23. Twenty-Three
Twenty-Three
“ A melia, you are driving me crazy!”
“I’m just being cautious.”
“I. Am. Fine!”
“Erin, less than twelve hours ago you were seizing in my arms. That is not being fine!”
“Dr. Mendhi has checked me out from head to toe. He says I’m good, and I say I’m good. How about you listen?”
“Dr. Mendhi, pfft, don’t say that name to me.”
“Oh, calm down. I get you’re pissed with him, but let it go.”
“Let it go. He withheld extremely important information from me. And you could have died. Erin, I don’t think that’s something we should simply let go of.
“Okay, fine, stay pissed at him, but please stop hovering over me.”
“I’m not hovering.”
“You won’t let me get out of bed. I’m fine, Amelia. I can walk and talk. Nothing hurts. ”
“Erin, we don’t know what’s going on inside your body.”
“No, we don’t, which is why Dr. Mendhi is going to do tests, but in the meantime I cannot stay bedbound.”
“It wouldn’t hurt you to rest.” Why is Erin not understanding? We have no idea why her body reacted the way it did to our bonding. Instead of being cautious, she wants to act like it’s no big deal.
“It will hurt my sanity,” she huffs. “Plus, we need to pack for Ireland.”
“Oh, I don’t think so. You’re staying here.” I’m expecting Erin to blow her lid at me. However, I’m confused and slightly scared when she laughs maniacally.
Hovering by the single seat armchair in the room’s corner, I shift from foot to foot. Erin continues to laugh, but now she’s throwing the duvet cover off herself. Planting her feet firmly on the floor, Erin rises in all her small glory. She’s still laughing.
Backing up, my legs hit the seat, causing me to sit. Erin approaches, her head shaking from side to side. The laugh is now a chuckle. “Oh, Amelia,” she begins. “I think we need to have a chat, my love.”
I swallow thickly.
“You may be used to getting your way. Being the boss of everyone is bound to have given you a bit of a God complex. However, let’s get one thing straight. You and me—we’re partners, equals in life. I’m happy to discuss things, listen to your opinion and compromise. That’s a normal thing a partner will do. What I will not do is let you dictate to me.”
“I’m not dic—”
“Yes, that’s what you just did, and I can understand because it came from a place of love and panic. But, Amelia, I’m my own keeper. I ultimately make my own decisions, for better or worse, I am responsible for me. Just as you are for yourself.”
“But Erin—”
“No buts. I’ve listened to you and taken your concerns into consideration. I have also listened to the licensed medical professional. He’s happy for me to get on with life, as am I. We are going to Ireland together because this affects me just as much as it does you, and like I said before, we are partners. If it makes you feel better, we can bring Dr. Mendhi along with us.”
“He’s useless,” I growl.
“No, he is not. Dr. Mendhi is the one who has the most to offer us right now. Build a bridge and get over this issue you have with him. Okay, so he should have said something about us bonding and the consequences. I think you scared him straight.”
“He risked your life.”
“He didn’t know for sure. But this is what I’m talking about, Amelia. We have bigger things to concentrate on. Put your anger aside. We have a plan and hopefully, when we’ve tracked this super old vamp down, we will have some answers.”
The whole time I have been sitting looking up at Erin tearing me a new one, I can’t help but fall more in love with her. Erin is so strong, much stronger than me. “I’m sorry, you’re right.”
“I know I am. Now, I’m going to shower, and then I’m going to pack for our trip.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask if I can join her, but then the flashback of Erin seizing and passing out floods my mind and I stop myself from speaking.
Oblivious to my thoughts, Erin heads to the bathroom attached to my room. She closes the door and I let my head fall into my hands. How am I ever going to make love to her again? How can I put her in that position? Dr. Mendhi has no idea if it could happen again. Hell, we’re guessing that the episode last night means that Erin and I bonded. Until I turn thirty, we can’t be sure.
“What’s with the doom and gloom?” Lucille asks from the door. I really need to start locking the fucking thing.
“Not now, Luce,” I say. I’m not in the mood to spar with her.
“I’m not here to bust your balls, Amelia. I came to see if Erin is okay.”
“She says she’s fine.”
“And you disagree?”
“Honestly, I have no clue. Dr. Mendhi says she is okay. Erin says she’s okay, but I’m the one that cradled her body in my arms as she seized. That’s not okay.”
Lucille pushes off the door and heads to the bed. Sitting on the end, she mirrors my pose. “I’m going to say something that you’re not going to like.”
“What a surprise,” I deadpan.
“Yes, but this time I’m not doing it to piss you off on purpose,” she grins. “The fact is, Amelia, you catastrophize everything. You see a situation, and instantly think negatively. I know you blather on that you’re just being realistic, but that’s bullshit.”
“It’s not,” I growl.
“Yes, it is. Amelia, you have been the same way since we were children. This situation with Erin is serious. I’m not disputing that, but you must admit, you’ve fought it the whole way. Since you met Erin, you have been the one to come up with all the worst-case scenarios.”
“Um, look around, Lucille, I was right to worry. ”
“Worry, yes, but you’re doing more than that. I heard Erin just a minute ago. She was right to put you in your place. You can’t dictate to her. You can’t take this on like it’s your problem alone. Amelia, your whole family has been trying to help for years but you’ve resisted, convinced the worst was preordained. You are making this harder.”
Am I?
“I like Erin. She won’t allow you to get away with it.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“Let people in Amelia. Let us help.”
“I have!”
“Only when you literally collapsed.”
Okay, she’s got me there, I suppose. I exhale. My body is wracked with fatigue. I don’t think I had a minute of sleep last night. “I don’t know what to do, Luce.”
“Yes, you do. You’re going to Ireland. You’ll find this vamp and gather as much information as possible. And…”
I don’t like where this is going.
“You’ll have us all there to support you.”
My head whips up. “I’m sorry, what now?”
“That’s the real reason I came up here. Obviously, I wanted to check on Erin but also to tell you that mother has ordered the family to prepare for a trip to Ireland.”
“Why?” I screech.
“As I said, Amelia, to help and support. Anyway, it’s been ages since the Lochs had a family vacation.”
“We all went to Vegas last year,” I protest.
“Yes, but we’ve never been to the Emerald Isle. ”
“But—”
“Why are you even trying to argue? Mother has spoken, end of discussion. Get packed and make up with Erin.”
Lucille flounces out of the room. I hate it when she gets the last word. Scrubbing my hands down my face, for what feels like the millionth time, I take a breath. I need to stop fighting the help being offered. And I know I need to look for the positive in all this. I have to, for Erin.
“Shower’s free, babe,” Erin calls from the bathroom. I pad over, slinking in just in time to see Erin towel herself off. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how beautiful she is. My carnal urge is to get her against the sink and plunge my fingers into her until she screams, but the fear that overwhelms me a second later stops me yet again. I quickly shed my clothes and jump under the hot stream of water.
Erin leaves me alone. Flicking a switch on the panel by the tap, I wait for music to flood my bathroom. My head is a hive of questions, and I desperately need a few minutes of respite.
The soothing voice of Eva Cassidy lulls me into a serene state of mind. I wash my hair and body, feeling invigorated once again. Stepping out of the shower, I let my body sway to the rhythm as I dry myself off.
“My God you’re sexy,” Erin says. My eyes open to find her grinning at me devilishly as she scours my body, her hunger for me clear in those expressive eyes.
I give her a wink, but nothing more. Walking up to her, I peck her on the cheek and head to my closet. Dressing, I continue on as if nothing is out of the ordinary. Which it is. Before last night, I would have taken Erin up against the door as soon as I spotted her looking at me. Now? I can’t do it.
“Are you packed?” I ask .
“No, I literally just got out of the shower,” she laughs.
“Well, we best get to it. Apparently, the family is coming along now.” I roll my eyes.
“Ah yes, the family that saw me buck naked last night.”
Shit, I forgot about that. “I wouldn’t worry. I covered you quickly.”
“Amelia, I’m kidding. I don’t care if they saw my tits. Hell, they’re fabulous,” she smirks.
“Yes, they are.”
“You don’t seem too happy they’re tagging along.”
“You wouldn’t be either if you’d ever experienced a Loch vacation.”
“Oh, it can’t be that bad, surely.”
“Ha, you have no idea.”
“Tell me!”
“Oh no. This you have to experience.”
Erin pulls me in by the waist. I’ve managed to get a bra, panties, and slacks on. “I’m looking forward to being part of it,” she whispers as her lips skate across my neck. My clit twitches and pulses. Her lips are enough to get me off. I know it.
“You are…” I swallow thickly again “… part of the family.”
“Good.” Her tongue licks the shell of my ear. Erin is driving me nuts. God, I just want to rip her robe off and fuck her senseless.
“We… we should get ready.” I pull away, pecking her on the temple. Throwing a jumper over my head, I step away from Erin, who is looking at me with drawn eyebrows. I take my suitcase from the back of my closet and set about ramming the clothes inside.
“Okay,” Erin finally says, elongating the word. Of course, she knows I’m acting weird, but I don’t have it in me to have that conversation yet. Not when she’s just going to tell me she’s fine and I’m overacting. Not when she finds out the thought of sleeping with her again scares me to death.
Silently, we organize ourselves. I excuse myself to call Claire and fill her in on our plan. Insomnia will be in her sole care for the foreseeable future. Honestly, I think it’s best if I bring Claire on as a business partner, officially. God knows what the hell will happen over the next twelve months. I need Claire to take over my responsibilities. And, in the event I turn into a raving lunatic on my birthday, I want to know my legacy will continue in capable hands.
Is that me catastrophizing again?