“That’s it, baby. Open those pretty blue eyes for me. I’ve been waiting a long time to see them.”
Camden’s eyes squeezed tighter against the pain in his head. Was that Elijah’s voice, or was Camden conjuring the soul he wanted most by his side at this moment?
The warm hand on his cheek coaxed Camden through what seemed like eternal night, through slivers of light that led him closer and closer to the inviting sound of Elijah’s voice.
“’Lijah?”
“So, we’re at the nickname stage of this relationship, huh? I mean, most people call me E for short, but I could get used to that.”
Camden wanted to laugh, but the throbbing in his head made him think twice about doing something so reckless. He cleared his throat instead and coughed when the dryness tickled it.
Before he could ask, there was a straw at his lips. He leaned his head forward and took several short pulls. Relief flooded him when cool water restored moisture to his mouth, tongue, and throat.
“How long have I been asleep? Why’s my head hurt so bad?”
“You arrived in the hospital yesterday. As for the pain in your noggin, that’s a long story. Let me get someone in here to tend to your headache.”
Camden remained still until Elijah returned with a physician’s assistant in tow. The PA introduced herself and then examined him. Shining a godawful penlight in Camden’s eyes that mimicked a hot laser slicing through flesh. Once the PA finished poking and prodding Camden and made certain he was oriented to person, place, and time, she scribbled in his chart and promised Camden the nurse would be in to administer pain medication.
A few moments later and the blessing that is pharmaceutical intervention came in the form of two tiny acetaminophen capsules. “How long have I been out?” Camden spared a quick glance at Elijah. In the low lighting of the hospital room, Camden could hardly make out Elijah’s features. It didn’t matter, though. He’d memorized the lines and angles of Elijah’s unique face years ago.
From hooded lids he could see something akin to fear etching sharp lines under Elijah’s cheeks and emphasizing the dark shadows under sunken, tired eyes.
Camden patted the empty space on the bed next to him and gestured for Elijah to sit there. “Come here. Tell me what I missed while—”
“I thought they shot you in the head, Camden. With all the blood on your head, I thought I was going to lose you.”
“Elijah….”
Elijah sat next to him, lacing his fingers through Camden’s, and held Camden’s hand close to his heart. “I couldn’t breathe, baby. I couldn’t breathe when I saw you slumped over my mother so limp and lifeless.”
A flash of the moments leading to his fall brought Evelyn Stephenson to the forefront of his mind. She was afraid, frozen, unable to move to safety on her own. “Your mother, she’s all right?”
Camden held his breath as he waited for Elijah’s answer. If he’d done anything to harm her, Camden could never forgive himself.
Elijah nodded and kissed Camden’s hand. “Because of you, yeah.” Camden released the breath he was holding and said a silent prayer of thanks as his heart slowed to a normal pace. “They kept her overnight for observation because of a previous heart attack. She’s got a couple of bruises from the fall, but she’s otherwise okay. They’re releasing her later today.”
“Then there’s nothing to worry about. We’re both fine.”
Elijah didn’t seem to share Camden’s easy assessment of the events. “Things could’ve ended differently for everyone involved, Cam. I could’ve lost one or both of you. It made me realize what’s important.”
Elijah moved closer, touching his forehead to Camden’s as he closed his eyes. “You’re what’s important, Cam.”
Camden smiled at the shortening of his name. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard Elijah use it, but somehow it was more profound, its significance resting like a comforting weight on Camden’s chest. “‘Cam’? I guess we really are at the cute name part of our relationship.”
Elijah’s smile was the only acknowledgment he offered of Camden’s observation before he continued. “Having you in my life, creating the relationship we spent the weekend pretending we had, that’s what’s important to me.”
Elijah pressed a sweet kiss across Camden’s lips and tightened the grip he had on Camden’s hand. “Being with you is all that matters. Loving you is all that matters. I know I was an asshole to you when this case started, but if you give me the smallest chance, I promise—”
Elijah didn’t get to finish his sentence before Camden placed his free hand around Elijah’s neck and pulled him hard against his lips. Camden didn’t know what he’d done to deserve Elijah’s affections, but he knew enough to realize he wouldn’t turn them away for anything or anyone in the world.
Elijah’s lips parted and allowed Camden the access he craved. He was stuck in a hospital bed and nursing the mother of all headaches. But in this moment where Elijah laid bare his soul, Camden would’ve tolerated any amount of discomfort to be with him like this.
“You never have to apologize for anything that happened between us, then or now. I was the one who fucked it up with my cowardice.”
Elijah tried to interject, but every time he attempted to speak, Camden would kiss him. It wasn’t the most mature way to deal with the situation, but it worked. Elijah eventually gave up and returned Camden’s kisses instead.
“I have spent my entire life living by my father’s rules. So afraid of disobeying him I let the best thing that ever happened to me walk away. No more. Leaving you again isn’t an option.”
