graham seriously needed to choose his words carefully. They mattered. She mattered. A fuck of a lot. “Okay. Let me set you straight on a few things. One, that is the sexiest thing you could ever say to me. So, if you think I would be put off by that, you’re wrong.

“Two, my understanding is that when you’re with the right person, it all falls into place perfectly. It’s instinctive.”

She flinched. “How many right people have you been with?”

He smiled. “None.”

Her eyes widened but then narrowed. “How many wrong people have you been with?”

He gave her another shy smile. “None. I’m a virgin.”

He watched her swallow, eyes wide again. “Seriously?”

He ran a hand up and down her back again. “Yes. So we’re in the same boat. I’m sure you’re shocked about my lack of experience considering how smooth my game is. Ha ha. But we’ll figure it out together.”

She took a breath. “What a double standard. Here I’ve been worrying myself sick about telling you I’m a virgin, and all the time you had the same secret. You never even considered it might be an issue for me to find out you were a virgin.”

He shrugged. “True. I didn’t worry about your reaction to my innocence. Didn’t seem like it would be a deal breaker for you. You seem like the type of woman who might find it endearing, but trust me, it’s not like I didn’t get harassed plenty by the guys in my gym class in high school.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t you want to know why I haven’t lost my virginity?”

“I assume it’s pretty much the same reason I haven’t lost mine. No point just having sex for the sake of doing it with a random stranger. When the right person came along, you would know it. Right?” And the right person is currently looking me in the eye, flushed and gorgeous.

She chewed on her bottom lip, her face dipped toward his chest. “Yeah. But, well, I’m not ready to have sex, so I need you to respect that for a while. You’re moving at a fast pace. I need more time.”

He set his hand on the side of her head and stroked it down her hair. “Kate, look at me.” He waited for her gaze to lock on his. “I would never do anything to intentionally make you uncomfortable. Never. We move at whatever pace you want.”

“Thank you.” She was trembling.

He would do anything to ease her fears. Her virginity was obviously not the deal breaker she had presumed, though he still found her concerns mind-boggling. It was sweet and would bring him to his knees if he could stand. But he did need to respect her wishes and act accordingly.

She nodded slowly. “For me it’s just a personal decision. At some point along the way when I was in my early twenties, I realized I wasn’t like other women. I wasn’t made to jump into bed with random men and have meaningless sex. In fact, the idea does nothing for me. I want the world. The dream. And I won’t settle for less.”

He stroked his fingers through her hair, so endeared to her. “That’s beautiful, Kate.”

She flushed and set her cheek on his chest again, but she spoke. “Don’t get me wrong. You’re the first man to tempt me. But I want to be sure. And more importantly, I want you to be sure. It would destroy me if we gave that piece of ourselves to each other and then you changed your mind about us.” She lifted her face again. “I need to feel certain, and I need to be assured you do too. Maybe that’s corny, but it’s who I am.”

His heart leaped out of his chest. It was hers. Did she realize he was holding it in his hand, offering it to her to do with as she pleased? No matter what happened, she already owned a piece of him, and she had the power to destroy him as well. “It’s not corny. Corny is how often I practiced lines in my mirror trying to get up the nerve to talk to you. I was pretty sure my scientific pick-up lines wouldn’t go over well.”

She gave him a slight smile. “I don’t know about that. I’m kind of into science nerds. Try me.”

“Okay, well, my personal favorite is ‘do you have eleven protons because you’re sodium fine.’”

She giggled. “Yeah, you’re right. That’s pretty bad.”

He sobered. “But truly, you aren’t corny. I respect you and any choice you make.”

She cleared her throat and looked him in the eye again. “That’s why I need us to take this slow. It’s so fast. It feels like we’ve gone at the speed of light toward something I’ve wanted so badly for so long that I don’t trust it to be real. It scares me.”

He threaded his fingers in her hair, loving the silky feel of it. “I know it’s fast, but it’s also not. Imagine if we hadn’t been in those cryostats for ten years and we’d simply discovered our mutual attraction with each other suddenly this week after tiptoeing around for three years. We would be in this same position.”

She gave him a coy grin. “Except you would have the strength to tempt my resolve.”

He grinned. “Okay, there is that. You’re probably right. My lack of stamina and our situation is buying you all the time you want, but I would never rush you anyway.”

She cocked her head to one side and shot him a look. “You’ve done nothing but rush me.”

“Emotionally, maybe. I’ll admit I’m anxious for you to admit you’re so into me that it makes you flustered. It’s nice not being the only one who feels this way all the time, but I would never rush you physically.”

“Every time you touch me, my body lights on fire and I start to panic.”

“I know.” He grinned. “That’s why I want you to admit we’re already a couple. The rest will fall into place.”

“You haven’t even kissed me. What if there’s no spark? What if one of us doesn’t like how the other kisses?”

His grip in her hair tightened and he set his other hand on top of the one she’d rested on his chest. “You’ve been reading too many romance novels.”

She groaned. “Give me a break. When have I had time to read romance novels?”

“Okay. Okay. But you have it all backward. The spark is already a given. You seriously can’t fuck up a kiss with someone you’re head over heels for.”

“Yeah, well…” Her voice was filled with that doubt again.

This, he could fix. “Come here.” He gave her head a nudge forward.

“Why?” She gave him that narrowed skeptical eye again.

“Because I’m going to kiss you and put that fear at ease.”

“You’ve only been awake three days. You need more rest. You’re getting ahead of yourself,” she hedged.

“My lips are working fine.” He slid his hand to the back of her neck. “Lifting my head to come to you or flipping you on your back so I can hover over you are currently not options, though, so I need you to come to me.”

She licked her lips and glanced at his. And then painstakingly slowly, she smoothed her hand up his chest and lowered her body over his.

He grabbed her arm with one hand, still cupping her neck with the other. Every inch of her delectable body against his was heaven. And then she kissed him.

It started out as a simple peck, but he took control, angled her head to one side, and teased her lips with his own, tasting her, luxuriating in the feel of her soft, full mouth against his. When he drew his tongue across her bottom lip, she moaned into his mouth and parted her lips.

Oh yes. This was heaven on earth. He was definitely not dead or dreaming. He was kissing the woman he’d lusted after for three years. And it was perfection.