"Are there nuts in the salad?" I demanded.
"Crushed cashews," she said weakly as I helped Nathan to his feet.
"A warning label would have been nice," I snapped. "How far to the nearest hospital?"
"Less than five minutes," one of the other patrons said, joining us. "You can follow me," she said, grabbing her purse and her young daughter.
"Thank you," I said, helping Nathan out of the restaurant.
"No problem. My sister is allergic to nuts too. Normally she carries an EpiPen wherever she goes," she said, looking at me questioningly.
"Do you have an EpiPen in your car?" I asked Nathan, who was struggling to drag air through his windpipe. He shook his head no.
"Well, that's not very smart," I snapped, depositing him in the passenger seat. By the time I climbed behind the wheel, the lady from the restaurant was already waiting for me in her vehicle by the exit. Once I put the vehicle into gear, she tore out of the parking lot with me right behind her.
I glanced over at Nathan while I drove, not liking the purplish tint his face had taken. Gripping the steering wheel hard, I continued to berate him in my panic-filled state. I knew it wasn't the best time to be ridiculing him, but my frustration at the situation had me rambling on. Thankfully, the traffic lights were on our side as we sped down the road. Finally, I could see the hospital in the distance. The traffic light just before the hospital turned yellow and we were still more than a hundred yards back, but both of us stepped on the accelerator and ran the red light before screeching into the hospital ambulance bay.
"Hey, you can't park here," a nurse said as I threw open my door.
"My friend is having an allergic reaction," I hurled at her as I raced around the vehicle to open his door.
The nurse took one look at Nathan slumped over in the passenger seat before hollering out instructions to the other staff as the double doors to the ER slid open. The next few minutes passed in a blur as medical staff descended on Nathan's car. Before I knew it, they were wheeling him into the ER on a gurney. I stood in the now-empty ambulance bay, completely at a loss for what I should be doing. A kind security guard took pity on me and pointed me in the direction of where I could park. I got back behind the wheel and drove the vehicle to the proper location. Moving in a haze, I tried to focus on anything but my aversion to hospitals as I made my way to the admittance desk.
"Can I help you?" the receptionist asked without looking up.
"Um, yeah, I'm looking for my friend," I said, figuring bike-riding partner wouldn't be much of an explanation.
"Name," she asked, looking bored.
"Nathan," I said, tapping my foot impatiently.
"I don't see a patient by that name. Are you sure this is the right hospital?" she asked, resuming her typing.
"Considering the fact that I drove him here five minutes ago and watched members of your staff wheel him through those double doors, I would say yeah, I'm sure I have the right hospital," I answered sarcastically.
"What is his injury?" she asked, not responding in the slightest to my sarcasm.
"Allergic reaction," I said, working to keep my voice even while I fought the urge to grab her Snoopy-covered hospital scrubs and shake the hell out of her.
"Curtain five," she said, pointing to the other side of the room that was partitioned by curtains hanging from the ceiling.
"Thanks," I muttered, hurrying off.
Sweeping into the curtained-off area, I was unprepared for the sight that greeted me.
An elderly doctor was intently listening to Nathan's lungs with a stethoscope, but it was the actual sight of a shirtless Nathan that stopped me in my tracks.
Chapter 10: A night in the hospital
Nathan
I would have been amused by Ashton's expression when she entered my not so-private room if not for the fact that I felt like a complete bonehead. A bonehead with lips the size of watermelon slices and cheeks that felt numb from the rapid swelling they had endured. I felt the pain was justified for being a complete ass. First, by not checking my salad more thoroughly, and second, for forgetting to throw a spare EpiPen in the glove compartment.
"Your lungs sound clear, which is a good sign. Don't worry about the swelling. It will dissipate soon. You will have to spend the night with us so we can pump fluids into you," the doctor said, pointing to my IV.
"Do you really think that's necessary?" I rasped out.
"It's not even debatable," he said on his way out. "A nurse should be in here shortly so we can take you to your room," he threw over his shoulder.
"How are you doing?" Ashton asked, approaching hesitantly.
"Truth or macho guy answer?" I asked.
"Why don't we go with the truth since truthfully you look like shit," she said, sliding the only chair in the small cubicle toward my bed.
"Don't try to spare my feelings," I tried to joke through a harsh cough.
"Wouldn't dream of it, but seriously, if you didn't want to go on a bike ride, all you had to do was just say so," she teased, lacing her fingers through mine.
"Well, I did promise it would be a ride you wouldn't easily forget," I replied ruefully.
"Well, you pulled that off."
"Told you," I said, bringing her hand up to my lips so I could place a kiss on her knuckles. "You don't need to wait around here. You can take my car home and I can catch a cab in the morning when they release me."
"Don't be silly. I have nowhere to go. I'll keep you company until they move you to a room, and I'll be here in the morning to pick you up. Don't even think of arguing," she said before I could speak again.
"I wouldn't dream of it," I said, holding up my hands in surrender.
"So, are there any other allergies I need to be aware of?" she asked, raising her eyebrow at me.
"Don't think so. Truthfully, I don't give the cashew one much thought. It's not like it's a common ingredient in anything. It was just rotten luck that the restaurant decided to use cashews for a topping. I usually carry a spare EpiPen, but I haven't had a reaction in years. You know, I could blame you," I teased.
"Me?" she asked, sounding shocked by my accusation.
"Hell yeah. If you weren't seducing me in the middle of the restaurant, I would have paid more attention to what I was putting in my mouth."
"Surely someone of your experience would know what to put in your mouth," she said saucily.
Her not-so-subtle innuendo rekindled my arousal from earlier. I had to adjust the blanket across my lap to hide the evidence. "Honey, normally it's not a problem," I said, only to choke slightly on my vocal chords that still weren't cooperating.
She laughed while I stuttered over a cough. "I think you'll have to save your flirting for another day, hot stuff," she said, gently pushing my shoulders until I was lying back against the hospital bed that was slightly inclined. Still coughing, I nodded my head in defeat. Tonight, I was barely any talk with definitely no action. I would have been highly disappointed at the way the night had gone if I didn't have the mental picture of the appetizer at her house to fall back on.
Ashton stayed with me during the few hours it took to get me into a room. We continued to skirt away from the tougher subjects and instead talked about the things we loved. It didn't surprise me in the slightest that Ashton was bright and intuitive on most subjects. Her insights into pop culture were a nice change from the boring conversations I was used to. It was refreshing to talk about our taste in music, books and movies. As luck would have it though, the medicine they were pumping through me began to take effect and my eyelids grew heavy. I only meant to close them for a second, but it was like they'd been super-glued down. I felt Ashton pulling the covers over me and I would have thanked her, but the meds and a sudden headache pulled me under. I thought I felt her hand graze the planes of my chest, then trickle down my stomach. Maybe it was just the meds, or I could have been dreaming, but either way, I liked it. One thing was clear: Ashton was nothing like I expected. How was I going t
o get her out of my system when everything about her seemed to pull me in?
Chapter 11: Anticipating the deed
Ashton
Despite the fact that he had fallen asleep, I stayed with Nathan as promised until they moved him to his room. Only once he was out did I allow myself to dwell on how scared I had been, thinking he was going to die. We'd known each less than four days and really knew nothing about each other, yet I was worrying about him like we had been lovers for a lifetime. It was insanity to feel anything other than lust for someone I hardly knew, but everything about him enticed me, tricking me into believing in what-ifs. We weren't supposed to have any feelings or strings attached, but here I was. I knew without a shadow of a doubt I was setting myself up. The wisest thing I could do would be to catch a cab and never look back. No harm, no foul. Foolishly, I did neither.
The drive back to my cottage passed quickly as I attempted to sort through and categorize my feelings. By the time I returned home I realized my mixed-up emotions were an accumulation of stress and anxiety from his allergic reaction. Sure, I liked him, but he was still just an item on my list. I had to stick to our deal, and as long as he could keep his word, we could have our fun and then go our separate ways.
***
The chirping of a new text on my phone woke me the next morning.
I smiled when I read the text message from Tressa.
"Give me all the deets Ho."
"Can't. It would take forever to type all the deets."
"OMG you dirty Ho. Too many deets? I think I need to take a cold shower."
"Don't be a perv." I typed, laughing.
"Takes one to know one. Now dish the juicy deets."
"Can't I have to run an errand. I'll call you later after I get off work."
I was anxious to go, and hurried off to the bathroom to get ready. I wanted to convince myself that my nervous energy was just because I had to hurry and pick him up and get back in time for work, but the truth is I wanted to see him again. The magnetic pull we seemed to have taunted me with its insistence. Thoughts of the kiss we had shared the night before flashed through my head as I showered. How good it felt to have his hands on me with his body flush against mine. The desire flowing through me was overwhelming as I allowed my fantasy to continue. My hands followed the path of the warm water cascading down the curves of my body. I felt myself swaying as I imagined Nathan's tongue on my skin. "Okay, I don't have time for this," I said aloud, snapping myself back to reality. I switched the water to the coldest setting to clear my head and finished my shower. The bathroom felt chilly as I wrapped the towel around me and hurried to my room to dress.
Ten minutes later, I was backing Nathan's SUV out of my driveway, headed for the hospital. While I sat at a traffic light about five miles from the hospital, curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn't help snooping around his vehicle. The middle console held nothing but loose change and a container of orange Tic Tacs, which I found cute. The light changed before I could further my search. Only when I was parked in the visitor lot at the hospital was I able to continue snooping. I was a bit disappointed when the glove compartment yielded nothing but an insurance card, registration and a vehicle owner's manual. I don't know what I was hoping to find. Maybe a picture or something that would give me insight into his life.
I began to feel guilty about looking through his stuff, especially considering I had set the rules for our relationship. Deciding to give it a rest, I climbed from the vehicle and headed toward the entrance of the hospital. Nathan's room was up on the third floor. When I reached his room, I paused outside his door when I heard him talking.
"It was a dead end," I heard him say. I realized the silence that followed his comment meant he was on the phone. Feeling intrusive, I started to back away when his next comment stopped me in his tracks.
"It could take several weeks. I'll backtrack to see if I can catch what I missed."
Several more moments of silence followed before he harshly responded again. "You can certainly do that. I don't see them yielding any different results, but it's your money."
More silence.
"I think that's a wise decision. I'll call you in a few weeks when I have something solid to report," Nathan said.
Pushing open his door, I was surprised to find him already dressed and sitting on the foot of his bed. His expression was sullen until he spotted me in the doorway. I felt bad that his boss was giving him a hard time.
"Your boss being a douche?" I asked, indicating the phone in his hand.
Nathan eyed me warily for a moment before sighing heavily. "He's not pleased with the story I'm currently working on," he said, studying me intently.
"Does that mean you're leaving?" I asked, acting like it didn't matter either way.
He smiled at me, looking relieved. "Not on your life, sweetheart. He can suffer it out," he added with sudden steel in his voice.
"Will he fire you?" I asked.
"If he does, there are other jobs. I'm not worried," he said, sliding an arm around me and guiding me out of the room.
"Don't you need to wait to be discharged?"
"Already done. I could have gone home last night. I woke up around two feeling completely normal. Of course, the doctor kept me waiting until he made his rounds this morning."
"Poor baby," I teased, pushing the down button for the elevator.
"Damn straight," he growled, pulling me even closer once we stepped into the empty elevator. "I was left for hours with only thoughts of you to keep me entertained since the TV in my room was broken."
"Is that a bad thing?" I asked as he turned me to face him.
"Only in the aspect that the damn nurses felt they needed to check on me every hour. It doesn't bode well to be turned on while a nurse is hovering over you, asking how you feel."
"I thought all guys had a thing for nurses," I joked, studying his lips that were inches away from mine.
"They have nothing on you," he said, dropping his hot open lips on mine. I whimpered against them as all the desire I'd been holding at bay since the night before roared through me like a hungry lion. Lacing my fingers through his hair, I pulled his head closer to me, unable to get enough. Sensing my need, he lifted me up in his arms so my legs were firmly wrapped around his waist. I gasped as I felt his hardness pressed up against the part of me that was throbbing with need.
"One of these days we're going to do this without any clothes," he whispered against my lips as the elevator dinged, announcing the arrival to our floor.
"And maybe we can even involve a bed," I said, unlocking my legs from around his waist as the elevator doors slid open.
Nathan groaned at my words as if he was in pain. "You're slowly killing me," he said, adjusting his pants.
I couldn't help giggling as he strolled beside me looking uncomfortable. "Fair play can be a bitch," he warned, lacing his fingers through mine.
"Ooh, I'm shaking in my boots," I mocked.
"Is that a challenge?" he asked with his eyes glinting with interest.
"Bring it on, big boy."
"Oh, it's on," he said, dragging me in for a hard kiss before helping me into his vehicle.
I was smiling at his threat as he climbed behind the wheel. I enjoyed the obvious power I had over him and was relieved it wasn't one-sided. "How about some lunch since I ripped you off at dinner last night?" he asked, backing out of the parking place.
"Can't. I have to be at Fran's by eleven," I answered, glancing at the clock on the dash that showed the current time at a quarter past ten.
"Damn, that gives us hardly enough time to get you there, let alone stopping to get you something to eat."
"That's okay. I'm really not that hungry," I answered truthfully. My appetite was hit or miss lately, and it wasn't unusual for me to skip a meal or two.
"What time do you get off?"
"Six," I answered.
"You can't work for seven hours without eating anything," he said, looking disgruntled before
abruptly turning the vehicle into a fast food restaurant right before the highway. "You can eat in the car," he insisted.
"You're kind of pushy, you know that, right?"
"I just know when I'm right," he said, pulling into the drive-thru. "What would you like?" he asked as a nasally voice screeched over the intercom.
"A burger and fries is fine," I said. "Coke to drink," I added.
"Two number fours with Cokes to drink," Nathan said through his open window.
"We won't be serving lunch for another ten minutes, would you like to wait?" the voice squawked over the intercom.
Nathan looked at me questioningly. "I guess that's fine. I'll give Fran a call and tell her I'll be a few minutes late.
"We'll wait," Nathan said into the intercom.
"Pull forward, please."
Stopping in front of the drive-thru window, Nathan handed over a twenty to the cashier who looked harassed, although the day really had just started. "If you park in one of the spaces over there, we'll bring out your food when it's ready," she said, handing over our drinks and change.
"Will Fran mind that you're late?"
"No, she really only hired me to keep her company. I try to lighten her load by handling all the grunt work, but she's a tough old bird," I answered, taking a sip of my soda.
"You sound like you enjoy it," he said.
"I do. It's nice to be accountable to something that makes me feel normal," I admitted, momentarily forgetting who I was talking to. He had an easy laid-back manner that had me disclosing information best left unsaid.
"What do you mean normal?" he asked, taking a sip of his own drink.
"Oh, you know how life seems disjointed while you're in college. You're neither an adult out in the working world, or a teenager who can count on your parents to solve all your problems," I lied, covering up my slip of the tongue. "It's nice to be off the limbo fence now."
"It must be hard to have lost both your parents. Do you have any other family?"
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