“I didn’t know she could sound like that,” Cliff commented, grimacing.
“Only when Chuck is involved. He told everyone at school that they were an item and into BDSM. They weren’t even dating. He’s done a few other things, too, like getting me arrested on my eighteenth birthday,” I told him.
“Are you sure he’s a friend?” Cliff asked.
“Oddly enough, when I need someone, he’s there. He’s a good friend even though he’s a moron sometimes.” It was true. No matter what, he was always there for me, and always seemed to know what I needed.
“A moron? That’s all you have to say about—” I truly believed that Emily stood on the precipice of completely losing it, but she was interrupted before she could go much further.
“I’m sorry. I can come back later if that would be better,” the new person stated nervously.
I was shocked and certain it showed on my face. Officer Gambit had walked in and began speaking over my sister. Had she ever clammed up so quickly before? I didn’t think it had happened since she was eight and I was five.
“Emily, we should probably see what we need to do to get your brother discharged.” Cliff pulled my sister toward the door. They disappeared less than a second later.
“Thanks for saving me…again,” I joked with a grin. His dark hair was cut close, and I recalled how well he filled out his uniform, but jeans and a tight T-shirt looked even better. Firm muscles, a shadow of a goatee, slightly crooked teeth that I noticed when he smiled, and those sparkling hazel eyes. If I allowed myself, I could fall for him.
“The sister you didn’t want me to call?”
“My parents didn’t have the same aversion to calling her, especially since they are out of town.” I leaned back to rest my head on my pillow. “The hospital called them, they called Emily, and she showed up ready to defend my honor or ream me a new one. I’m not exactly sure. Her fiancé, Cliff, was with her because they were at a cake tasting for their wedding when they got the call.”
“You don’t like him?” he asked, stepping closer.
“I actually do. He’s good for her, which is more than I can say about her ex.” I tilted my head to the side. “What are you doing here?” While I was happy to see him again, I was a little surprised that he showed up to the hospital twenty-four hours after he shut the door on the ambulance.
“Oh…uh…Honestly?”
“Nope, I’m hoping you are here to lie to me and tell me I’m going to be arrested for indecent relations with a home appliance,” I deadpanned, attempting to keep a straight face.
“Not against the law as far as I know, but who knows what kind of crazy law has been written into the books that isn’t observed any longer. Like did you know you can’t wound a fish with a firearm in Wyoming? In Iowa, you can’t pass margarine off as butter. It’s a misdemeanor.”
Lucas
“It’s a misdemeanor.” I couldn’t shut up. I didn’t know why I decided to show up here on my day off. But when I heard from one of the paramedics that Benji was going into surgery to have the hose removed, I wanted to check on him. “How are you feeling?” I finally questioned.
“Sore. Bruised dick syndrome is a very real thing. Or is that broke dick? I mean, it’s not broken. I’ve been assured that I can still use it, but it is a little bruised and very swollen.” He cleared his throat and turned his head to stare out the window for a moment before shifting his gaze back to me. “I’m okay. Thanks for helping me yesterday. My friends…they were…” He stopped.
“They left you?” For whatever reason, I thought he might have acted stupid of his own accord.
“You sound like my sister. They were afraid of what would happen to them. We had been drinking most of the day, and things got a little out of hand.”
“Sounds like it did. Is that…uh…normal for you?”
“No, not at all. I’m usually surrounded by beakers and chemicals. But we were celebrating.” He licked his lips, and my eyes followed the movement. “Do you normally check in on all of the people you have to save?”
Grinning, I sat down in the chair beside his bed and leaned back. “I try to. I like the people I protect to know I’m there for them, that it’s more than a job. Although, I have to say that I haven’t ever gotten a call quite like yours before.”
“And here I thought everyone was doing this, like getting a tattoo,” he guffawed.
I chuckled, too. “I’m really hoping it doesn’t catch on, or else there could be some unintentional eunuchs in the city.” His expression made me laugh some more. “So, how are you actually feeling?” I asked as soon as I could.
He gazed up at the ceiling, no longer focusing on me. His neck was long, his Adam’s apple bounced up and down when he swallowed. He had a slight shadow covering his cheeks and chin from not shaving. It was hard to imagine him surrounded by beakers instead of sand and waves. His blue eyes slid shut. “I’m sore, but I’m okay. Just grateful I got to the hospital in time. I’ve learned my lesson, and I am now afraid of vacuums. My penis wasn’t the issue. It was that the suction had pulled part of my ball sac into the tube, too. I’ve never felt pain like that before.”
A shiver ran through my body, thinking about that. I never wanted to imagine what he went through and never ever wanted to feel agony like that in my life. I’d been shot before when a pimp got pissed off that one of his girls decided to get clean and leave the life. I’d been called because she dialed 9-1-1 requesting help, terrified of what her pimp would do to her. He decided to shoot first and ask questions later. Thankfully, we were able to get him in cuffs without any further incident. He surrendered as soon as he realized he was outgunned and outmanned. That was three years ago and required ten stitches—only a graze.
“Want to tell me what you’re doing here?” he pressed, his voice soft.
“I wanted to make sure you were all right. Your situation was the stuff of nightmares. And then you told me not to call anyone. I wanted to be sure that you had someone here to get you home or wherever.”
His eyes opened, and he turned his head so that he was looking at me. “Thank you.”
“Any time.”
“Is that all?”
Did I dare? “I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me?” I fully expected a rejection and prepared myself for it, but at least I’d put it out there.
Silence filled the room, his blue eyes widened, and my heart rate increased.
“Like a date?”
“Well, I just figured that, you know.” I rubbed the palms of my hands against my jeans, unable to understand what I was trying to say, realizing he probably didn’t understand me either.
“Sure, why not? Besides, after things heal, maybe we could have some fun playing hide the nightstick.” He winked.
My dick hardened. “Fuck me.”
“Only if you’re good, and it could take some time before junior here is ready for any extracurricular activities.”
I chuckled and ran a hand down my face. “I suppose I could help you with physical therapy.”