Chapter 27
“You don’t need to call the doctor,” Lanes said for the eighth time since we got in the car.
“Better safe than sorry.”
“I’m telling you I’m okay.”
I turned to her, taking her face in my hands and resting my forehead on hers. “I thought I lost you, Lanes. When I saw you grab your throat… I have never been so scared. I never want to feel that again. I can’t lose you.”
She placed her hand on my jaw, and I nuzzled against her palm. Her warmth was the calm I needed. She was okay. Warm and alive.
“You’re not going to lose me. I’m fine. Thanks to you.”
“We’re still going to the doctor, so you can get properly checked out.”
She flopped into her seat and rolled her eyes. I would take a pissed off Lanes any day compared to the alternative. I needed to know she was okay. That whatever caused the reaction wouldn’t flare up again.
I didn’t even bother waiting for the doctor to tell me if he was even in his office. I drove right over there. The hospital was another thirty minutes away, but if the doc thought Lanes needed the emergency room, I’d bring her there.
Milton Feinstein had been the practicing physician in Vine Valley since I was a kid. He had started out in hospitals in his thirties, but eventually left to open his own practice when he married and had kids. Gramps had trusted him, my parents had trusted him, and I was trusting him now.
I got his secretary on the phone as soon as I pulled into the parking lot. “We’re here now,” I said to Marjorie, who used to give me lollipops if I behaved myself.
I hung up the call. “She said to come right in.”
“This is ridiculous,” Lanes said. “I told you I’m fine.”
“Lainey Allison Burns, get that sexy ass out of this car before I carry you again.”
“I was occupied with not dying last time. This time I’ll fight back.”
I leaned over and looked her right in the eyes. “Please. For me.”
She let out the cutest growl, but got out of the car. Inside, Marjorie waved to us, then guided Lainey to the back room, where Dr. Feinstein examined her.
It had felt like an eternity since she had gone back there. I wanted to march in there and see what was taking so long, but I held on to the bit of control I had left and kept my ass in the waiting room chair.
The creak of the door had me jumping up from my seat. Lainey strolled in with a lollipop in her mouth.
“I was a good girl,” she said, then held out a lollipop to me. “I got one for you, too. Grape. Your favorite.”
I swiped the lollipop out of her hand and pulled her in for a hug. “You’re okay?” I asked, needing to hear her say it.
“Perfectly fine, like I said.”
“I just had to be sure.”
“I know. Now come on. Let’s go home and get out of these clothes.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” I took her hand and hurried for the door, waving goodbye to Marjorie as we went.
It was a quick ride to my place. Lainey and I got out of the car, and though I wanted to pounce on her, I was afraid to. She’d already been through enough today. Maybe getting all hot and breathy wasn’t the best idea. I led us into the house and placed my keys on the hook.
“Okay, what gives?” Lanes asked.
“What are you talking about?”
“The way you rushed me out of the doctor’s office, I thought you’d have me up against that door halfway to an orgasm already. Yet, you are over there and I’m over here.”
God, she looked beautiful in her dark green dress that hugged every curve and dipped low to reveal her ample cleavage. The gold strappy shoes elongated her legs, and I imagined her in nothing but those shoes. I forced the visions out of my mind. Lainey didn’t need an orgasm. She needed to rest.
“You should lie down. Rest.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Lanes, I think it would be a good idea.”
She tossed her bag onto the couch and walked toward me, her heels clicking against the hardwood. I tried not to stare at the sexy sway of her hips, but it was damn near impossible.
“Talk to me.” She reached up, cupping my jaw.
The panic and fear that had consumed me when I had seen Lanes across the dance floor had rattled me to my core. I had swallowed it down, needing to get to Lainey and take care of her. Now that the chaos had subsided, and she was breathing in front of me, safe and seemingly okay, that panic and fear didn’t want to stay down any longer. It forced its way to the surface.
“I was so scared.”
“I’m okay.”
“But what if you weren’t? What if I lost you? We’ve known each other forever, but I feel like we just found each other. I can’t lose you. Not now. Not ever.” The words poured out of me as if a dam was broken.
“We aren’t going to live forever.”
“Then I’ll settle for a hundred and senile, so I don’t know what life is like without you.”
She covered her mouth, but I could still hear the slight laugh that came out.
“What’s so funny?”
“A hundred.” She laughed again. “Do you think your diaper will make noise when you walk?”
“Will you love me if it does?”
Her lips parted, and her eyebrows drew together.
“Because I would still love you.”
“Still?” she asked, her eyes meeting mine as if searching for meaning in what I didn’t say.
“I have never felt like this about anyone before. I’ve never loved anyone. Had no idea this is what it was. But now I know. Watching you fighting to breathe. In that moment, I knew what I was too dumb to see. Knew that I would carry you to the ends of the earth if I had to. Because I love you.”
She inhaled, eyes locked on mine.
“You make my life better. You always have. And if one day you lose control of your bowels and have to wear a diaper, I’ll still love you. You’re it for me, Lanes. You’re my match.”
“Shut up and kiss me.” She lifted on her toes and tossed her arms around my neck. I bent down, laughing, but then her lips found mine, and my laughter got lost to the raging desire consuming me.
I drew back and kissed her cheek, her nose, and her forehead.
“You never answered me.”
“Huh?” she said, her lids heavy with lust.
“Would you still love me?”
“Nero Francis Grasso, I have loved you most of my life, and I have no intention of ever stopping, even if you are old and decrepit.”
“Decrepit? I’ll never be decrepit.”
“We’ll see. Now stop talking.” She yanked on my neck.
“I want you, but I don’t want you to overexert yourself either.”
“Then I guess you’ll be doing all the work.” She yanked me back to her, and I kissed her, letting every emotion pour out of me and into the kiss.
“I think I can manage that. On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“The shoes stay on.”
“Deal.”