I took a sip of my coffee before shaking my head. “I wouldn’t sleep anyway. I’d rather be here.”
He held my gaze for a few beats before dipping his head in a nod. “Thank you,” was all he said in return.
With the television in the corner of the waiting room rumbling on whatever news they had to discuss at this hour, Walker and I waited together. I didn’t know how much more time passed before the doctor came into the waiting area.
It felt as if we’d been collectively wrapped in a cocoon of worry and concern. The appearance of the doctor jolted all of us into an edgy wakefulness. Walker stood quickly, along with Dave’s father. He turned back to give a gentle squeeze to Dave’s mother’s shoulder, leaning down to whisper in her ear. She stood just as Jenny jerked awake and staggered up from her chair. Jenny’s mother steadied her and crossed the room with her.
We’d seen this doctor earlier when he stopped in to let us know Dave was stable, and they were going to assess what was going on. All we knew was Dave had a heart attack, and they were going to operate.
Walker reached for my hand when he stood. It was only as we were walking across the waiting area together that I realized we’d definitely appear to be a couple to anyone who saw us. I hadn’t even thought twice about letting him curl his strong hand around mine. I gave a squeeze in return, a small effort to impart some strength to him.
“How is he?” Walker asked immediately, just as Dave’s parents reached the doctor.
The doctor looked amongst everyone and nodded firmly. “He’s going to be fine. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you more information earlier. Honestly, given Dave’s age, I wasn’t prepared to say more until we operated.”
“Well?” Dave’s mother’s voice was hoarse from the tears she’d cried earlier.
Jenny stayed quiet, but her eyes were wide.
“As I said, he had a heart attack. Dave is a lucky man. He survived what’s known as a widow maker. That’s a blockage in his left anterior artery, the one going down. Those tend to result in heart attacks that are abrupt and seem to come out of nowhere. He had an almost complete blockage. A blockage that complete at his age is concerning. We fully repaired it and cleared the artery. He will need to be mindful of his diet for the rest of his life. He’ll make a full recovery and live a healthy life. Although it’s not too common for someone his age to have a heart attack like that, his age will help him stay healthy and shorten his recovery time.” The doctor looked toward Jenny. “Your new husband will be back on his feet soon.”
Jenny burst into tears, and her mother pulled her into a hug. While Jenny sniffled and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, the doctor continued to rattle off information.
By the time we were walking out of the hospital, Walker was practically sagging at my side. When we got to his truck, I held my hand out, gesturing with my fingers. “Give me the keys. I’m driving. You’re too tired.” When he lifted his head and opened his mouth to argue, I simply shook my head. “Seriously, Walker.”
“You’ve got to be just as tired as me,” he muttered.
“Although we’ve both been awake for the same amount of time, this has been an emotional blow for you. I just met Dave this weekend, and he’s been your best friend for years. That counts. Don’t go thinking you can fight me on this. I’ll kick your butt with how tired you are.”
For the first time in hours, a smile split across Walker’s face. “If I recall,” he drawled, “the last time you found yourself in the middle of a fight, I had to help you out.”
I threw my head back with a laugh, just before reaching to snatch the keys out of his hand. I nudged him on the shoulder and even opened the passenger door for him. He rolled his eyes, but he climbed in.
Once I was in the driver’s seat, I adjusted the seat and took a gander at the dashboard and various controls before tapping the start button.
“Are you one of those guys who worries about someone else driving your truck?” I asked conversationally as I put it in gear and slowly backed out of the parking space.
He chuckled. It said something about the depth of my attraction to him that despite how out of place it was and despite how weary we both were, the mere sound of his gruff laugh sent a prickle down my spine and heat racing over the surface of my skin.
“No. I’m not one of those guys. If it was a stick shift and you couldn’t drive that, well, then I might be worried.”
“It’s not a stick shift, but I could handle it if it was. My father insisted Lucas and I learn. It was only a few years ago that Lucas finally got over his snobbery about that and got a regular automatic truck.”
Walker laughed again. “I get it. I was the same way. Damn stupid. Shifting gears takes work.”
After I turned onto the road that would take us back to the wedding hotel, I commented, “I’m glad Dave’s going to be okay.”
I felt Walker’s sigh to my depths. It was so heartfelt when his head fell back against the seat. “Yeah. He’s like a brother to me. Thanks again for waiting with me tonight.”
“Anytime.”
We fell into silence for the remainder of the drive back to the hotel.
Chapter Fifteen
Jade
Walker was asleep when I parked the truck. Moonlight fell through the window, illuminating his profile. He was a beautiful man with strong, sculpted features. The tension he usually held in his features was gone in sleep. I wanted to lean over and kiss his cheek.
I didn’t. I was unsettled tonight, completely thrown off my axis. Between experiencing my first climax with a man, and then being present on the heels of a frightening emergency, it was a lot to take in. I’d glimpsed the vulnerability that lay behind Walker’s quiet exterior. It felt as if someone had taken tiny pry bars to the walls I’d built around my heart.
That unsettled feeling drove me to leap out of the truck, catching myself in time before I slammed the door behind me. Rounding to the passenger side, I opened the door quietly. “Walker.” I shook him gently on the shoulder.
He mumbled something in his sleep before falling right back into it. I shook him again, this time saying his name at a higher volume. I’d carry him if I could, but I knew that was impossible.
“Huh?” he mumbled as his eyes finally opened. He rolled his head to the side, opening his eyes slowly. “Did I fall asleep?”
I smiled. “Yep. Come on, let’s get you to bed.”
A few minutes later, we were back in the hotel room. Walker kicked his shoes off, stumbling slightly. I caught him at the elbow to steady him. “You need to get in bed.”
“That’s what I was aiming for,” he muttered with a sleepy smile.
Without further ado, he yanked his T-shirt off and shoved his jeans down, basically falling onto the bed as he kicked them free of his feet. Meanwhile, my mouth went dry at the sight of a shirtless Walker. Dear God. The man needed to come with a list of warnings—might blind you with hotness, don’t touch or you’ll get burned, melting imminent. Something along those lines.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath as I turned away. I made sure the door was locked, and set my purse down on the dresser. Walker was already sound asleep. He’d managed to crawl up to the pillows, but he hadn’t even gotten under the covers. The sheets and comforter were still rumpled from our earlier encounter. He was half on his stomach with one knee bent up and his elbow tucked under the pillow. Jesus, even his ass was all muscle. His back was cut and every muscle was delineated even when he was relaxed.