“I like the way you think.” Mave dug into the pie and closed her eyes as she moaned. “Oh my. That is some good pie.”
I watched the beauty that was Mave and tried to control myself from getting turned on from her little moans. She licked her spoon clean, and I knew it was a lost cause to not get turned on when Mave was around.
“I’m going to assume it’s good?”
She nodded. “Not as good as mine, but it’s pretty up there.”
I stuck my fork in the pie and swiped it through the melting ice cream. “Just so you know, you’re going to have to make me your pie when we get home because you said yours is better than this.”
“Is that so?” she chuckled.
I nodded and stuck the fork in my mouth. The ooey gooey caramel-like custard with the toasted pecans was damn near perfect. “Now that is some good pie.”
“I was hoping a barbecue place would have good pie, but sometimes, you never really know.”
I pointed my fork at the extra piece of pie. “You and I can split that when we binge watch tonight.”
“I think you might have to roll me to bed if I eat anything more after this piece.” She moaned but took another bite of the pie.
“That’ll be a change of pace. Normally, you’re the one rolling me around.”
“You’ll be back on your feet in no time.”
I couldn’t wait for the day where I could get myself up and move around without anyone's help. It seemed like I would never get back there.
“Sure as hell doesn’t feel like it.” As usual, I was beyond exhausted and my body felt like it was ran over by a truck again. “I fully plan on sleeping the whole way home, just so you know.”
She took another bite of the pie and pushed the plate toward me. “You can nap on a full stomach because you’re eating the rest of that. I’m going to bust out of my jeans if I eat any more.”
“You sure?”
She nodded and laid her head back. “I shouldn’t have eaten any of it.”
I grabbed the plate and downed the rest of the pie in two bites. I raised my hand to the waitress and asked for the bill and a container for the other piece of pie.
“Let’s hit the road, Doc.”
I laid three twenties on top of the check and grabbed the small container.
“You just want to get going because you can take a nap. I gotta stay awake the next three hours when I want to do is lapse into a food coma.”
Mave pushed me around the tables of the restaurant then I took over. I was able to get around the house by myself in the chair but when we were in a cramped area, it was sometimes easier for Mave to do the navigating.
“Quicker every time,” Mave laughed once she was in her seat and I was strapped into the passenger seat. “I think we’re starting to make a good team.”
She buckled herself in and turned on the SUV.
“You’re pretty good at this personal nurse thing.”
She rolled her eyes and backed out of the parking spot. “I don’t really think I’m doing enough to be called that. I think I’m more of a friend who’s helping you.”
“Friend?”
I could work with that. I was worried Mave would be stuck in her head about being my nurse but if she didn’t see herself that way then I didn’t need to worry about jumping that hurdle.
She glanced over at me and smiled. “At least, I think so. Don’t you?”
“That what you want to be?”
“Are you being coy with me right now?” she laughed.
I turned my head and laughed. “I’m good with whatever you want, Doc. Friends works for me right now.”
“Right now?” she asked.
I shrugged and closed my eyes. “You never know what the future holds, Doc.”
“Have we gone from grumpy Roc to wise, sage Roc?”
“Gotta keep you on your toes, Doc.” I sunk into the seat and felt the familiar fatigue settle over me. “Wake me up when we get home.”
“Okay,” she replied softly. She turned the radio up louder, and her soft voice lulled me to sleep.
*
Mave
Outside, I was chill and sang softly to the radio.
Inside, I was a damn mess.
I wasn’t trying to be flirty when I had said I was a friend helping him out. That wasn’t at all what it sounded like. I was a horrible flirt, and I had just proven it by not even knowing when I was flirting.
You never know what the future holds. Say what?
I had no idea what in the world that could mean.
Did Roc like me?
Was he going to tell me to hit the road?
Were we going to cuddle on the couch more often?
When he was back to normal, was I going to keep coming over?
Ah! I had no idea was going to happen, but it seemed like Roc had it all figured out. If only he would share with me what was going on inside his head.
Roc woke up before we got home, and he reached across the center console. He grabbed my hand and threaded his fingers through mine.
“You okay, doc?”
I looked down at our intertwined fingers. More than okay. “Yup. Almost home.”
We had about five minutes before I pulled into the driveway, and I wished he had woken up an hour ago to hold my hand.
“Had a good time with you today, Mave. Probably the best time I’ve had in a while.”
I glanced over at him. “You travel the country and get to see places I’ve only ever thought about. I doubt going to a museum and a barbeque place was that good of a time for you.”
“You’d be surprised, Doc.”
Things were changing, and it was happening fast. So fast my head was spinning.
I pulled up in front of the house and rounded the front of the SUV. Roc had the door open already and waited for me to grab the wheel chair from the back. I rolled it next to the open door and moved in front of Roc.
Once I had his legs out of the truck, our normal routine changed.
Roc reached up and brushed my hair from my face and cupped my cheek.
“Roc,” I whispered.
“I wanna thank you for today, Mave. Thank you for being with me and not making me feel like a burden.”
“You’re not a burden,” I whispered. Roc was anything but that.
His arm circled around my waist and he pulled me close. I was between his legs, and I rested my hands on his shoulders. “I gotta kiss you, Doc.”
“Oh?” I gasped.
He nodded and closed the gap between us. His lips brushed against mine, and I sighed into him. His kiss was strong and demanding.
You know when you wonder what it would be like to kiss someone and then it finally happens and you pray to God it doesn’t suck?
Kissing Roc didn’t suck in the least. Not even a little bit.
His lips moved over mine, his tongue gently easing into my mouth, and his hand delved into my hair. My hands drifted around his neck, and my body relaxed into his.
“Mave,” he whispered against my lips.
I hummed lightly and enjoyed the feel of his hands on me.
“You’re like a fucking dream, Doc. Been through hell with the accident and now you’re like the light at the end of the tunnel.”
I pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes. “The same goes for you, Chief.”