Carly slept through the night, if a little restlessly. Me, I dozed off and on, her every whimper had my eyes opening. I stayed in her room through the night and I would continue to as long as she was here. That had been an argument with the floor nurse, one I won when Jag called the administration and informed them that I was Ms. Monroe’s security and if they expected their rules to be followed, then they would need to sign the letter he would be glad to fax them saying they would take full responsibility if anything happened to Carly while in their care.
That was followed up by the local police captain’s call informing them the shooter hadn’t been apprehended and Ms. Monroe could still be in danger. That was enough, and she was going to have to deal with it. The thought of them getting to her in the hospital was unacceptable.
I shifted and looked at her. She was beautiful, and I didn’t give a shit if she protested, she was mine. Her eyes were closed and the soft breaths that were coming out of her mouth were tempting and the little noises she made were cute.
Sometime in the middle of the night I had had enough of the chair and moved to my current place of sharing Carly’s bed. I’d laid down on the side, slid my arm under her and shifted us to fit as comfortably as humanly possible in a bed made for one. Add in avoiding the IV line and all was good. Thank fuck my girl was out, ‘cause I had no doubt if she’d been woken up, there would have been an argument.
It wasn’t long after I joined her in the bed that she curled into me and I had slept the longest I had in one interval for months, only waking when her body would twitch, which I assumed was the pain making its presence known in her slumber. If I could take it all away for her I would.
My only problem with the current situation, was between her warm breath hitting my chest through my t-shirt and the small hand that started at my chest and rubbed back and forth and up and down, moving lower with each pass. My brain understood the woman beside me was injured and needed care, not mauled, but my dick evidently missed that message or ignored it because its state of being trapped behind my zipper, jumping every damn time the hand moved closer, reminded me that I was the one who put us both in this situation, which only pissed me off.
The nurse came in and I turned more toward Carly to hide the evidence of my arousal, her frown gave away her knowledge of my predicament, her whispered words verified it.
“Remember, she needs to curb her activity while she heals. She can’t get too worked up,” the nurse said, then walked out the room and pulled the door closed behind her.
The body beside me shook and the face pressed harder into my chest so the laughter couldn’t be heard.
“How long you been awake?” I tightened my arm around her.
“How long you been in my bed?” The woman I’ve known these months was back. I’d often wondered if she saw her own strength, her ability to see the light at the end no matter if the beginning was dark. She found the positive in a situation, and accepted the good and didn’t let the bad drag her down. She was mouthy, independent, hardheaded, and I wanted her to be mine in body and soul. I was patient, steadfast, and determined, she hadn’t had a chance. I just needed her to accept it.
“Not long enough, baby.” She pinched my side.
“I meant now. I don’t understand why you keep this up. We had sex, I walked out when I found out you were club because I’m not Sami, I don’t want club life, Crusher. I’ve spent a lot of time untangling myself from it.” She tried to untwine herself from me and I wouldn’t allow it. Her huffed breath showed her agitation.
“You’re wrong, Carly. You may not want club life, but the club is embedded in you. Why do you think you ran to Haven? And finding out about Speed, accepting it so easily, everything you’ve done to this point shows different.
“You distanced yourself from Stone, even your mother, it wasn’t because they were club or you never would have gone to Sami’s house. You were young and the shit that went on around you was wrong, but it had nothing to do with club, only the people. Fight it all you want, but the life will always be a part of you, that you can’t get rid of.
“Are you going to give up Sami and Ally? Going to distance yourself from Speed because of his affiliation with Black Hawk? You can’t have it both ways. You know it, and I know it, the difference—I’ve accepted club life and the part I will play in it—you haven’t.” I released her and got out of her bed.
“I’m not going to ignore Speed, but he is in the club, I’m not. It is the same with Sami and Ally, even the men at Haven. I went to Haven to find answers. I’ve built a life outside the club, Crusher, and you and no one else can make me come back to it.” She raised the bed putting herself into a sitting up position.
“Good to know about Speed, Sami, and Ally. And you didn’t run to Haven for answers, Carly, it was because the men have been and are your family. As far as making you come into club life, you’re right, no one can, but no one will have to either because you will do it on your own, just like I’m not going to pressure you to be with me, that too will be because you want there to be an us.”
“You are going to be waiting a long time if you think I am going to come to you.”
“I’m patient, Carly. And while I wait for you to catch up with me, I will be there, waiting.”
“Why, Crusher? Why are you doing all this? It was only one time, no one pushes so hard after one time with someone, so why?” Her frown told me, she had no clue, she would though.
“The first time was your body but, baby, your strength is what keeps me coming back.” I grabbed my bag and headed toward the bathroom in the room. Christ, I hoped it didn’t take her long to catch up with me.
When the bathroom door closed behind him, the tears came. I didn’t cry. I never cried. But what he said, OMG, who wouldn’t cry. The door pushed opened and the nurse came in with my tray and meds, until I saw her my leg pain hadn’t even registered. I wiped my eyes as she moved to the side of my bed, sat the tray down and handed me the cup that held the pills. I swallowed them down and then she did her thing: blood pressure, temperature, looking at the bandage and checking to see if the wrap wasn’t too tight. She gathered her things and then looked at me.
“Sweetie, my Elliot, he pursued me relentlessly and it took a good year before I would even go out with him. If he had said something like your young man just did at any time during his pursuit, I would have been the one to drag him to the altar because I would have been afraid that he would wake up on day and think me not worthy. Men like yours, don’t come around every day, those are the ones you just hold onto and let them take you on the ride of your life.”
“But why put up with a bossy, bullhead man who plows over you?” She smiled, then bent closer.
“Because when they focus it all on you, it’s a powerful feeling. Nothing better than young love, hon, well, maybe older lovin’.”
“Oh, we aren’t in love,” I said and she winked and walked toward the door.
“Denial is a wonderful thing.” She chuckled and pulled the door closed.
When Crusher came out of the bathroom I was eating my breakfast. He placed his bag back in the corner, then informed me he was going down to the cafeteria to grab coffee and some breakfast for himself and that he would be back in a bit. The door closed and he was gone and I suddenly felt alone.
After I finished eating, they’d returned to help me clean up and put on a new gown, then they took the tray away. What I would give for my t-shirt and shorts I usually slept in. The doctor came in no soon than I was back in bed. He asked questions on my pain level, un-bandaged my thigh and checked out his work, when it came time to tell me how long I would have to stay at the hospital, Crusher walked in.
“Doc, how is she?” Crusher said and walked to the opposite side of the bed the doctor was on.
“Wound looks good for just a day after surgery. It helps, Ms. Monroe, that you are young and in good shape, your healing time will be more expedient than for someone older. I will release you the day after tomorrow as long as there is no seepage and your pain stays moderate. When you are back in your hometown you will need to check in with your doctor there so he can continue to monitor your recovery and inform you when you will be able to start therapy. And before you argue that it is not going to be necessary, I will tell you it will be. The muscle will have to be built back from lack of use. Do you have any questions, Ms. Monroe?”
“How soon will I be able to go back to work?” I hoped it wasn’t out too long, I had some savings to tide me over but not for an extended time.
“At a minimum, a month, and after your doctor feels you can return, it will be to light duty.”
“You mean behind a desk?” Damn, if that wouldn’t be some boring shit.
“Ms. Monroe, though your injury is now on the mend, it was a very serious injury you sustained. The femoral was nicked, if it had been larger in size, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” I looked at Crusher who was staring back at me. I nodded then thanked the doctor, never taking my eyes off Crusher. He broke the eye contact and shook the doctor’s hand, asking a few question of his own that I didn’t pay attention because I was busy thinking of everything I could have lost or never experienced. Crusher was at the top of the list.
Crusher turned back to me and his eyebrows drew together, “You hurting, baby?”
“No, just tired. Will you um...lay with me?” He didn’t answer my question, he just moved to my uninjured side and laid down, pulling me into his arms. I laid my head on his chest and let his heartbeat lull me to sleep.