“Aren’t you?” I fisted my hand several times before resting it on the blanket over his foot. “Aren’t you scared?”
“Out of my mind,” he said just above a whisper with a rawness to his voice that hung in the air like it was the first true thing he’d said since he went down on the field.
I feathered my hand up his leg and over his hip and stomach to his bared chest, resting between the mess of wires and electrodes attached to him.
“You’re clairvoyant.”
I shook my head. “I’m not.”
“You knew.”
“I didn’t.” Stepping away from his bed, I ran my hands through my hair, drawing in a deep breath as I turned my back to him. “I didn’tknowa goddamn thing. I felt it. I dreamed it. I tried to hide from it—deny it. Since Ben died, I second guess everything. I live in constant fear of making the wrong decision.”
Turning back to him, I pressed my hand to my mouth and slowly shook my head. “It wasn’t a premonition about a plane going down that you could have taken a different flight, or a car accident that you could have taken a different route. It was the biggest day of your career. If you wouldn’t have played, we never would have known for sure, but your career would have been over. You couldn’t just not play because your girlfriend had a bad dream.”
“Fiancée.”
I paused a moment then nodded.
“You’re not calling off the wedding for something as trivial as me not being able to walk or get an erection for that matter… are you?”
“Not funny. You’re trying to make a joke of something so…”
“The alternative sucks. If I lose my humor, things could get really bad.”
I didn’t want to smile. It wasn’t funny. “Screw you and your damn dimples.”
“I love how irresistible I still am to you even with ninety-percent of my body not functioning properly and the stench that has to be wafting from my sticky, sweaty body.”
“I’m sure the nurses are already fighting over who will get to give you a sponge bath.”
“Hmm… I’m partial to the blonde with blue tipped spikes.”
“You are, huh?” I rolled my eyes. “I don’t like to be jealous. If you’re not careful, Flint will be bailing me out of jail again for using my bionic leg to kick a nurse’s ass for touching yours.”
“I think my dick just twitched.” He blinked hard, but I was fairly certain it didn’t have anything to do with his dick.
“You’re in pain.”
“My neck and head have had better days.”
“Monaghan.”
I turned. The doctor who talked to us in the waiting room came in.
“You’re causing a ruckus in my ICU. The news of you has led to other patients requesting to see you, claiming it’s their dying wish. And I’ve been told the parking lot has turned into a weird mix between a candlelight vigil and a Super Bowl celebration. Half or more of your teammates and coaches have claimed my waiting room, even though they’ve all been told they will not be allowed to visit you until tomorrow. So… here’s what I need from you. By tomorrow afternoon, if the swelling has gone down—which it should—I need you to move some body parts for me so we can transfer you to a different room, not in my ICU. Can you do that for me?”
Cage grinned as best he could. “I’ll see what I can do.”
The doctor looked at me. “He’s in good hands. Of course you can stay, but I’d suggest you go get some rest because I have this feeling you’re going to be my greatest asset tomorrow to coax our quarterback into sitting… standing…” He twisted his lips, looking at Cage. “You might even be a walker. You think he’s going to walk for us tomorrow?”
My eyes grew wide and flitted between Cage and the guy in the white coat with the most amazing bedside manner. “Yes.” I smiled and it felt real, like it held hope. “Otherwise, I know a guy who can make anyone walk.” I winked at Cage.
Thaddeus would have a field day with Cage. Hell, he’d probably hope for Cage to not regain full function just so he could show off a new invention and make headlines again.
“Go home, baby.”
“I want to stay.”
