6
BLOOM
I didn’t want an award—I had done nothing to deserve one. But Logan and the bikers insisted I couldn’t turn it down. Jamie finally got me to agree, saying the publicity could be good for our clubs. Maybe the people of Smoky Vale wouldn’t be so quick to judge us now that they knew about my “heroic” deed. After all, we never stirred up trouble for civilians unless we were provoked.
Even so, accepting the award didn’t sit right with me; I hadn’t saved anyone intentionally. If Logan hadn’t been at the hospital on that fucking day, those people would’ve been out of luck. I wouldn’t have given them a second thought.
“Why the long face?” Sven fluffed my pillows and smoothed the sheets while I sat, frustrated, in the wheelchair. I’d told them I could walk, but they insisted on sticking to hospital protocol.
“Finally got out of bed, and they trap me in a wheelchair. What’s there to be happy about?”
“You’ll be discharged in a few days. You can handle the wheelchair till then, right? For today, can you at least try to be happy about the award?”
“Why bother? It’s just a pointless award. I didn’t actually do anything to earn it.” He, of all people, knew my obsession with Dr. Collier was the real reason I’d been at the hospital that day. When the incident went down, I’d been in my session with Dr. Simms because I wanted to be a better person for Logan.
Everyone who had come in contact with me knew my heart was black as night.
“Who cares why you did it?” He stopped in front of me, his hands akimbo. “The fact is that you saved our lives that day, and we’re all grateful.”
“Is that why you’re being nice to me all of a sudden? Because you couldn’t stand me before.”
“Well, you were rude and pushy—”
I snorted. “And that’s changed?”
His cheeks grew red. Why did they do that? “Maybe you grew on me the way you grew on Logan.”
Logan? Since when were he and Logan on a first-name basis? He was Dr. Collier to everyone else but Logan to me . I narrowed my eyes.
“Don’t call him that.”
He threw his head back. “What?”
“Logan. You always call him Dr. Collier. Why call him Logan now? You two aren’t close.”
“Uh, oh, well.” He cleared his throat and glanced away. My heart skipped a beat. I folded my hands into fists on my lap.
“Not ‘oh well.’ Why did you call him Logan?”
“It’s perfectly natural to call people by their first names, Bloom. Don’t I call you by your first name?”
“That’s different.”
“How so?”
“There’s nothing else to call me.”
No surname. Just Bloom. On my hospital chart, they had an X in the space meant for my surname.
“This is ridiculous. I know you’re paranoid when it comes to Lo—Dr. Collier, but there’s no need to snap at me for referring to him by his name.”
“I am not paranoid!”
A sharp knock on the door interrupted our heated discussion, and someone pushed it open. Logan entered, looking amazing in dress slacks and a crisp white shirt with the top button undone, exposing a sliver of his pale chest. I glanced at Sven, watching his face for any reaction to confirm my suspicion.
“What the hell’s going on in here?” Logan frowned, his eyebrows pinched together. “I could hear you two bickering from down the hall.”
“Your little gremlin’s freaking out because I called you Logan.”
Logan scratched his ear. “Say what? Why would that make you upset?”
“Thank you very much!” The glee in Sven’s voice made me scowl. “As usual, I’ll leave you to handle him. None of us can.”
Sven scuttled out of the room, and Logan stood in front of my wheelchair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Bloom, what is this all about?”
Had I overreacted? I looked away, uncurling my hands and smoothing my palms over my pants. I felt foolish and out of my depth, yet the panic I’d felt at Sven using Logan’s first name had been real. Frightening. I didn’t want anyone else getting close to Logan.
“Bloom, talk to me.”
I shook my head, pinching the fabric of my pants. “It’s nothing.”
“Hey, you and I don’t have that kind of relationship.” Logan leaned down so he was on eye level with me, his expression softening. “You’ve never hidden anything from me. You’re always frank—a little more blunt than most people are used to—but it’s one of the things I love about you.”
The panic simmered down, and a rush of warmth spread through my chest and into my cheeks.
That’s right. Logan loves me, not anyone else.
“Why is he calling you Logan all of a sudden?” I raised my head to meet his gaze. “Dr. Collier—that’s what everyone else calls you. Only I call you Logan. Why did that change for him?”
Silence. Then his lips curled into a smile. “Bloom, are you jealous?”
I scowled, opening my mouth to deny it, but the words stuck in my throat. I didn’t want to admit that I was jealous. It seemed petty, childish even. “I’m gonna kill him.”
Logan chuckled, cupped my cheek, and pressed his lips to mine in a hard kiss. “You’re cute when jealous, but no, you can’t kill Sven just because he called me by my first name. He gave me a ride home a few nights ago, and that’s how he ended up using my first name. It’s nothing to get upset about.”
“He gave you a ride home?” The calm I had started to feel vanished once again and was replaced by a rush of emotions that tightened my throat. “Did he stay? Did he enter the house? Were you alone with him?”
“Bloom, calm down.” Logan took my hands in his. “Before I answer your questions, don’t you trust me?”
“Yes, I trust you,” I forced the words out. “It’s him I don’t trust or anyone else.”
“Then trust me . Nothing happened. He didn’t even make it inside my place, and if you don’t believe me, you can ask any of the bikers. They were at my house that night.”
“Oh, Sarge mentioned it.”
“Exactly, so retract your claws and relax.” He kissed my forehead, my nose, then my lips, leaving warm tingles in each place he’d touched. “There’s no one else I care about the way I do you.”
I hooked my arm behind his head. “There’s no one else you should care about at all,” I said fiercely, then kissed him. Sven might have gotten off this time, but I had a feeling I would have to gut someone at some point for their contact with my Logan.
Logan chuckled, parting our lips. “Want to hear something funny?”
“What is it?”
“I think I should be the one jealous.”
“What’d you mean?”
“I think Sven has a crush on you, not me.”
I pulled a disgusted face and snorted. “Now I know you’re fucking with me. I must have threatened him three times since he’s been here today.”
“Yet he didn’t leave, did he?”
“Oh.” Wow. I never imagined anyone else being interested in me. I didn’t care to know either. “Well, he can’t have me. I don’t want him. I want you.”
“That’s my guy.” He chucked my chin, then rose to his feet. “Everything good now? There won’t be any bloodshed in the conference room?”
I grinned. “Not today at least.”
Logan rolled his eyes and took position behind the wheelchair, gripping the handles. “Let’s go. If you get tired, let me know, and I’ll take you back to your room.”
We fell into silence as Logan pushed me out of the room. I looked down at my lap, entwining my fingers. I hated people. I hated crowds.
“When will I be able to return home?” I asked.
“In a few days, all being well.”
“That’s too long. You’re a doctor. Why can’t you take care of me from home?”
“Because the hospital has all the equipment and specialists you may need. I don’t want to take any risks with your health. It’s just a few days to go. Bear with it for me, please?”
I sighed and rested my head against the back of the wheelchair. He was right, but it didn’t change the fact that I longed for the comfort of his home, the warmth of his bed, the safety of Logan’s arms wrapped around me at night before I fell asleep.
Logan wheeled me along the corridor, which bore no reflection of the bloodshed that had happened weeks ago. The conference room was at the end of the corridor, a large open space already filled with people. At the door, someone pushed a microphone under my nose.
“Bloom, is it? How does it feel knowing the governor is here to recognize your bravery?”
“No comment,” Logan said firmly. Thank god for him. “He’s still here as a patient and should not be hassled.”
Logan maneuvered the wheelchair through the crowd. A shutter of unease crept down my spine until I saw Gunner, Ben, Bay, and Gerald. Crowe had thought it best not everyone from the club attend.
Gerald, as the former mayor, and Ben, as the former chief of police, were there to balance out the rougher nature of the other two. I wasn’t sure how that was supposed to work, though, given they’d left their positions in disgrace and were now dating notorious bikers.
Regardless, their presence helped to ease some of the tension inside. They stood in the corner of the room, their imposing figures not fitting in with the rest. They were far from politicians and hospital stakeholders, with their tattoos on display and leather jackets, but they didn’t seem to care.
“Ah, you must be Bloom!” A booming voice echoed through the room. A short man with ruddy, chubby cheeks and slicked- back blond hair hurried toward us. His charcoal suit jacket stretched over his round belly. “Such an honor to meet you!”
I glanced up at Logan for a cue on how to respond.
He watched the man with a level gaze, his lips slightly pressed together. “Bloom, this is Governor Richardson,” he said, extending his hand to the other man. “I’m Dr. Logan Collier. Nice to meet you.”
Logan inserting himself into the conversation made me more at ease. The governor shook Logan’s hand, a wide smile on his face. “Ah, Dr. Collier, I’ve heard much about you. One of the finest surgeons.”
Logan nodded politely but didn’t say anything. The governor turned his attention to me. “Bloom,” he said again, sounding almost fascinated. “To think what you’ve done… Incredible. We can’t thank you enough, and I deeply regret the circumstances that led to you being in the hospital now.”
“Um, thank you?” I didn’t mean for it to come across as a question. Fearing I hadn’t responded well, I looked at Logan. He nodded, smiling at me.
“I’m hoping we can keep this as low key as possible for Bloom,” he said. “He’s still on the mend after all.”
“Of course.” Governor Richardson patted my shoulder, and I stiffened. He frowned, dropping his hand. “Err, well, I’ll inform Andrews that you’re here so we can begin.”
As Governor Richardson walked away from us, Logan squeezed my shoulder lightly. His eyes were gentle as they met mine, his lips curling up in a smile. “You’re doing great.”