Chapter 48
Chapter Forty-Eight
Jude
“We can look up Kendall’s records,” Holly was saying as she tapped on the keyboard.
“Can’t you just give her a tetanus shot?” I cut in.
Lincoln reached for me, tugging me into the chair beside him. “Holly’s the nurse.”
“I’m pretty sure I had a tetanus shot within the last five years,” Kendall offered.
Holly clicked through a few screens. “Actually, it was only four years ago.” Her gaze lifted to me. “It’s entirely unnecessary. It’s recommended every seven to ten years for adults.”
When I opened my mouth to argue the point, Holly narrowed her eyes. “I’m surprised you didn’t just stitch her up yourself on the way in,” she added with an eye roll.
I muttered something under my breath, and Lincoln chuckled. “We told him not to do that.”
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Holly said, spinning on her stool to face Kendall where she sat on the exam table.
“We’ll get that completely cleaned up, although Haven did a nice preliminary job.
The doctor will come in and take a look.
Based on my quick check, it looks like you will need stitches on that one cut.
” She tapped her fingers on the counter beside her.
“We’ll definitely send you home with antibiotics as a preventative measure.
You don’t need an infection while you’re healing.
Also, no more walking on sketchy boards,” she added dryly.
“Are you sure—” I began.
Kendall cut her gaze toward mine. “Jude, I’m fine.”
I let out a ragged sigh. “It’s just—” I tried again.
Kendall actually growled. “It’s only been four years since I had my tetanus shot. I’m not even in the window of concern. That’s why I stay on top of this stuff.”
Lincoln clapped me on the back. “How about you chill out?” he teased lightly.
Kendall beckoned me over with her hand while Holly walked briskly out of the room. “Jude, it’s okay,” she said, her tone soft and clear when I stopped beside her.
I drew in a deep breath and let it out in a gust. “I know.”
“Do you, though?” she asked, her eyes warm. She laced her fingers through mine and squeezed. “I fell. But I’m okay, and that’s all that matters.”
“I’m just…” I hesitated.
“That’s all that matters,” Lincoln jumped in, his tone exasperated.
I clasped the back of my neck with my free hand and bowed my head. “I know.”
“You’re the guy who goes winter camping for five days. You could get hypothermia any one of those nights,” Kendall pointed out.
I looked up. “That would never happen.”
“Never say never. I know you’re going to take all the risks into account, and you’re going to be careful, and you’re going to do all the right things, but still. I’m just pointing out that we’re both going to worry about each other. I promise I won’t do what I did today ever again.”
“Well, you’re definitely going to be able to walk in that hayloft because we’re going over there this weekend to replace the whole thing,” Lincoln said dryly.
Kendall laughed and squeezed my hand again. “So be patient. Let Holly and the doctor do their thing. Okay?”
I let out a sigh. “Fine.”
The next few hours felt like forever. Everything in the hospital moved at a glacial pace.
I even knew what a glacial pace looked like in reality as I’d hiked on a few of them and witnessed the subtle changes over the years.
Hours later, Kendall had a tidy row of stitches, and the doctor and Holly declared her ready to go home.
Meanwhile, there was the question of what to do with Travis. I thought it would be more stressful to take Kendall all the way out to the resort, but Travis was there. I wanted her to be home and resting ASAP.
“Let Tommy be in charge of Travis for the night. He will take that so seriously,” Lincoln added with a brow waggle. “You’ll make his week.”
“Just tell him one cup of food for dinner,” Kendall said. “He knows where to find it in the rescue barn.”
“So I’m dropping you guys off?” Lincoln asked once we were situated in the truck.
“Yes, please,” I said, giving directions to Kendall’s apartment.
In short order, we were upstairs and inside. As soon as the door clicked shut behind us, I pulled her into my arms, tucking my head beside hers in the curve of her neck. I held on tight. She banded her arms around my waist as we breathed each other in.
“I missed you,” I murmured into her hair.
“I missed you.” She leaned her head back. “And, I am sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“We had a little hiccup.” Although she didn’t go into details, I knew what she meant—my trip, her having her brother stay, both of us having our own emotional reactions.
“It was a little hiccup,” I agreed.
“We only have little hiccups,” she said, a teasing smile on her lips.
“You’re my best friend. We’re not going to let it become some big drama, or misunderstanding.”
“I felt like I let you down by letting Blake stay here that night.”
“You didn’t,” I insisted. “I was hurt because I was going to be gone for five days, and I’m a little selfish with you.
When Lincoln gave me a little hell about my reaction, he reminded me that one of the things I love about you is that you’re always there for the people you love.
Family and friends are important to you.
I would do the same for one of my brothers, and you know it. ”
“I know.” She lifted her hand, trailing her fingertips along the stubbled edge of my jaw.
“And, please don’t go up to the hayloft to fix anything by yourself like that,” I added.
She sighed, a sheepish smile curling her lips. “Okay, that wasn’t the best choice. I didn’t realize how bad it was. But I am going to fix things myself, Jude. I’ll just be careful.”
I felt the rumble of my chuckle in my chest. “Fair.”
She smiled. Then dipped her head to drop a kiss on the side of my neck.
Our mouths found each other. Our kiss started soft and brushing, a subtle reconnection.
But since that first night with her, this had been the longest we’d gone without spending the night together and being tangled up skin to skin.
The moment her tongue glided against mine, I was gone.
I threaded my hand into her hair, and the kiss became open and messy. We broke apart, gasping for breath. She blinked up at me, eyes wide.
“I missed you,” she rasped.
“You have no fucking idea how much I missed you.”
“I think maybe I do,” she teased.
We were laughing together, and everything felt just so right, the way it always did with her. She got annoyed with me when I tried to be careful about her leg a little later.
“Oh, my God, it’s a cut.” Her tone was exasperated.
“That required stitches,” I pointed out.
Kendall sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. Be careful about my leg.”
She leaned her other knee out, beckoning me close. She was bare naked, her skin flushed pink. I was hard for her, and I simply needed her.
I eased my weight over her, smoothing her tangled hair away from her forehead. As I settled into the cradle of her hips, notching myself at her entrance, I whispered, “Look at me.”
When her lashes lifted, our eyes locked as I sank home, filling her in a slow, deep thrust. The moment felt shimmering and electric. My heart was pounding, each beat reverberating.
This moment with her was something I’d never experienced with anyone else. The way my physical desire was woven like threads with my emotions. As I filled her in slow nudges, I watched as she bit her lip and felt the song of her body when she tightened and began to tremble and clench around me.
Moments later, she was crying my name as I reached between us to tease her. I knew her now, and I knew her body, and I savored that knowledge. I followed her over that edge, spinning in the current as my release broke through me, her name like a prayer.
Later, we lay together, just talking. She asked questions about the trip and filled me in on the antics of various animals in the rescue program. She leaned her head back, studying me for a few beats.
“What?” I prompted.
“Maybe you should just stay here all the time.”
I chuckled. “That’s what I’ve been doing. But I was thinking…” Pausing, I took an unsteady breath. “Maybe we find a place on the property out at Heartfire Falls. There are a few options.”
“Yeah?”
“You’d like that?”
“I just want to be with you all the time,” she whispered.