One Night With Him (15 page)

Cole rubbed the length of my arm, while I rested next to him just enjoying being in his arms again. Placing a kiss on top of my head he whispered, “Cat got your tongue?”

Realizing I’d yet to say a word since he’d woken up, I quickly sat up and turned towards him. “No, I’m sorry, I think I’m just taking it all in. I have been so worried about you and now having you here, awake, knowing you are okay, it’s just so overwhelming. I’m sorry, I just…I just don’t know what to even say. I’m not sure where I should even begin.”

He smiled and grabbed my hand “How ‘bout a kiss?” I blushed, now also realizing I’d yet to kiss him since he’d woken up. Leaning over him I lightly placed my lips on top of his. My body shivering as his hand reached up and wrapped around the base of my neck, pulling me closer to him, pressing his lips harder against mine. My body was on fire, having yearned for his touch for so long. I was surprised when his tongue slipped into my mouth, but not disappointed at all. My heart was pounding out of my chest as he devoured my mouth, I could hardly breathe, but Cole wouldn’t let up, until the machine next to us started screaming. I jumped at the sound of the alarm, fear rushing through my body as I looked him over from head to toe in a panic.

“Are you ok?” I begged. He was lying there eyes closed, lips swollen, panting heavily. “Cole?” I shouted as he began to chuckle.

Nurses burst through the door and were at his side in seconds, checking all of the machines. “What is going on in here? Why is your heart rate monitor screaming?” My favorite nurse asked as I put my hands to my mouth, trying to stifle a giggle when I realized Cole was okay. “Cole, answer me, why is your heart rate elevated?”

He looked over towards me, giggling in the corner then back to her. “Well, ma’am, you see that beautiful young lady over there,” he nodded his head in my direction as I blushed, not even able to imagine what was going to come out of his mouth next, “it’s been awhile since I’ve laid my lips on her mouth, and well to be quite honest with you, I wasn’t going to give her a half ass kiss, because I’m cooped up in this damn bed. So that machine you’re referring to is only screaming, because that’s what happens to my heart every time I kiss her.”

Silencing his machine the nurse pointed a finger in my direction. “You know better than that, Reagan, I trust it won’t happen again?” Winking at me as she looked back to Cole. “And as for you, buddy, you’ve been out of it for a few days, so I can’t fault you for not obeying the rules up until this point, but from here on out your recovery is top priority. Getting hot and steamy with that little lady over there will just have to wait until you bust out of this joint. You understand?” Cole smiled up at her and nodded his head. I was still in the corner trying to avoid being reprimanded again.

As she walked out of the room, I sat back on the edge of the bed, grabbing Cole’s hand and kissing it. “I feel like we just got caught in the act or something. I guess, I better take it easy before she kicks me out of here.”

He pulled me in closer to him, quickly kissing my lips. “Oh, you aren’t going anywhere, not now that I’ve finally gotten you back.”

His words cut with both excitement and pain. “What’s wrong?” he asked, squeezing my hand.

I cringed, not wanting to get into the entire Heather thing, but it was there in my mind all of the sudden, so I figured it was best we just get it over and done with. “I just hate that we had to go through all of that. I know it isn’t the time to bring it up, but it killed me Cole, you killed me.” I looked away, trying not to get too emotional as I remember the two of them in the elevator together. His heavy sigh brought my eyes back to him as he laid there, eyes closed, silent.
Say something!
I screamed in my head, but he didn’t. Silence filled the room for what seemed like forever before he finally spoke.

“Reagan, I know nothing will change your perception of what you saw that night, but I have to tell you it is not what you think. I had no idea she was going to kiss me.” As the words rolled off of his tongue I realized in that very moment I couldn’t possibly rehash anything that had to do with the past couple of weeks and I held my hands up to Cole forcing him to stop talking.

“I can’t, I thought I could talk about it, but I just can’t. It was painful enough going through it, hearing it all over again will just rub salt on the wound. I don’t even care anymore. I just want to forget it ever happened and never talk about it ever again.”

Sinking further into the bed, he looked defeated and I felt terrible for bringing it up in the first place. “I know this is hard for you, but I need to get this off of my chest, so please, just hear me out. Once I’m finished, I promise we never have to talk about it again.” He asked, staring up at me again. I nodded as I held my breath, still not ready to relive that night.

“I need you to know I would never do anything to hurt you, Reagan. I’ll never forgive myself for putting you through that. There were so many times I tried to explain what happened, but you were so angry and I never got the chance. I couldn’t risk pushing you further away. I knew if I told you then that she had come on to me there was no way you would believe me, so I figured respecting your wishes and just leaving you alone would be best, until we could finally take the time to discuss everything.”

“I knew Heather always had a crush on me, but I never saw her that way. She was a hard worker, so I just chalked it up to her wanting to go over and above for her job. That night in the hotel she finally realized I was utterly in love with you and she saw it as her last possible chance for an opportunity to be with me, so she took it. Right there in the elevator as I was heading back up to the rooftop to find you. It completely caught me off guard, especially when I saw you standing in the lobby as the elevator doors closed. I promise you that kiss was entirely one sided, it meant absolutely nothing to me. I allowed her to finish out her night for the sake of the party, but I fired her the very next day and I have had absolutely no contact with her since.”

“Trust me, I hadn’t anticipated having to tell you this way, but regardless, I’m glad I’m finally able to talk to you about it, and we can move past it together.”
Breathe, Reagan; it wasn’t that bad. You should’ve known he would never do that to you.
You see what happens when you assume and don’t let anyone explain, you torture yourself for weeks.

Relief washed through my body as I felt myself let go of everything that had taken place over the course of the past few weeks. Sliding back into bed with Cole, I’d never felt so complete in my entire life. I rested my head on his chest, as he sucked in a sharp breath. Looking up at him I realized I’d moved too quick and hurt him. “Crap, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I whispered, moving to pull away.

His arm held me tighter, so I couldn’t get up. “Don’t move, I’m fine, a little sore, but it’d be worse if you got up.”

Kissing his chest, I wrapped my arm around his waist, smiling to myself. “I love you, Cole Conrad.”

He kissed the top of my head. “I love you, more, Reagan Larson.”

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

With each passing day Cole continued to recuperate in the hospital, finally being moved from ICU after two weeks. Once out of ICU it seemed the visitors never stopped; from colleagues to college buddies, he had a constant flow every day. And the room smelled magnificent, you’d think they’d set him up in the middle of a garden. Each day a new arrangement would arrive, filling the room with vibrant colors and smells that made your senses run wild. The nurses even bought him a mini Christmas tree and decorated it, since it was so close to Christmas.

I was sitting in the corner, answering emails while Cole was in physical therapy when a delivery man walked in carrying another arrangement of flowers. I stood, taking them from his hands and smelling them. They were gorgeous, red and white roses, with a green glitter ribbon wrapped around the vase. Pulling the card from the flowers, I smiled as I saw who it was from.

Hurry up and get him out of there, we are dying to see you both. Morning sickness is kicking my ass already.
I wish I could come spend the days with you in the hospital, but there is something about the smell that makes me sick to my stomach.
We can’t celebrate Christmas without you both, so start bribing those doctors.
Love you both,

Addison, Casey and “Bun in the Oven”

I laughed at the nickname they’d given their unborn child.

They’d come to the hospital earlier that week to tell us the news, but before Addison could get it out she’d ran straight for the bathroom and puked her guts out.
Casey was talking with Cole, so I followed her into the bathroom, to help her get cleaned up.

“I hate to sound like the nurses, but if you’re sick maybe you and Case should come back another day. I really want Cole to get out of here sooner rather than later.”

She rinsed her mouth out and looked up at me, smiling. “He can’t catch what I have, trust me.”
She
forested her hand on her belly.

My eyes followed her hand. “Oh my gosh, you’re pregnant!” I screamed, jumping up and down like a child.
Addison was laughing at my reaction as she shook her head yes.
I grabbed
her and pulled her into a hug.

Casey pulled the bathroom door open, looking at the two of us acting like teenagers who’d just won front row tickets to the Backstreet Boys concert, he chuckled. “I take it you told her?”

I swung around and screamed again, “Yes! Congratulations Case, I’m so happy for the both of you!”

“Told her what?” Cole inquired, not having heard the conversation Addison and I just had thirty seconds earlier in the bathroom.

“Someone tell him, before I do!” I exclaimed, rushing to his side.

Casey pulled Addison into his arms, squeezing her tight as she smiled at Cole and said, “We’re having a baby!”
I began clapping and jumping up and down again after she told Cole.

I looked over at
him;
he had a huge smile on his face. “That’s incredible, congratulations.”
He and Casey hugged, as I was at Addison’s side.

“Tell me everything, when are you due?
How far along are you? Shit, I’m glad one of us is getting laid.”
We both cracked up laughing as the guys talked about the baby hopefully being a boy.

“Well,” she began, “not to sound morbid or anything, but the night Cole was in the accident Casey and I got home. We were exhausted and emotionally drained, but I was just so distraught about the fact that you could possibly be losing the man of your dreams, and it made me so scared to ever lose Case.
So one thing led to another, I was crying, he was comforting me and the next thing you know we're doing it four or five times that night. I was on the pill, but between drinking that day and not taking it every day like I should, it just happened.”

Laughing at the story I looked at my best friend and joked, “Why does it not surprise me that I was here in the hospital worried out of my mind at the possibility of losing Cole, while my best friend is at home with her husband going to town making a baby?”

Addison slapped my arm. “Oh my gosh, don’t say it like that, you make me sound like the worst friend on the planet.”

“If the shoe fits.” I giggled.

She stuck her tongue out at me and tucked herself under Casey’s arm,
talking to Cole as I sat down
on
the bed next to him. “You better hurry up and get out of this hospital, her lack of sexual relations is turning her into a grouch.”

He glanced over at me and then replied to Addison, “Trust me, when they finally release me from this prison, I’m going to keep her locked up in my room for the next year.”

Placing the flowers on the shelf, Cole walked in from physical therapy, looking at the new bouquet as he kissed my cheek. “Who are these from?” I handed him the card and he smiled. “She misses you.”

I miss her too.
I thought. “What did the therapist say?”

He wrapped his arms around me, trailing my neck with kisses, sending shivers down my spine. “She thinks I should be released by Thursday afternoon.”

I gasped, not sure I heard him right. Looking at my phone to make sure I knew exactly what day it was, I screamed when I saw the word Wednesday on the top of my iPhone. “Are you kidding me, as in tomorrow afternoon?”

He grinned. “Yes.Tomorrow.Afternoon.” Kissing me again between each word. I squeezed my arms around his waist with excitement. “Ouch, not so tight, I’m still broken in some places.”

Whoops!
“Sorry, I’m just so excited to be able to finally take you home.”

Making sure everything was in order that afternoon, we called his parents to come pick up the majority of the things we’d collected over the past month in the hospital. They were elated to hear the good news, and got there as soon as possible. “Is there anything we can do before you come home, grocery shop, get anything specific the doctor thinks you should have?” Candice asked, as she and Harrison gathered our things.

“I think all we need are groceries, other than that we should have everything there already, and if we don’t we can get it from downstairs.” Cole spoke to his parents, while I continued to gather our things together. The room had transformed into an office/bedroom over the past couple of weeks. Finally, we finished packing everything up. Candice and Harrison said goodbye and took our things back to the hotel.

After taking a shower, I climbed into the hospital bed with Cole. “So, what’s the first thing you want to do when you get home tomorrow?” I asked, looking up at him curious to hear his answer. A devilish grin spread across his face as he looked down towards his running shorts. My eyes bulged open at the sight of his erection growing beneath his clothes. “Oh, well… I think we’ll have to ask about that, I’m not sure what the doctor would say.”