Chapter Sixteen
For the next few days, Luke spend as much time as possible at the hospital, not wanting to be away from Morgan any longer than he had to.
He’d been there for every physical therapy appointment and instead of having to call a nurse, he was there to help her from her bed to eat and to use the restroom.
He updated Bill and Tyler after each doctor’s visit and bugged the nurses station about when she’d be able to go home and what all he would need to take care of her.
“I’m not going to your house to recuperate Luke. Uncle Bill already has all my stuff at his house and you need to work anyway. He’s retired so he’ll be there.”
“I don’t really need to work and he’s too old to be picking you up. What if you have a mishap and fall?”
“I’m not going to fall. I’ve been working really hard in therapy and I won’t be doing anything stupid. You can come over any time you want but I’m going back to his house.”
Luke looked so cute when he didn’t get his way. His lips turned up into a pout and the space between his eye brows resembled a mini washboard.
“I want you to go home and get a good night’s sleep okay? Doctor Colby said I should be able to go home tomorrow so I would like you to come and get me when I get discharged.”
“When did she say that? I didn’t hear any such thing.”
“She told me when they were changing the bed sheets and you’d gone for coffee.
It’s not a big deal. She thinks the therapy has been helping.
Usually they send a nurse to the house for a few additional weeks to help with the therapy but she lives pretty close to Uncle Bill so she’s going to stop over early afternoon everyday while her son is at school and do a little work with me. ”
“You don’t need my help?”
Luke looked like he’d just lost his best friend.
“Oh stop. I do need your help. I’ll be counting on you to run me all over tarnation because I won’t want to be stuck in that house all day every day. Maybe we can go for breakfast some mornings or lunch even.”
“Wouldn’t it just be easier to be at my house that way I could take you wherever you wanted to go whenever you had a whim?”
“Maybe.” He was right and she knew it would only take a couple days for Uncle Bill to be driving her crazy but them as a couple still had a long way to go.
Neither had discussed it exactly and she still had a job back in Colorado.
They’d done a lot of talking in the last few days but she still had some thinking to do and some decisions to make.
She just needed a few days to herself for that.
“Maybe what?”
“Yes maybe it would be easier to just be at your house but at least for a few days, I need some time to think and I can spend a little time with Uncle Bill too. You’ll be the first to know when I change my mind, I promise.”
“Okay, I suppose I can deal with that. Call me in the morning and let me know when to come pick you up. I have a little bit of paperwork I probably need to get caught up on before I come back into town.” Luke came to sit on the edge of Morgan’s bed and took ahold of her hand.
“Promise me I’ll be the first call if you need anything.”
“Luke, I promise, everything will be fine though.” She fisted her fingers into his shirt and pulled him closer, until her lips touched his.
It was a small gesture but at the same time, a familiar one that ignited the desire in both of them.
It wasn’t long before the world around them drifted away.
It was a meeting of equals, heart to heart, but Morgan broke their lips apart, pushing him away a bit when she heard a knock at her door.
“Come in.” In those few seconds before the door opened, her fingers touched her lips and her eyes met his. They were dark with desire, his cheeks flushed. They shared a knowing smile as an orderly peeked in to let them know visiting hours were over.
“Uh thanks, I’ll be leaving in just a minute.” Luke glanced back as the medical employee backed out into the hallway, leaving the door ajar.
“Guess there won’t be any hanky panky tonight huh?”
Morgan smiled and crooked her finger, bringing him close again for one more kiss.
With lips barely parted she whispered to him. “Sweet dreams cowboy. I’ll call you in the morning.” She pushed him away again and adjusted herself in her bed and covered up.
“I swear you’ll be the death of me.”
She smiled as he walked away.
* * * *
Luke sat in his quiet truck parked in the lot of the medical center, watching her window until the lights dimmed.
She’d turned on the TV, no doubt for some noise to help her sleep.
Damn it, the things she did to him with just a smile or the touch of her hand.
He was doomed for all others. Never would he get this woman out of his head nor did he want to.
It was awful to say but that accident was their blessing in disguise.
He’d seen the need in her eyes and she never turned away his attentions. Was it a good sign?
“Damn sure better be.” His ringing cell startled him and he dug in his pocket to answer it before his blasted voicemail took over.
“Hello?”
“Hey stranger, long time no see.” Margie. Shit.
“Oh uh… hi there, what can I do for you?”
“Well that sure is a loaded question. Oh the many things I would like you to do for me, or to me but there’s plenty of time for that later. How about meeting me for a drink?”
“Margie, I don’t really think that’s a good idea. I need to be focusing on Morgan right now. She needs me.”
“What for? Why does she need all the attention?”
“Are you kidding me right now…you know what? Never mind. I really thought you two were friends at one time but it doesn’t matter, there is nothing between you and me. If we will ever be friends, it will be through Morgan only. Please stop calling me.” Luke hung up without a further thought.
“Damn that woman, she’s up to something.” If he only knew what. Unfortunately, he had no room in his thoughts for anyone other than Morgan. Since her accident, they’d become much closer and that’s what they wanted. He was trying really hard not to upset her or make her mad.
His seat vibrated beside him. He started to grab for his phone but had second thoughts.
What if it was her again? After he’d ended the call with Margie, he set his ringer to vibrate on purpose but he had no will power.
He didn’t want to talk to her again and wouldn’t answer if it was her but he needed to make sure it wasn’t the hospital.
He recognized the number flashing on the screen and hit talk. “Hey man, how’s it going?”
“Hey Luke, how’s my sister doing? Did they kick you out for the night?”
“Yeah I’m pulling out now. She’s actually great. She said the doctor told her she’d be able to go home tomorrow so she’ll call me in the morning to pick her up.”
“Did you convince her to stay at your house?”
“Are you kidding, your sister is stubborn. Said she needs a few days to herself and then she’ll decide. I knew she wouldn’t change her mind so I gave up.”
“Smart man. Let me know if you need any help.”
“Will do but there is one thing you probably should know. Margie called me today, got pretty fired up when I told her I didn’t have time for her and needed to focus on Morgan.
I’m not sure what’s going on there. I never dated her or anything and she’s acting like we’ve been together many times. I just don’t trust her.”
“Maybe we should let the hospital know not to let her in to see Morgan if she shows up.”
“Yeah I agree. I’ll call as soon as we hang up.”
After a lengthy and in depth conversation with the hospital about restricting visitors, Luke was almost home and dead on his feet. Barely able to keep both eyes open, he turned into the long drive that led to his homestead.
Staring longingly at his bed and as tired as he was, unfortunately sleep was the furthest thing from his mind.
Convinced a shower would be more useful to him come morning, he kicked off his boots then jeans and flung his coat and t-shirt on the floor and fell into bed.
He made sure his cell was charging and the volume on its highest level in case the hospital called, then he turned off the light.
His mind too him back to the last time they’d shared a bed and as sleep consumed him, he prayed the last time wouldn’t be their last.