He looks at my bare chest and smirks before glancing over to Tria, and then back to me again. "Are you her sister's boyfriend?"
Really? This isn't the time to be going through the sordid details of the weird situation.
"I'm her friend and her sister's friend. When is she going to be ready to go?" I grumble, suddenly feeling a little... awkward.
I didn't think about being in here in a pair of jogging shorts, and wearing my tennis shoes without socks until this very moment. Now that I've noticed, I also realize there are several blushing nurses eyeing me. Fucking great.
"She'll be ready in a—"
Before he can answer, a nurse wheels out Rain who looks like she could curl up and hide from the world forever. She never meets my eyes, but I don't care. I'm not leaving her.
"Go grab my car," I murmur to Tria, who still has the keys.
She nods and disappears out the door while I walk over and kneel down in front of Rain, forcing her eyes to come to me.
"I'm staying with you tonight, so don't even bother arguing."
"I can call Maverick or Co—"
"I said don't bother arguing," I interrupt, keeping my voice soft.
A tear rolls down her cheek, but she nods slowly, accepting my offer grudgingly. I sigh long and hard while standing back up, and the older nurse behind the wheelchair gives me a saucy wink which provokes a low chuckle from me.
"Let's get you home."
Chapter 7
RAIN
Dane feels good against my body as I stroke the hardest, best piece of his body. My lips tangle with his as he rolls me onto my back, kissing me and readying me to be taken, ravaged. And I keep my hand on him, bringing him pleasure as his tongue dances in my mouth.
A smile creeps over my lips as I wake up, but I'm not in bed alone, and... Oh my fuck! No!
The smooth, slick erection I was feeling in my dreams is in my hand, which is inside Dane's boxers—the man of my dreams who is stiff, wide-eyed, and completely shocked.
"I'm so sorry!" I say in a rush, making it sound like one word as I rip my hand away from his... body.
I didn't know he was even in bed with me. I fell asleep in the car on the way back from the hospital. Shit. I just violated him. This is so much more awkward than it already would have been.
"It's fine," he says through what sounds like a pained tone while standing up. "It... happens?" he asks, or at least I think he's asking.
"Um... I really don't know what to say," I mutter while choking on a laugh. I don't know whether I should laugh hysterically, mourn the loss of that touch, or just go ahead and die right now from utter mortification.
He laughs nervously while blushing, and then he turns toward my bathroom. "I'm gonna take a long, cold shower. I'll be back when I'm done."
I laugh a little louder as he disappears into the bathroom, and then I drop back to the bed to cover my face with my hands. I can't believe I just woke up with my hand down Dane's shorts.
When he showed up last night, I'd never been so relieved. I still don't know where my phone is. I had it on vibrate, and I haven't been able to find it since I got home the first time. After being grilled about what surgery I had, I finally broke down and told him a lie.
Gallbladder surgery.
He seemed to accept it.
I was too weak and exhausted to let him see my telltale for lying. I usually blink two rapid times. He always called me out on it when we were friends. Last night I kept my eyes lowered, possibly even closed, when I told him.
"You okay?" Dane asks, startling me out of my silent reverie.
I jump up in the bed, quickly regretting that when my skin stretches around the small incisions.
"Sorry," he chuckles, but I'm too distracted by the fact he's wearing nothing more than a towel right now. What the hell? And when did he get a tattoo?
On his arm is a broad, tribal tattoo that goes from his shoulder to the bend of his elbow. I really, really hate him for that, because it only makes him sexier.
"Britt is supposed to be bringing me some clothes," he says, grinning when he catches my wandering gawk. "I'm going to stay with you for a couple of days to make sure you're okay."
He's staying with me?
"You don't have to stay. Really. I'm fine now. The doctor said it was just because the pharmacy messed up on my meds."
"And I'll deal with them today," he says through clenched teeth.
He seems... protective. Like he once did. I just want to tell him to come back to bed and finish what I subconsciously started.
His eyes lock with mine, and I willingly stare back, unable to help myself. For eleven years I've fantasized about Dane Sterling. Now he's wearing a towel in my room, and nothing in the past matters. We're not kids anymore. I'm not an inexperienced virgin he has to be careful with. I'm a woman, damn it.