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“I guess jumping into the deep end isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” His expression shifted to concern. “Was this okay for you? I mean… you’re not in pain, are you?”

I gave a snort. “Oh, God, no. Sex is a natural pain reliever. At least it is for me,” I replied, taking his hand in mine.

“I love you, Howler…so much.” The adoration in his eyes was stronger than I’d ever seen. Even before, when he told me he loved me in private, it almost seemed like an obligation. But since my accident, he’s poured his entire heart out to me, and I couldn’t be happier. Tears formed in my eyes as I stared at him. I brought his hand to my mouth and kissed it to keep myself from becoming emotional.

“I’d better get this floor cleaned up. We don’t need a nurse slipping on my jizz,” he said. I laughed a little too loudly, which made me wince. He pulled the curtain back out of the way and went into the bathroom to wet a hand towel. Walking back with a satiated grin, he took hold of my cummy hand. He gently wiped away the remnants of his release, then dropped to wipe the floor. He tossed the cloth into the laundry basket and opened the door to my room.

As if waiting for the door to open, my day nurse, Lois, came in holding a pill cup.

“It’s time for your Tylenol, Mr. Bannon,” she said, walking up to my bedside. She stopped and pulled her hand back, the tiny white pill cup in it. “I mean, if you feel you need them, considering endorphins are probably still coursing through your body from a few minutes ago?”

I was dumbstruck, and the look on Jonesy’s face was one of horror when my eyes shot to his.

“Oh, please,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You don’t think you’re the only ones who have taken a little private time together here in the hospital? I’ve seen it all…even walked in on a couple going at it in the hospital bed. Seeing your door closed and the curtain pulled was a sure giveaway.” Her smile told me she hadn’t been bothered by it.

My shock turned into a bark of laughter, forgetting the pain it caused. “Owww, shit,” I said, hugging my chest.

“Here, I think you may want these now,” she said, handing me the pill cup. She took my water from the bed tray and held it out for me.

“Thank you,” I said after I swallowed the pills, still tickled about what she’d said.

“You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re feeling better. Did you fill out what you’d like for dinner on the checklist?”

“What checklist?” I asked, unsure what she meant. She reached over to my bed tray and picked up a piece of paper with menu items on it. I didn’t know they did that or when it had been left in my room, since the guys were here with my lunch. Jonesy stepped up to look.

“I’ll be back to take it. Just press the call button when you’re ready,” she said before walking out.

I perused the list and turned up my nose at everything it listed. “Unfortunately, all this sucks. Who the fuck would eat a pork chop and steamed vegetables in a hospital?”

Jonesy snickered as he looked at it with me. “They at least have applesauce listed with it.”

After what we’d just done, I was a little hungry. “What if you go out and get us both something? You can have dinner with me here,” I offered.

“Hmmm… good idea. What are you in the mood for?”

“Andrew made Salisbury steak for our lunch today. How about chicken?”

He checked the time on his phone and pinched his lips together. “It’s almost five o’clock. What time do you want to eat?”

“I’ll be good for another hour,” I said, feeling excited about something as simple as food.

“Okay, let me go tell your nurse I’ll be bringing dinner back for us both. I’m thinking Mediterranean tonight. I’ll head over to The Aegean Table and get them to make us something to go.”

“Now I don’t know if I can wait an hour. It sounds perfect.”

“Be back soon, babe,” he said, giving me another kiss. I admired his muscled butt as he left the room.

Although my chest still ached from laughing, I reflected on what we had just done. Was this a turn for the better between us? Would he feel more secure in showing me affection in public?

A smile tugged at my lips, perhaps thinking the accident was meant to happen, if only to draw us closer together.

33

JONESY

Closing the car door, I started laughing at what Craig and I had just done in his hospital room. I never would have thought of doing something so brazen before, but I had felt a shift in how I saw what he meant to me. Maybe it was because I could have lost him. I wanted people to know how I felt about him, and whether that meant putting an arm around him, holding his hand, or giving him a kiss in public, I was going to do it. I had already pushed that boundary with a hand job turned blowjob.

On my way to grab our dinner, I called Sean. “Hey, just wanted to let you know Craig is doing better, and we’re hoping he can be discharged tomorrow.”