LifeOverLimb (7 page)

Since Ricky asked so prettily, who was Tanner to refuse? Using one hand to grip Ricky’s hip, Tanner fisted the other in his lover’s hair. He then gave Ricky the fucking he’d been begging for.

“Yes, like that! Do me hard!” Ricky yelled, his fingers gripping the headboard so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

There was no way that Ben and the rest of the apartment complex couldn’t hear Ricky’s cries of passion, but Tanner kept it up. If anything he moved faster, in hopes of getting even more noise out of his man.

Sweat built up on their bodies, making them slick, so Tanner tightened his grip, his nails digging into Ricky’s flesh. That only seemed to turn Ricky on more and soon he was thrusting back so hard, that he almost knocked Tanner off the end of the mattress.

“Gonna come! Gonna come!” Ricky threw back his head, a loud moan ripping from his chest.

“Do it. Let me really hear you scream,” Tanner urged.

Maybe the line was a bit cheesy and Porn 101, but it worked. Ricky jerked once, before he came, untouched, his body trembling. His ass clenched around Tanner. That was enough to send Tanner spiraling into his own orgasm. He shouted out Ricky’s name, his cock filling the condom.

They froze in place, both of them taking heaving breaths. Tanner finally dropped his head so it rested against the back of Ricky’s shoulder. A bit of sweat clung to the man’s skin and Tanner couldn’t resist the urge to lick it.

“Okay, we are
so
doing that again. I just need like five minutes to recover,” Ricky finally panted.

Tanner pressed a kiss to the Ricky’s skin. “Oh, I plan on us doing it plenty of times. You have no idea of what kinds of things I want to do to you.”

Ricky gave a breathy chuckle. “I guess it’s a good thing that both of us have the day off tomorrow. At least we can get a good start on your list.”

A good start.
Tanner found himself really liking that idea.

Chapter Seven

Ricky put some supplies on the shelf in the back of radiology room, wincing when the movement caused pain to certain parts of his body. He and Tanner had spent most of the day having sex and Ricky wasn’t used to so much physical activity.

Not that Ricky was complaining. Far from it. The past couple of days had been the best time of his life and it was all he could do to keep the giddy grin off his face. Something he knew he failed at when Cybil, his co-worker, let out a snort.

“Will you stop looking so damn happy? There are some of us who are still miserable and single,” she groused good-naturedly.

A plump, middle-aged, single mother, she was Ricky’s favorite tech to work with. Not only was she sweet and funny as hell, but she always brought in home-baked, sugar-free, chocolate chip cookies.

Ricky laughed. “Sorry, I’ll try my best to look grouchy for the rest of the shift.”

“Thank you. All the sugar, sweet happiness rolling off you is beginning to make my teeth rot. I sure as hell can’t afford the dental bill either.”

“That would be tragic. Then you wouldn’t have enough money for your steamy novels.”

“And then you wouldn’t be able to pretend that you don’t read that kind of thing, even as you continue to borrow every one of my books,” she shot back.

The
Trauma One
alarm sounded over the hospital loudspeaker, interrupting their conversation. Ricky rushed immediately to the ER. Since his radiology department was a part of the trauma team, he knew he’d be expected to show up within in minutes of the call coming out.

He walked in to find the large room already filled with other members of the team. Tanner was there and he flashed Ricky a warm smile. Ricky gave him a small wave, before going over to the portable X-Ray machine.

The team barely had time to get everything prepared before the paramedics came rushing in with the patient. Even before they’d transferred the young man from the cot to the hospital bed, Ricky could tell they would be fighting a losing battle. Going by the blood-drenched paper sheet, the patient had lost a lot of fluid. In addition, the portable cardiac monitor showed a flat-line, which meant there was no heart activity at all.

They still worked the code, the team members rushing around as they did their various jobs. Ricky tried his best to stay out the way, until they called on him to take an X-Ray. Something that wouldn’t be needed if they didn’t get the patient’s pulse back.

Tanner was giving chest compressions, sweat running down his face and arms, as his muscles flexed. Since Ricky didn’t have a task at the moment, he grew distracted and made the mistake of looking in the patient’s face.

His stomach ached as he noted how the kid couldn’t be more than twenty. While his body and head were covered with blood and lacerations, Ricky could still make out most of the patient’s youthful and innocent features.

Patrick, the doctor running the code, finally said, “Let’s call this, gang. There’s nothing else we can do for him.”

He then looked up and spoke aloud the time so the death could be properly documented. Tanner stopped doing compressions and pulled off his gloves, a loud curse ripping from his lips. Ricky jumped both in shock over the word and because he couldn’t believe Tanner was getting so upset. Sure, they all hated to lose a patient, but all hospital staff learn to compartmentalize those feelings so they didn’t break.

Then it dawned on Ricky why this was hitting Tanner so hard, and his chest clenched in pain for his lover.

The girl.
All this was no doubt making Tanner remember that horrible day. Ricky exchanged worried looks with Ben.

“Fuck this,” Tanner yelled before he stormed out of the room and went through the bay-doors leading outside.

Ricky didn’t hesitate, Tanner needed him, so he’d be there for his man. Leaving everybody behind, Ricky raced outside. The cool, night air sliced through his scrub top, making him shiver, but Ricky hardly noticed it.

All his attention was focused on Tanner and the heartbreaking image he made. He was leaning his forehead against the concrete wall and looked to be close to tears.

“Tanner, are you okay?” Ricky asked.

He gave an internal wince.
Duh!
Of course Tanner wasn’t okay. One look at the guy screamed that fact
.
Approaching closer, Ricky reached out to touch Tanner only to have Tanner pull away from him.

“Get the hell out of here,” Tanner snapped.

Ricky froze, hurt going through him. He shook it off, telling himself that it was only the grief talking. “No, I won’t leave you. You need me.”

Tanner turned on him. “Surprise, Ricky, not everybody in life is lost without your precious guidance. There’s some things that not even you can fix.”

Ricky took a step back, his gut twisting with emotion. “I didn’t say that you needed to be fixed, I just wanted to be there to support you.”

“How? You have no idea what I’m going through. You don’t know what it’s like to lose a patient. You’re a radiology tech, so the only thing you ever are in danger of losing is a damn X-Ray.”

“You don’t mean that?”

“It must be so easy to have a job where you can just tuck yourself in a room and never take the risk of having somebody under your care die.”

“Hey, I was in that room, too. That kid was every bit as much as my patient.”

“Not really, since we didn’t need you to work the X-ray machine. After all, that’s the only reason you were there. It certainly wasn’t to invest yourself into his care.”

Oh, no he didn’t!
Ricky took a deep breath as a heavy dose of anger hit him. “Are you trying to say that I’m nothing more than a glorified portrait photographer?”

“Yes! No! Damn it, I don’t know. I just need you to leave me alone.”

Holding his hands up, Ricky backpedaled to the bay doors. “No, problem. You can stay here with your misery for the rest of your life for all I care. I’m done being your verbal punching bag.”

Ricky then turned and walked through the doors. The entire time, he hoped that Tanner would call his name, maybe even give chase and apologize, but it never happened.

* * * *

Tanner finished marking patient charts before he tossed the pen to the side and let out a tired sigh. Actually, he was more than tired, he felt sad, depressed, miserable, dejected and every other synonym for gloomy.

All because he’d fucked up, big time. Worse yet, he hadn’t been able to make things better between him and Ricky. Tanner had tried numerous times in the past three days to talk to the man, but Ricky refused to talk. When Tanner called, his lame ass was tossed into voice mail. Knocks to the front door went unanswered. Shit, Tanner couldn’t even see the guy at work because Ricky called in every shift since their argument.

He buried his face in his hands as he wondered what he was going to do. While he and Ricky had only been officially together for a couple days, Tanner realized he’d fallen for the man a long time ago. Now that they finally came so close to having a real relationship, Tanner didn’t want to lose it.

A tiny fist came from his right and slammed into his arm. “You stupid jerk! I told you not to break his heart!”

Jerking in pain and shock, Tanner turned to find a very furious looking Carla.

“Shouldn’t you be in school?”

“And shouldn’t you be on your knees, groveling to my brother for forgiveness,” she countered before giving him another punch.

“Ouch! Easy there, tiger.”

Ben came rushing over. “What’s going on here?”

Carla shot Tanner a filthy glare. “I’m just giving this DB here a piece of my mind.”

“What do you want me to do?” Tanner demanded, letting the
DB
comment slide for the moment. “I’ve tried apologizing, but he refuses to talk to me.”

“That’s because you’re a—”

“Okay, we get it,” Ben cut in. “Tanner’s a great big meanie butt. “

“Yes, he is,” Carla snarled.

“But Ricky’s being a stubborn brat, too,” Ben added.

She let out a gasp of shock. “How can you take Tanner’s side?”

“Because I know Ricky better than anybody and I know how bullheaded he can be. I also understand how upset Tanner has been these past few days. It’s so bad that I’ve been tempted to pin a blue donkey tail to his butt because he’s been just as chipper of
Eeyore.
”

“Really?” All the anger faded from her face.

“Yeah.”

“He’s been really, really miserable? Because that’s what he deserves.”

“I know I do and I would do anything to make it up to him,” Tanner cut in.

Carlo narrowed her eyes. “Give me one good reason why I should believe you?”

“Because I haven’t hurt this bad over losing somebody. Not even when my own family cut me off. It’s so bad that I spent all last night eating ice cream and watching
Dr. Who
reruns.”

Tears pooled in Carla’s eyes. “Oh, wow. That’s both sweet and amazingly dorky.”

Turning to Ben, she asked, “So, what are we going to do to get them back together?” .

Tanner wondered when it’d suddenly became a
we
problem. He kept his mouth shut though, because he didn’t want to get punched again.

Ben smiled. “I actually have an idea.”

She leaned her arms on the nurse’s station. “What is it?”

“Forrest and Patrick are throwing a huge early Halloween bash. They’ve invited all the people in the gay EMS circle, too, so Tanner or Ricky can drop easily drop by.”

“Do I get any say in this?” Tanner asked.

They both ignored him.

“How can you be certain Ricky will go? We both know he’s not the party type?” Carla demanded.

“You let me worry about that,” Ben assured her. “We just need to figure out the perfect costume for Tanner. It should be something that will touch Ricky so much that he’ll have no choice but to forgive Tanner.”

“Oh!” She danced up and down on the balls of her feet. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Yes, it’s time that Ricky got a visit from
The
Doctor.
”

Going by the wicked look the pair shared, that comment didn’t bode well for Tanner at all.

Chapter Eight

Ricky stared morosely down at his drink as he wondered why in the hell he’d allowed Ben to talk him into coming to this damn party.

Not that the food and drinks weren’t good. They were top quality. Hell, they even had a live band playing. If Ricky were pressed, he’d have to admit it was one of the best set-ups he’d ever been to.

It’s just that it seemed like every damn person there was part of a happy couple. They even frigging wore matching costumes. Matt and Lucas were dressed up as a certain caped hero and his younger sidekick. Forrest and Patrick wore Salt and Pepper costumes. Dylan and Kaleb were Bert and Ernie. Jessie and Randal came as Starsky and Hutch. Kiefer and Ray dressed as The Lone Ranger and Tonto, completing their look with stick horses. Calvin was dressed as David Beckham while James came as a giant soccer ball. For some odd reason Dustin and Vaughn had chosen to be Ringo and Paul, completely leaving out poor John and George. Since Clayton was a huge fan of the show
Survivor,
he and his partner, Justin, came as tribe members, with matching buffs. Chauncey and Brody rounded out the group with their Frodo and Samwise getups.

And what did Ricky have on? A stupid, borrowed Army costume that reeked of stale cigarettes and
Axe Body Spray.
Even Ben looked better and he was dressed up as the Red
Angry Bird.

To make things even suckier, all the couples were snuggling and kissing. Each performance of PDA sending Ricky deeper into depression because it only made him think of Tanner.

Ricky knew he should just let Tanner talk to him. Maybe he wanted to explain or apologize. It was just hard though, because some of the things Tanner had insinuated about being a radiology tech were the exact thing Ricky’s dad had jeered at him about. That left Ricky feeling hurt and a little betrayed because he thought Tanner had more respect for him and his job.

It wasn’t easy to stay angry though because Ricky missed Tanner—so much so that it caused an ache in his chest. While they may have only been lovers for a while, Ricky found that he didn’t want to make it through the day without hearing Tanner’s voice, or to feel the man’s strong arms around him.