Jason
I dreamt of unicorns being set on fire.
They were extremely unfriendly, and one had Max’s face and a goat’s tail. I jolted awake to an IV pumping me full of fluids, and something heavy on my right foot.
My brain was a bit fuzzy I remembered yelling.
Kicking the tire of my car.
Max.
And lightning.
“Son of a bitch!” I pressed my hands to my throbbing head.
Max kicked the bed with his foot as if he was afraid to reach out and touch me.
Reid and Colt walked in with Starbucks in hand and grins on their faces.
“Took quite a spill back there, slugger.” Max had his sunglasses pulled low, a sucker hanging out of his mouth. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I wish I had my sidearm,” I rasped, my eyes greedily searching for the thing so I could put him down.
“I touched it,” Max confessed, making me groan and close my eyes.
“Don’t worry,” Colton added, “He was supervised, and it wasn’t loaded. Took the clip out the minute he started gazing at it as if it was a steak.”
“I like big guns. They remind me of my giant cock,” Max announced.
The nurse chose that wonderful time to walk in and wave at Max, who just winked back at her. She grabbed my chart and then stumbled when she laid eyes on Reid. They all did. He had this… thing about him that made women stumble all over themselves.
Colt cleared his throat then elbowed Reid. We had taken turns reminding him not to smile too long.
“Right.” She kept reading and then felt my forehead. Her hands were cold, the coolness refreshing. “You were struck by lightning, Mr. Caro. We ran tests, and the only thing that seems to be wrong with you is your toe. We bandaged it up, but there’s really nothing more we can do—”
“They have to amputate,” Max said seriously.
And like an idiot, I believed him.
She gave him a scolding look then tucked her dark hair behind her ear as if she was seconds away from asking him if he wanted to go get coffee, and needing to make herself more appealing by giving him her best side.
Unbelievable.
“He’s kidding. Your toe’s going to be just fine. Try to get some rest. You’ve been through a lot today.”
I eyed Max. “No, really?” Sarcasm dripped off every word while I continued to stare the psycho down, but he just shrugged as if it wasn’t his presence that caused the universe to hate me.
“Take today and the rest of the weekend to rest, all right? No… um… strenuous activities.” Her cheeks pinked.
“Oh, that won’t be a problem,” Max interrupted. “He’s—”
I kicked him with my good foot, shutting him up.
“I’m not currently seeing anyone,” I said in a flat voice. “So, no worries. I won’t be bouncing on a mattress anytime soon.” The thought was so depressing I wanted to bang my head against a wall.
“Bouncing?” Reid frowned. “Who the hell bounces during sex? Are you doing the bouncing, or is she? Because, I gotta tell you, man, if you’re bouncing, you’ve been doing it wrong.”
“Thanks,” I said through clenched teeth. “And I was being sarcastic.”
“Sure you were.” Max patted my good leg.
I swore my entire body was ready to just launch itself at him and strike wherever I could.
The nurse excused herself while I closed my eyes and leaned back against the pillows, dreaming of lips that touched mine, dreaming of making out with my high school girlfriend in the space between our houses. We’d always joked that it was our state line. And every time the chalk line between the pavement of our driveways faded, one of us would take it upon ourselves to draw it up again, step over, and ask for a kiss.
Stupid.
So stupid.
The minute she walked away, I’d grabbed a hose and sprayed away the chalk as the sting of tears burned my eyes.
We were supposed to be forever.
And then she’d turned her back on me.
I groaned. Why was I thinking of her now? She’d probably seen me get hit by lightning. No woman in her right mind would attach herself to me in my current state of chaos.
“So,” Max said interrupting my thoughts, “how was that CPR?”
I felt my body weaken. “Shit, if any part of your mouth touched mine, I’m getting plastic surgery to replace my skin.”
“A bit dramatic,” he laughed. “And no, that was all your ex-girlfriend, the one who broke your heart—”
“I remember. Thanks,” I hissed.
“The kiss?”
“The broken heart,” I corrected, looking away.
“You should bring her flowers, tell her thank you for saving your pathetic life. Maybe draw her a bubble bath—”
“Don’t listen to Max,” Reid piped up. “Women love big gestures, you know? Write her a poem or—”
Colt burst out laughing. “Both of you shut the hell up. He needs to do something that reminds her of how good they were.”
“Stop!” I raised my voice, head pounding. “I’m not thanking her, and I’m sure as hell not touching the one woman who’s still capable of making me regret every decision I ever made in high school, all right? Just drop it!”
A knock sounded on the door.
And then she appeared through it, hands shaking as she held out flowers and a teddy bear.
Numb.
I felt so damn numb when her eyes met mine.
And when she glared, I was ashamed to admit my dick twitched as if it was ready to get on board with whatever sort of punishment she had, if I could only get close to that creamy skin.
“Good to know.” She nodded her head. “Guess I’ll just leave you alone.” She deposited the flowers and teddy into Reid’s hands and ran out.
Shit.
Max started slow-clapping loud enough to make me want to cut off his hands.
I wiped my face with my palms and swore.
“He always had no game?” Reid asked Colt.
Colt stared me down. He’d been my best friend since we could talk. He was the only one who knew me better than I sometimes knew myself, and he knew, just like I did, that I was pushing her away on purpose.
Because it would be too easy to pull her close.
Too easy to risk it all over again.
Too easy to lose my heart.
Hell, who am I kidding?
She still had it.
She always would.