“Amber. Amber, I’ve got you, baby.”
It took a minute for the words to sink in and another moment for her to recognize the voice. Cannon. She pulled away long enough to look up into his green eyes and raised her hands, placing them on both stubbly cheeks, rubbing her fingers up and down to reassure herself that he was the one holding her. She told herself, repeatedly, that he was okay. She brought her hands down to his chest and placed them inside his jacket. She ran them across his abdomen to his back and then leaned in to rest her cheek against his chest. He was okay. She sobbed in relief. She let the tears fall and held on tight as she felt his arms wrap around her again and draw her in close.
She loved them.
She tried to get the words out but nothing came through her clogged throat. She breathed in his scent of clean air and the woodsy musk he always wore, and let it settle in her pores. She felt him stroke her back and her body finally fall limp at the knowledge that he was okay. She pulled back, not caring that her tears still streamed down her face, and said the words aloud.
“I love you. I’m sorry I ran.” Amber desperately continued, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I love you both and if you’ll forgive me, I promise to stay. I’ll make it up to you every day, I swear!”
“Amber—”
“I was scared of losing you. Ryder was right. It had nothing to do with my leg and everything to do with my fear of you both dying. But when I thought I had lost you anyway, I realized I would rather spend whatever time we have together and—”
“Amber, stop, darlin’! Look at me!” Cannon ordered, using Ryder’s tone to get her to obey. Cannon took her face in his hands and made her finally stop talking enough so she would look at him. The pain she saw in his eyes made her pull away.
“What? Are you hurt somewhere that I don’t know about? Do you need a paramedic?” Amber looked him up and down, noticing the tear on his jacket near his elbow. No blood. She looked lower, seeing his ripped jeans, but still no blood. She looked behind him to find Ryder, but couldn’t see him. She let her eyes bounce from figure to figure, but still couldn’t locate Ryder. She brought her eyes back to Cannon, horror dawning as she saw the look of grief on his face. For the second time that day, dread settled into her bones and she shook her head in denial.
“Amber, he’s still alive. They’re bringing him up now. The brakes went out and we tried to jump. He must have gotten caught on something and didn’t make it out before the truck broke through the bridge.”
Cannon’s voice continued to drone on in the background as she stepped around him to see a stretcher being pulled up by wires attached to some type of vehicle. Men were reaching for it, pulling it over the broken, jagged edges of wood to a more stable surface. Carefully setting the long, white device down on the cold planks, the men unhooked the cables and moved away for the paramedics to take over. When the men shifted, Amber saw Ryder’s unmoving body lying there, cuts and scratches marring his face while blood slowly dripped into his hair from the wound at his temple.
She felt Cannon place his jacket over her shoulders and pull her back up against his chest. She had no energy left and let him situate her body the way he wanted. His arms wrapped around the underside of her chest and his chin rested on top of her head. The entire time he held her, he spoke reassuring words. A few words filtered through the ringing in her ears, “he’s strong,” “…be fine,” “we’ll follow…,” but all she really heard was her own voice saying in her head, you’re too late. He’ll never know you loved him.
* * * *
The four hours of Ryder’s surgery were the longest of Amber’s life. She never left the waiting room chair seated in the corner and never took her eyes off the door, praying the doctor would walk through, telling everyone Ryder was alive. People came and went, paying their respects and bringing vast amounts of coffee. Cannon’s parents had arrived an hour ago, hugging their son, thankful he was unhurt. His mother, Louise O’Neal, greeted whoever walked into the waiting room and took charge of making sure the people who stayed were comfortable. She even called Ryder’s parents to let them know what had happened, and promised updates until they made arrangements to fly in. Earl and Lou were parked across the room, deep in low conversation with Mr. Murphy and Mr. Wilcox, Annabelle’s fathers. Max sat closest to the door, wearing down the brim of his brown cowboy hat by twirling it in his fingers.
At some point in those excruciating hours, Cannon had Annabelle run back to the coffee shop and bring Amber her muscle relaxant. She knew Cannon was worried about her leg after she ran through town, but couldn’t bring herself to say she was fine. Going through the motions to appease him, Amber swallowed whatever Cannon gave her with the water that magically appeared in front of her. Cannon stayed by her side and never let go of her hand, always using his thumb to rub across the back of it in reassurance.
It took her a second to absorb the sight of a man in scrubs entering the room and all the hushed tones that fell away into silence. She felt Cannon’s grip tighten as he stood up to meet the doctor. When she couldn’t bring herself to stand, Cannon stood where he was and let the surgeon come to them, never releasing her hand. She watched the man walk across the short waiting room, afraid to look away from his face in case she missed a look or a glance that indicated something, anything, that might have to do with Ryder. When he was in front of them, the doctor motioned for Cannon to take his seat. He reached over for an empty chair, and brought it in front of them, sitting on the edge with only inches separating their knees. He held a blue surgery cap in his hands and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his thighs.
“Ryder pulled through the surgery and is being taken to the recovery room. He had extensive damage to his internal organs, some internal bleeding which we got under control, multiple contusions, a concussion, and a collapsed lung. We have a chest tube in to help keep it inflated while he heals, along with a ventilator that we’ll remove as soon as we know he can breathe on his own. I won’t go into all the details right now, as I know you’re anxious to see him. We have him heavily sedated and…”
Amber let the doctor finish talking, not really listening and trusting Cannon to hear everything they needed to know. Ryder was going to be okay. She closed her eyes and let the news settle over her. Would he ever forgive her for walking away? Would he give her a second chance?
She opened her eyes to look at Cannon speaking with the doctor. His face had almost a week’s worth of stubble that hid the scar on his upper lip and covered the paleness that had settled in since the accident. His hair was the longest she had seen on him and was standing up here and there from running his fingers through it out of worry. He only had on a long-sleeved, button-down black shirt with torn jeans, since she was still wearing his jacket.
The love she felt for him physically hurt her chest from the pressure of it, and she glanced down to where they clutched hands. He had stayed with her, not releasing her hand under any circumstance. He had become her rock, her salvation, and because of her fear, she had almost lost him.
Amber had almost lost Ryder, too. The virile, severe, fervent lover who took as much as he gave and loved with a strength that stole her breath away. He dominated her senses and, much to her chagrin, kept her in line those times she veered off course. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Amber, come here.” Cannon’s voice broke through her thoughts.
Looking around, Amber saw the doctor had left and everyone had gathered in the middle of the room to celebrate Ryder’s successful surgery. Mrs. O’Neal was on the cell phone, relaying the good news to Ryder’s parents and Max was on his, informing the ranch hands. Cannon gathered her up and sat her on his lap, holding her close. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she buried her face in his neck and breathed in his wonderful scent.
“Amber, did you mean it? Do you understand what it means to love Ryder and me? Because we’re not letting you go.”
She smiled for the first time in four days against his throat.
He was becoming way too much like Ryder, issuing demands and expecting obedience. “Yes, I know what it means. And yes, I meant every word.” Pulling away, she looked up into the most gorgeous pair of green eyes and promised, “I will love you forever, Cannon. I’m sorry it took so long for me to realize it, but when I thought you two had—” Amber’s voice caught in her throat. No more tears, she thought. There would be no more tears, because only happiness was allowed into their lives now.
“I love you too, darlin’,” Cannon choked out, his eyes getting misty. “You can’t get rid of us that easy. And don’t think Ryder’s going to let that pretty ass off the hook for putting us through misery this last week, because if I had to bet, I would bet everything I owned that you won’t be sitting comfortably for a week.”
Amber choked on the laugh bubbling up and buried her face back into Cannon’s warm neck, seeking the comfort of his skin on hers, saying, “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Can we go see Ryder now?”
* * * *
Ryder slowly opened his gritty eyes and tried to swallow around his swollen tongue, getting nowhere without the production of saliva. Giving up the task, he slowly took inventory of his body and winced as the aches and pains sent signals to his brain. He had been in and out of consciousness for two days and aware of everything around him, but this was the first time he had awoken without that damn ventilator. Amber and Cannon had never left his side that he knew of. Thoughts of them made him sluggishly move his head to the side, seeing Cannon sprawled in a chair in the darkened room, head back and mouth open, emitting a light snoring sound. Moving his hand slightly, he came in contact with Amber’s hair. Looking down to the sheets, the light from the bathroom illuminated Amber’s head on the bed, hair spread out behind her, one arm tucked under her chin and the other laying across his abdomen. She had pulled up a chair next to the bed and must have fallen asleep. Taking his time, he studied her face and saw dark circles underneath her lashes and noticed her cheekbones looked a little gaunt. Had she not been eating or taking proper care of herself this past week? His hand twitched.
He hazily remembered the first time he woke up, seeing both Amber and Cannon leaning over him, Amber with tears in her eyes and Cannon with a goofy smile on his face. Ryder smirked even recalling it. Cannon could be such a kid at times. They told him the surgery went great and not to talk, as he had a ventilator helping him breathe, and that his parents were on a flight due in soon. Hundreds of thoughts ran through his mind. They were mundane reflections, from his beautiful black truck being totaled, to who would run the ranch. Gradually, important things struck, such as why Amber was standing over him with love in her eyes and Cannon beside her, looking like a kid who got a BB gun for Christmas. Then the drugs kicked in and sucked him back under. He slept most of the time, and the moments he was awake, the nurses usually kicked Cannon and Amber out into the hallway and made his life hell.
“Need something to drink, bro?”
Ryder looked up to see Cannon awake in the chair, stretching out what must have been sore muscles from sleeping in an awkward position. Moving his neck from side to side, a loud crack sounded through the room and Cannon sighed in relief. Standing up, Cannon made his way over to the sliding tray next to the hospital bed and poured some ice water into a paper cup. Cannon handed it over, and Ryder brought his head up, drinking like he’d been stuck in the desert for days.
“Not too much, that wicked nurse will kill me if you get sick,” Cannon threatened, taking the cup away. “The only reason we’re even in here is because Amber went psycho on the head nurse and nobody wanted to deal with her after that. They’ve pretty much left us alone since then, letting us have free rein. Although, the snowstorm that blew through yesterday didn’t hurt.”
Ryder tried not to laugh at the mental image of their petite Amber going off on that monstrosity of a nurse, but it couldn’t be prevented, causing him to grunt with pain and hold his gut tight. Damn, he hurt everywhere. His movement prompted Amber to open her eyes, and what a beautiful sight she was. When the lace of his work boot had gotten stuck on the brake pedal and he hadn’t had enough time to get it off, he’d known he was fucked. He’d heard that a person’s life flashes before his eyes when he was about to die, but whoever said that was wrong. The only thing he’d seen was Amber’s beautiful, heart-shaped face when the truck smashed through the side of the bridge. His last thought had been he didn’t fight for her hard enough.
“Cannon, get the nurse,” Amber cried, sitting up and swiping the hair away from her eyes. “Ryder’s awake!”
“God, no. Don’t call her in here,” Ryder’s unused voice croaked out. “Give me a few minutes of peace.”
“He’s right, darlin’. Let him have a few minutes where they’re not poking and prodding him.” Ryder watched as Cannon placed his hands on Amber’s shoulders, giving them a squeeze. Amber reached up and placed one of her hands on Cannon’s, but reached out for Ryder’s hand with the other. “You gave us one hell of a scare, man.”
“Me, too,” Ryder whispered, giving up trying to speak in a normal voice. Ryder felt Amber clasp his hand tighter and he returned the pressure. Looking back up at Cannon, he asked, “You okay?”
“Yeah, I was able to jump out. A few bumps and bruises. You trying to one-up me or something?” Ryder let his lip curl up in a half grin, refusing to give in and laugh. It hurt too damn much. “Your parents’ flight got diverted because of the storm. They should start accepting flights at the airport soon.”
“Your mother said Liz is catching a flight out in the morning. Funny how they left two days apart and will probably arrive at the same time,” Amber added on.
“You spoke with my mother?” Ryder vaguely heard her say his sister was coming also, but he was dumbstruck that Amber had talked with his Mom.
“Yeah, I hope that’s okay,” Amber replied softly, as if she were afraid he’d be upset.
“Depends.”
“Ryder—”
Ryder shot a sharp look at Cannon, cutting off whatever he was going to say. He might be injured and in the hospital, but he wasn’t a weak man. He wasn’t clueless to the fact that Amber changed her mind about their relationship or that Cannon had accepted what she had said at face value. But he needed to hear the words from her mouth. He needed to see her eyes to know she had truly accepted their love for her.
“Depends on what, Ryder?” Amber’s gaze never wavered from his. A strength that had never been there before turned her eyes a steel-gray color, like they did right before she had an orgasm. “Depends on if I love you? If I love Cannon? Let me tell you something, Discipline Man, I have never felt grief the way I felt it when I knew it was you in that accident. When my parents and brother died, they took a piece of me with them. But the thought of you two not here with me, laughing, crying, fighting, loving…that tore my soul away.”
Ryder felt a tightness in his chest that had nothing to do with the pain from the accident and everything to do with the woman sitting in front of him, baring everything she was. And she was brilliant. She was like a shining star in a blank night sky that lit up an otherwise obscure landscape. And she was theirs. Finally.
“I love you, Ryder Conti.”
Epilogue
“How many?”
“Ryder, please! Really? It’s been a month!”
“And I’ve looked forward to this moment the entire time. Cannon, how many swats for making us live a week in hell and trying to walk away from us?” Amber lay naked across Ryder’s lap, who was sitting against the headboard with his legs stretched out in front of him, obviously back to health and taking way too much enjoyment out of her predicament.
So much had changed in the course of a month. Ryder’s release from the hospital came after Christmas, so they had celebrated the holiday in his tiny hospital room along with both their parents and Ryder’s sister. Louise made sure a three-foot-tall, lighted tree was set up in the corner and took charge greeting the visitors who, again, came by to wish them happy h
olidays. Both families welcomed Amber, and although she had promised herself no more tears, she couldn’t stop the intermittent flow at how warm and accepting everyone was. Annabelle, surprisingly along with Sam, stopped in with her parents. She never got a second to ask Annabelle how things were going, but with Sam hanging back and not really joining in the conversation, Amber figured things were about the same.
The New Year came and went, Ryder recuperating at home while Cannon took back overseeing the ranch, although Max did hire more ranch hands. Amber shifted things around at The Coffee Bean, giving Tammy the title of manager and hiring Miss Lila’s granddaughter, Samantha, after Heather’s holiday break ended. Their families left for their homes, giving Amber and her men the time they needed to adjust to their new life. Amber was now living on the ranch, wearing a beautiful engagement ring, and awaiting the return of her future mothers-in-law come April to plan a summer wedding. Amber couldn’t have asked for a better life, and would never, ever let on how much she loved when Ryder laid her across his lap to administer his “punishments.” If he knew, Ryder might revise the punishments and not give her the spankings she craved!
“It was pretty bad, Amber. Ryder and I never want to feel that way again.” Cannon stood facing the side of the bed and since she was lying horizontally across it, over Ryder’s legs, her face was inches from his long, thick cock, which was dripping with pre-cum. “I think at least twenty to get our point across.”
“Twenty! Are you serious?” Amber loved her spankings as much as the next girl, but twenty might be pushing it!
“If I remember correctly, didn’t you call me ‘Discipline Man’ in the hospital? I wouldn’t want to disappoint you.”
Elizabeth, Peyton - Not So Common (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 8
