Fix It for Us (28 page)

“Trust me,” my dad
says, “That was no easy feat as often as your mother calls you about wedding details.”  My mom elbows my dad.

“Where’s Davis?” I ask
everyone and no one.

I perceive the other privacy curtain move
, shifting my attention from all the party guests, to it.

The voice I love the most says, “Right here.” 

Davis is standing where the curtain once was.  He is dressed in regular clothes.  Jeans, a t-shirt, boots.  Not the hospital scrubs he’s been wearing as pajamas.  There is no longer a bandage on the side of his head.  From where I stand, I can just see the scar that starts about an inch from the side of his eye and terminates at the front of his ear.  His hair has been cut, so the sides are even again.  It’s shorter than I’ve ever seen it before, but it makes him no less attractive to me.  Davis cocks his head and lets loose his uneven smile that, while broken, still makes his eyes crinkle and my body shiver. 

“Surprise, Lizard baby.  Happy Birthday
.”  Davis says sweetly.  He has a big pink bow stuck on his chest over his heart.  He strides toward me.  Much as I love this surprise, now I really wish we alone.  He looks just… yummy.  When he gets close enough I can tell he smells just as good. 

“Are you my present
?” I ask so everyone can hear. 

Davis
, never taking his eyes from my face and ignoring everyone else in the room, slides his arm around my waist and pulls me close.  Getting very close, he touches his forehead to mine and tells me, also loud enough for everyone to hear, “One of them…” and then he slides his cheek down to mine and with a deep, vibrating voice whispers, “We can talk about unwrapping me later…I have such mind-blowing memories of unwrapping
my
present on my birthday.  Mmmm.”  I flash back to the condo and the lyrics to Cherry Pie ring in my ears, as well as the pictures of him “unwrapping” me in my head .  OMG!  My parents are in the room!  I smack him lightly.  He laughs a real deep down laugh.  One I haven’t heard in a while.  Davis has his sense of humor back.

“Wait.  Everyone.”  Davis says loudly and the room quiets.  “Thank you for being here to celebrate my Lizard baby’s birthday, but I have to give her the real present.”  W
hat could be better than Davis feeling better and knowing we are getting married soon?  I don’t need anymore.  I am about to open my mouth to tell him, when… 

Davis steps back away from me and commands,
“Read my t-shirt.”

“What?”  I make a crazy, question mark face at him.  Then I realize he has on one
of his trademark “Davis shirts.”  One I’ve never seen before.  On the front it says:

I
You

I read it aloud, “I mustache you
…”  Davis turns around and I see the rest of the message.

To Take Me Home

             
I continue reading, “…to take me…” and then I scream.  “Home? I can take you home? Really?”  Not thinking about his head or my injuries, I jump into his arms and begin searching his eyes for the answer.  I hope this is not a joke.  Davis smiling even harder, if that’s possible, says nothing and slips a small stack of legal looking papers into one of my hands.  I look down and see the word DISCHARGE on the top.

Still in disbelief, I ask again, “You?  Can leave?  We can go home
?”

Davis runs his hands through my hair and then cups my face in his strong, capable hands, “Yes.  Tonight.  Right after your party
.”

I am still enfolded in Davis’ arms.  Everyone in the room is cheering or crying (in the case of my mother and Mrs. Brandon).  I hear Charlie say, “I think this coul
d be a really short party.”  He high fives Davis behind my back.

             
I push up on my toes to whisper to Davis, in his own words, “Best. Present. Ever.”

             
He whispers back, “Not by a long shot, baby.  We aren’t alone, yet.” 

             
I wonder how fast we can have a drink, cut my cake, eat a small piece and leave without appearing rude.  I am SO ready to be with Mavis.  I have to get things going, so I announce to the room, “Let’s cut the cake!”

             
Charlie leads the group in singing ‘Happy Birthday.’ The traditional version, followed by the Beatles’ version.  I make a wish and blow out the candles, thankful nobody asks me what I wished for.  That would be completely embarrassing!  For me at least.  Davis would love it.

             
Davis and I spend a little time with everyone at the party, but focus on our parents.  It doesn’t take anything for him to charm my folks.  They don’t know the real story of how we were injured.  I made up a story about being mugged.  My father thanks Davis repeatedly for trying to protect me.  It’s a little painful lie to them, but Davis and I have agreed to reveal the truth to them
after
the wedding, to keep from upsetting them.

             
Meredith and James Brandon keep to the side during most of the party, joining in with toasts and applause.  After speaking to my mom and dad, I indicate to Davis that we need to go talk to them.  I make the first move toward them, taking Davis by the hand.

             
“Meredith.”  I greet Mrs. Brandon warmly.  I’ve decided even though she’s never asked me, that is what I am going to call her from now on. “I’m really glad you’re here for my birthday.”  I surprise myself and her, I think, by stepping forward and hugging her fully.  Over her shoulder, I look right into the Lt. Governors wet-looking eyes and tell him, “you too, James.”

             
Mrs. Brandon speaks, and it’s more than I’ve ever heard her say. And with more emotion. “We are very happy to be here, Biz.  Thank you.  Thank you, Davis.  We…I…James just went along with the condition to appease me…I’m so very sorry.  I don’t know what I was thinking.  Anyone can tell that you two belong together.  I just…I can’t deal with my family being hurt or sad.  And Biz, that now includes you.  Welcome to the family!” 

             
I am shocked.  Davis looks down at me, shrugs and then quickly pulls Meredith and me down with him to encircle James, in his wheelchair, in my second family hug of the night. 

             
“Thank you,” I tell them all, “I’m honored that I’ll be a Brandon soon.”

              James clears his throat.  “Okay, enough of this… emotional… stuff,” he says, his pauses, ironically full of feeling.  “Davis, take your girl home.  Right now.”

             
Davis laughs while saying, “Great, now Dad’s the controlling one.  Yes, sir.  I’ll be happy to take her home, right away.”

             
I chime in, “I think I’m the one taking YOU home. I have the keys to the Escalade.”

             
Davis doesn’t argue, but I can tell he is not super happy about being coddled.  He just purses his lips, nods his head and waves me toward the door.  I catch him kissing his mom and dad goodnight and I stop and do the same to mine.  I reassure my mother I’ll call her tomorrow and we’ll get together.  Davis’ bag is next to the door.  I pick it up, turn, wave and thank everyone for coming.  Davis’ nurse appears with a wheelchair and tells him it is hospital policy – he has to be taken out of the building in it.

I hear him grumble something about being treated like a
baby, so I lean down after he’s in the chair and tell him, “Just let me baby you a little more tonight, okay.”

That changes Davis’ attitude.  He tells the nurse, “Let’s get out of here.”

***

              Home.  Alone.

             
Davis and I both stand, holding hands, just inside the door and take it in.  A few days ago, I feared it would never happen again.  Us.  Together.  Here.  Now, I feel we’ll never be apart again.  I squeeze his hand.  He rubs his thumb over my knuckles, slowly.  I wonder if he has any idea just how much that simple move gets me.  I swing around to face him, reaching around to place my hand on his firm ass.  Davis, while guarding my sling, pulls me right up against him, mimicking my movement but grabbing my ass with two hands.  He dips his head to my neck and kisses me with slow draggy movements that cover lots of real estate.  The little hairs all over my body are at attention.  My nipples stiffen painfully.  I want him to touch me.  Take me.  There is something swirling and molten overtaking my lower abdomen.  A sensation I know well.  My hands roam from Davis’ backside to his chest.  My legs are shaking from his kisses.  I duck my head slightly and nudge at his cheek with my nose, eventually finding his lips, and then I crash into him.  We’ve been careful with our kisses and touches while in the hospital, but I can’t hold back any longer.  I want to devour him.  Davis receives my message instantly and our mouths open to each other, licking, biting and sucking powerfully.  My core is tensing and relaxing in waves.  Just kissing is pushing me toward excitement.

             
“This is okay, right?” I ask. 

             
“Feels good to me.”  Davis groans into my mouth.

             
I laugh, “No, silly, I mean… sex… it’s okay, right… with your doctor?”

             
Davis, still kissing me all over and bringing his hands to my breasts, holding them and skating his thumbs over my now at-attention nipples, chuckles, “Umm… yeah.  His exact words were, “It’s fine, if you don’t get too rowdy.”

             
I pull away, “Rowdy?  What exactly does rowdy mean?”

             
Davis pulls my arms out of my t-shirt and over my head gently.  He slowly removes my figure eight brace for my collarbone.   And then my black push up bra.

             
“Rowdy… means nothing that could injure you…”  He dips his head again and lightly kisses my collarbone.  I am afraid it will hurt, but it doesn’t.  His kiss just elevates my need and I throw my head back slightly, pushing my breasts into him to take in the sensations running from everywhere he touches me.  “Or me.”

             
“So, slow-ly.  Nothing too rough.  No banging heads on headboards.” I tease and lick at his ear.

             
Davis slides himself around me, so my back is to his front, and pulls my naked upper torso back toward him, caressing one breast in his hand and sliding his other down to unbutton my capris.  He slides his hand down the front of them, cupping me over my panties.  I know what he’s doing.  Davis is taking control.  He hasn’t had it for a while.  I can feel Davis’ erection digging at my lower back.  I spin to face him.  I know Davis wants control, but I can’t wait any longer.  Still kissing, ever more intensely, I wiggle out of my capris and then attack his jeans, ripping at the button and tearing down his fly with one hand.  As he pushes them down his thighs and kicks them off, I pull his t-shirt up.  Davis stops me when he sees me wince.  Raising my arms is still a little painful.  He finishes removing the t-shirt.  We are practically naked and we haven’t made it out of the foyer.  I want him now.  In my bed.  I run my hands over his chest and slide them down his rippled abs until I am almost at his boxers.  Suddenly, instead of touching the waistband, I move my hands to his and backing up with a tug, indicate with a tilt of my head that it’s time to go to the bedroom.

             
Davis continues to back me into the bedroom, moving right up against me, pulling me up on my toes, practically carrying me there.  Once the back of my legs touch the bed, I sit quickly and tear his boxers down.  Davis is deftly relieving me of my bothersome panties.  I lick at his abs, running my tongue over the taut, slightly salty skin.  Davis reaches around and pulling my hips up, tilts me back on the bed, his mouth quickly on my wanting nipples.  Each nip and suckle slick me up.   My most sensitive area is convulsing.  Davis seems to sense this and moves his thumb to my throbbing clit.  I moan with the first flick. 

             
He coos hotly, “Lizard… Baby… I want to do so many, many things to make you say my name, but right at this moment I can’t stand not being as close to you as possible, being surrounded by you.”

             
My only thought and word are, “Please.”  It is permission and pleading all in one.  I reach down and stroke his hardness, thumbing the crested tip, while Davis kisses me into a frenzy.