Me: Bring me back two sausage biscuits. Hospital food sucks. I’m starving.
Julien: Got it. I’ll even throw in a side of hash browns. See you in an hour.
To pass the time, I pull up my Netflix app and decide to watchPatriot Actwith Hasan Minaj. I hear my hospital door open, more than likely a nurse coming in to check on me. At least the blood pressure cuff isn’t going off every fifteen minutes anymore.
“Hey,” a soft voice says. My head whips up so fast I see flashing lights behind my eyes. Or maybe they are caused by the sight of my girl standing in front of me looking like a gorgeous fairy princess in a rose blouse and brown skirt, her long platinum hair hanging loose around her shoulders. She is a fucking sight to behold and my eyes devour every inch of her. I have missed the hell out of her.
Ryder steps in behind her. “Hey, man. How are you this morning?”
I don’t care how he did it, but she’s here. She’s really fucking here, and I owe him so damn much for this, for convincing her to come, for bringing her here. “I’m good. They’re letting me go home today.” I lick my lips which have suddenly gone dry as a desert and reach for the cup of water with the bendy straw in it. Liz rushes over to hand it to me and puts it back when I’ve taken a couple of sips. She looks nervous as hell to be here.
I look to Ryder. “Does she know?”
“Yeah, she knows. I told her everything.”
“Baby. I’m so sorry.” I reach out to her, but she steps back and drops her head. Panic once again rises up inside me. She’s decided she doesn’t want me anymore. We’re done. She’s leaving me. It’s all my fault.
I watch helplessly as Ryder leaves the room and closes the door, leaving me alone not knowing what to do or what to say to Liz to make things right with her. The room is so silent, only the sound of the hospital equipment and tiny rhythmic plops like raindrops hitting the sidewalk can be heard. I look down and see little puddles on the floor at Liz’s feet and my heart drops. “God, baby, don’t cry. Please don’t cry,” I choke up.
“Did you have sex with her?” she asks, her voice broken and barely audible.
My answer is loud and strong, leaving no doubt. “No. I would never do that to you. I would never want to.”
“Did you kiss her? Touch her?”
“I wish I could say no, but I honestly don’t know. I don’t remember. God, I would give anything to remember, to be able to tell you with absolute certainty no. I pray that I didn’t. Wish it with all my heart. The only girl I want to touch, to kiss, to be with, is you, Liz. No one else. Only you. I love you so fucking much. So much, Liz. Please come here. I need you to come here. Please let me hold you,” I beg.
We reach for each other at the same time and I pull her over and on top of me in the hospital bed. I shower kisses all over her wet face, drinking up her tears. She wraps her arms around my neck, and it doesn’t take long for her to kiss me back, her tears infusing a salty flavor to our kiss. Our mouths move energetically over each other’s faces before finally coming together in an all-consuming meeting of our lips. My tongue tangles and dances and takes as I make love to her with my mouth. I try to tell her with this kiss that her lips and her body are the only ones I want against mine. I am forever hers, only hers. She owns every part of me.
I murmur against her delectable lips, “If we weren’t in this hospital bed, I would tear your clothes off and fuck you senseless. I missed you so much.”
My heart soars when I feel her smile. “They do say make-up sex is the best sex.”
“Damn straight. And I plan on proving that theory with you as soon as I can get out of here.”
Liz kisses me one last time and pulls back. “We do need to talk, Jayson. I am still so mad right now. Did Jacinda really do it?”
“We won’t be able to prove anything. I mean, yes, they handed me the drinks, but they could have been their drinks and someone else could have put the stuff in them before. Maybe that shit was meant for them, or as a prank at the party. Who the fuck knows?”
“What about the fight? Ryder explained to me on the way here that it’s a strong possibility that Marshall will bring assault charges against you.”
I roll her to my side and allow her to get comfortable, which is hard as the bed is narrow, but I’m not letting her go any time soon. “We’ll just have to wait and see and hope for the best. If it comes down to it, I can prove I was not responsible for my actions because someone slipped me a roofie.”
“And you have me and the guys. I’ll make an official statement about how Marshall instigated the whole thing by provoking the fight if I need to.”
“Do I Liz? Do I have you?” I link our hands.
“Yes, Jayson. You have me. I’m yours. I love you.” I feel a huge weight being lifted, releasing the stranglehold on my heart, and I can breathe again.
“Thank fuck. Thank you, Liz. Thank you for believing in me and trusting me. I promise I won’t be that stupid ever again. You have my word.”
“I’m just glad you’re ok. I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around what happened. I thought my world had ended when I saw you and... her.”
“No, Liz. Never. I loveyou, princess. Only, forever, you. I would never do something like that to you.”
“Ryder helped me see things more clearly.”
I kiss a trail down her cheek until I reach her neck where I nuzzle in close, breathing her in. Liz and I stay snuggled together for the rest of the morning, to the nurses’ amusement. Julien and my parents come back, and I’m finally discharged. I text Ry a heartfelt thank you for bringing Liz back to me, thinking I wouldn’t see him the rest of the day.
