Chapter 11 #3
Instead of being cheeky or smart-mouthed about it, she nodded.
“Thank you for caring enough to make me come in. They were able to clean up my wrists, after I made of mess of them trying to get loose.” He opened his arms, and she walked right into them.
“I don’t know where we go from here,” she whispered, “but I sure hope it’s home, and I sure hope this is over. ”
“I do too,” he said. “I would love for this to be over, and you and I? We could both use some time to just relax and to enjoy getting to know each other.”
She nodded. “According to Jackson, you’re being way too slow, and I should rectify the situation myself.”
He smiled at her. “According to Nan, I’m being very slow and wasting time we could be spending together. I think she’s absolutely right.”
Vivian stared at him and started to laugh. “Maybe these old-timers know a thing or two.”
“Maybe so,” he muttered, as he tilted her chin and gave her a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a real kiss, which he returned with enthusiasm. When he finally lifted his head, she sagged against him and whispered, “Now that left nothing unsaid.”
“Oh, I’m glad to hear it.” He chuckled as he pulled her up close for a hug.
When someone cleared a throat beside him, Wilden turned to see the doctor grinning at them.
“This old boy is cranky and ornery, and we would be grateful if you took him home.” The doc pointed to Jackson, who had a big grin on his face as he’d been watching the two of them for a few minutes already.
The doctor went on. “He’ll make our lives miserable if he stays here, and anybody who’s got that much energy to protest is obviously just fine.”
“I told him that,” Jackson bellowed, as he wheeled himself forward, “but nobody listens to me.”
Vivian smiled, pulling apart just to face him before she patted his chest and added, “Sometimes we have to take extra precautions in order to make other people feel as if we’ll be okay.”
Jackson frowned at her, then glanced back at Wilden, who stood there with his hands on his hips, glaring at him. Jackson smiled. “Funny to have somebody give a proverbial rat’s ass.”
“No,” she countered, looking down at Jackson, a big grin on her face. “It’s not funny. … It’s great.”
He looked up at her and smiled. “You got that right. Now, can somebody drop me at home? I just want a goddamn cup of tea.”
She smiled and turned to Wilden, and he shrugged. “Let’s go.” And together, the three of them, along with the two dogs, headed out.
Wilden turned to her and added, “Sorry. I didn’t do anything about your dogs.”
“That’s fine,” she said comfortably. “They’re at home, safe and sound, and hopefully not too pissed off at me being late.”
“We’ll drop off Jackson and Sarge, then go to your place,” he shared.
“Sounds good to me,” she murmured, and that’s what they did.
By the time they made their way to her place, it was late. They had dropped Jackson and Sarge back at his house, then he loaded her and Dagger back up and headed to her place.
Within minutes, they were pulling up to her dogs going crazy. Vivian groaned. “They need a walk, even though I don’t have the energy.”
“That’s all right,” Wilden replied. “Come on. We’ll just give them a little walk for now.”
Arms linked, and, with the three dogs, they walked around a few blocks to give her dogs a chance to run around. “We’ll have to take them all out again. They’re just way too happy when enjoying nature.”
“And that’s what they should be doing,” she noted. “Oh man, I have work bright and early tomorrow, but I’m so exhausted. I hope I can sleep.”
“Is it a surgery day?”
“No,” she noted, “just appointments, so that will take the pressure off.” As they got back to the house, she asked, “Do you want a cup of tea?”
“No, I’m fine. I just want to confirm you’re okay.”
“I am,” she replied, as they walked inside, and she put on the teakettle. She quickly fed the dogs. “What’s your plan?”
“Why?”
“I’m asking because, … well, I really don’t want to be alone tonight.” He stared at her, his gaze steady, and she smiled and walked over to him. “Besides, I think the old-timers are trying to tell us something.”
He let out that booming laugh again. “But I won’t get pushed around by anybody, no matter what age.”
“Oh, I agree, but,” she slid her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, “I would be more than happy if you would stay the night.”
“Because you’re scared?”
“No,” she stated, her tone louder. “Scared has nothing to do with it. I just want to rejoice for a little bit. I want to relax and to know that there is a future, there is a tomorrow, there is a time for us to get to know each other more. It’s just been such a mess.”
He wrapped her up in his arms and held her tight. “I’m all in for staying the night.”
“Good,” she murmured against his lips, “because I really don’t want tea. I would rather just go straight to bed.”
He chuckled. “I can carry you, if you want.”
“Oh no you don’t,” she declared. “It has been a very long day for all of us.” She led the way, her hand on his as they headed up to her bedroom, where she quickly stripped down.
“I’ll jump in the shower really quick. I just feel gross, disgusting, and violated in many ways, all because of them, and then the medical exam and all that,” she explained, with a headshake.
“I know the checkup was necessary, but it just feels … invasive.”
“Go. You don’t need an excuse, just go and enjoy.”
She smiled, then quickly slipped out of the room and into the shower.
Wilden sat on the bed and stripped down, taking off his prosthetic and unrolling the sock that held his stump.
It was bruised and definitely very angry looking, but he would survive.
He might need to get that better prosthetic Kat mentioned a little sooner than later, but that was okay too.
Kat had promised him an upgrade, and he knew damn well that she always kept her word.
When Vivian stepped out, he looked up and then frowned, as she stared at his stump. Suddenly his face turned hot, and he tried to cover it up.
“Don’t do that with me,” she whispered, sauntering closer, dressed in only a towel. “I just realized how much stress your leg has been under these last few days.”
He smiled. “It has, but that’s okay. With any luck, we’re done with all this running-around craziness.”
“Lord, I hope so,” she muttered, as she walked closer and placed a hand on his leg. She frowned. “It’s hot.”
“Of course it’s hot,” he said, then waggled his eyebrows. “I’m hot, damn it.”
She burst out laughing. “It’s always nice to keep a sense of humor.” She dropped the towel and wrapped her arms around him. “But if you aren’t concerned about your leg, neither am I.”
He rolled onto his back, letting her slide with him. “I’m not worried about it at all,” he whispered, his hand skimming over her still-damp skin. “Particularly when I have such a beautiful woman in my arms.”
She smiled, casually rolling her fingers all over his chest. “I just don’t want you doing something that’ll injure it on a permanent basis.”
“God, no,” he declared fervently, as he flipped her over, and she was beneath him. He smiled as he propped himself up on his elbows. “I’ll never do that,” he said, barely touching her lips. “I am very adaptable.”
She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered against his lips, “Show me.” And that’s what he did. For the next few hours they made love—fast, slow, carefully, and everything in between. When she finally crashed onto the pillow beside him, yawning, he was all spent too.
She muttered, “It feels very much as if today never happened. It seems so long ago already.”
“Good,” he said, “keep pushing away those memories. That will keep them from careening back into your mind and causing PTSD.”
She looked over at him and shook her head. “I guess you have experience with that too, don’t you?”
He nodded. “I do, and that’s okay. It’s all part of the healing process. This will come back to bite you occasionally, but you’re strong and capable, so it will all be fine.”
She smiled at him, then wrapped her arms around him. “You’ll be here in the morning, won’t you?”
“I will,” he vowed, “and so will Dagger, if you’re okay with that.”
“Of course I’m okay with it.” She rolled her eyes. “So I heartily plan on waking up to three dogs, not just two.”
He chuckled. “As long as I wake up to you, I don’t really care how many dogs we have.”
“Watch it. You’re getting involved with a vet. I can tell you that it is guaranteed to mean more animals all the time.”
“Good, the more, the merrier.” He pulled her closer to him, wrapping himself around her. “Now, you better get some sleep. You have a long day ahead, so rest up. We’ll have tomorrow and every day after that together.”
“Promise?” she whispered, as she yawned.
“Promise,” he whispered. “Now sleep.”
She looked up at him, then closed her eyes, curled up into his arms, and fell asleep.
He smiled down as he tucked her up closer, curled up under his chin, realizing that life had never been so precious, and he had Kat to thank for finding Vivian.
He had to remember to send Kat a thank-you note in the morning, then realized there was no time like the present. He grabbed his phone from beside the night table and quickly sent her a message. Thank you. Along with a happy face emoji.
Then he too rolled over, wrapped Vivian up in his arms again, and fell asleep.