He stepped into me, letting me feel his erection pressing along the length of mine, which went hard in a flash. My eyes fluttered closed. Oh, how I loved that feeling.
“Yeah,” he whispered. “That’s why.” He removed his hand and whispered, “Because now I want to fuck when I have to sit in a hospital waiting room for hours.”
I opened my mouth, and he shook his head with a laugh.
“No, I’m not fucking you in a hospital supply closet, you deviant.”
He’d do it. If I pushed, I could get him to the point of no return where he’d drag me off like a caveman to the nearest dark corner. A shiver ran through me at the delicious thought, but I backed off. I’d succeeded in taking his mind off today’s stress.
“Then I guess I’ll have to settle for coffee.”
As he laughed, my phone buzzed from my pocket. A quick check showed my mother’s name at the top. We hadn’t spoken in weeks since the blowup with my father when I’d moved out. She texted a few times, but I’d left them on read. I silenced the phone and shoved it in my pocket.
“You’re going to have to talk to them at some point.”
“I know. Just not today. But I know I have to do it soon. My classes start in a few weeks so…”
The phone buzzed again. Another call from my mother. I frowned at the flashing screen.
“You should get it,” Alex said gently. “It might be important.”
“She’s probably just trying to get my attention.”
“Ryder…”
I sighed. “Yeah, I know.” My mom wasn’t the type to bomb my phone with calls and messages. She seemed perfectly happy to let our silence go on until I finally reached out. If she was calling, it had to be important. I pushed off the wall as I swiped the phone and lifted it to my ear. “Hello, Mother.”
Immediately, sobs so loud they were nearly wails came through the phone. Alex grabbed my arm, clearly able to hear even though I hadn’t put the phone on speaker.
“Mom? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” I clutched the phone hard as my heart raced. “Where are you?”
“At the h-h-hospital. E-emergency R-room.”
I met Alex’s worried gaze. “She’s here,” I mouthed.
He still held my arm, but now his thumb rubbed back and forth in a soothing motion.
“What happened?” I was yelling now. Alex and I started jogging in the direction of the Emergency Room.
“I-it’s your father. H-he had a-a stroke.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “What?” I whispered. A cold wave washed over me, numbing my entire body.
“It’s bad, Ryder.” Her meek voice pierced through my heart, and my stomach bottomed out. “Can you come?”
The teary question zapped me out of my shock. “Yes. Yes, of course. “I’m…” My head spun. My stomach lurched. I was going to be sick.
Alex pulled me close and pried the phone from my clenched fist. “Mrs. Calloway?” he said as he lifted it to his ear. “I’mAlex. Ryder is with me in the hospital right now, waiting for my mother to come out of surgery. I’ll bring him to you in the ER right now.” He fell silent, rubbing his hand up and down my back as I leaned into him.
My father had a stroke. He was only fifty. He played golf all the damn time. He wasn’t unhealthy. How had this happened?
“Yes, ma’am… okay, he’ll be right there.” Alex ended his call and slid my phone into my pocket while I stood there, useless, with my mind rioting. “Hey,” he said as he cupped my face and forced me to meet his gaze. “Your mom said they’re admitting him to the ICU. That’s where she wants you to meet her, okay?”
I nodded. His big thumbs stroked over my cheeks in a move I’d have nuzzled into like an attention-seeking cat only seconds ago. Now, his touch was the only thing keeping me grounded as my world descended into chaos.
“Okay, all you need to do right now is keep breathing slow and steady. I’ll get you there.”
Of the two of us, Alex had dealt with more than his share of devastating medical news. Plus, he was rock steady. I had no problem putting myself entirely in his hands.
