You Can See Me (17 page)

Ric was still in shock at the results from Pres’s neurology tests. It was true. Pres had regained some of his sight back. It was a medical miracle, a miracle that Pres had hit his head in the exact location that could alter his vision loss when only point two percent of those cases ever occurred. A doctor rarely saw one in his entire career, but of course, Dr. Brown had seen a few. They wouldn’t know how much sight was regained until they removed the bandages.

Dr. Brown had postponed his trip to stay and work with the ophthalmologist after Pres’s bandages were removed. However, every test that was run and rerun showed significant vision recovery. It wouldn’t be long before there were news cameras wanting to interview Pres on this phenomenon, and countless neurologists who would want to read Dr. Brown’s journals on this case. Needless to say, the hospital was buzzing about Ric’s miracle boyfriend.

Ric didn’t correct them on the use of “boyfriend” either. Regardless if Pres and Ric never got a chance to hash out their breakup, he had no doubt he’d win Pres’s heart back.

After scanning the cerebral angiogram for the hundredth time, Ric felt a buzz in his left pants pocket. It was Pres’s cell phone with a message from the tasty Texan.

Is he all right, Ric? I’m going out of my mind. I’m at school in Richmond and just got finished with presenting my thesis, so my phone was off. I’ll be on the next thing smokin’ back to the beach. But first tell me he’s okay.

Ric hit reply, but stopped short.
Thesis? I thought he was an escort. Do they give out master’s degrees in sexual manipulation now? Whatever.

Ric replied:
He’s better than all right. You’ll see when you get here.

Ric pocketed the phone and scrubbed his tired eyes. Pres was sleeping after visiting with his very emotional parents. He and Dr. Brown had sat them down as soon as they arrived and explained what happened to Pres, from slip-and-fall to finish.

Pres’s mother was crying so hard by the end of their consultation that she couldn’t manage to ask her questions. Pres’s father, however, was the epitome of calm. He was a rock for his wife. Pres looked very similar to him and favored a lot of his mannerisms, but the striking blue eyes he got from his mother. Pres’s father only wanted to know one thing: “When can I see my boy?”

Ric had to say he wasn’t looking forward to the Texan’s arrival. He was sure his appearance would stir the gossip mill and sound the horns with all the single—and probably even the not-so-single—nurses. Ric could hear the overhead PA system now: “May I have your attention, please? The sexiest gay man in the world is on level five. Attention all staff, the sexiest man alive is on level five.” He mentally rolled his eyes.

Ric tried unsuccessfully not to think of Pres’s reaction to seeing the man either. He had to believe that he had love on his side. To him, Pres was the sexiest man alive. The Texan had too much self-appreciation. Pres was so beautiful, but had no idea that he was, which only made him even more breathtaking.

Pres was eating and conversing fine, but it was obvious he wanted the bandages off…like now. Dr. Brown wanted to wait until Pres’s headaches were manageable, but somehow Pres had talked him into taking them off tomorrow. They had all agreed to no news cameras. Only the doctors, the hospital’s media correspondent, Pres’s personal assistant, and immediate family would be present. A ton of flashing lights and gawking faces in the eyes of someone who has been in complete darkness for the last five years probably wouldn’t be a good idea.

Ric was nervous as shit. He wanted Pres to be happy, and he was so happy for him, but he selfishly wanted Pres to be happy with him and only him. He needed to talk to him before Pres’s unveiling. It was after ten at night, and Pres’s parents had gone back to their hotel a few hours ago so they could be here first thing in the morning.

Ric tiptoed into Pres’s room and was surprised to find him sitting up, twirling a strand of loose thread from his blanket around his forefinger.

“Hello, Sunshine,” Pres said softly in the quiet room.

Ric stopped short at hearing his endearment name on Pres’s lips. He concentrated on finding his voice. “Hi, baby,” he whispered back. He saw Pres pat the side of his hospital bed a couple times, asking Ric to sit next to him.

Ric sat down gently and leaned over to kiss Pres on the side of his mouth. He let his mouth hover there on Pres’s smooth cheek. He was freshly washed, shampooed, clean shaven, and minty fresh, courtesy of Nurse Maggie.

Ric couldn’t help but rub his lips against the now-soft surface. Pres turned his mouth toward Ric, seeking him out, obviously wanting something deeper from him.

“Kiss me, Ric,” Pres moaned.

Ric didn’t make Pres ask twice. He placed his hand on Pres’s cheek and very softly urged him forward, mindful of his headaches. He kissed him first with just lips and breath. He inhaled Pres’s scent, basking in his sheer presence.

Pres deepened the kiss on his own, and Ric couldn’t help the guttural moan that worked its way out of his chest. Pres swallowed it up and continued to ravish Ric with everything he could give, and Ric gave right back to him.

Ric pulled back at the sound of a throat clearing loudly in the doorway. Both of them were so consumed with passion that neither one had heard the door open.

“Dr. Edwards, my patient needs his rest.” Dr. Brown’s stern voice was like a bucket of ice water thrown over top of them.

Ric knew he was a deep shade of crimson at being caught kissing a patient, especially by his mentor, but he’d never pass on kissing Prescott Vaughan, no matter where he was.

“I just came to talk with him before tomorrow’s events, sir.”

“I’m no brain surgeon, but that didn’t look like talking to me,” Dr. Brown replied, his knowing eyes twinkling with humor.

“You are a brain surgeon…aren’t you?” Pres scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

“Don’t mind him, baby. Clark has a really weird sense of humor. His attempts at jokes are only funny to him.”

Ric grinned at the man who had taught him everything there is to know about the human brain, so much more than any textbook ever could. Ric immensely respected this man, not only as a colleague but as a friend. When Dr. Brown dropped everything at Ric’s call, he’d found out just how honorable and loyal the wise man truly was.

“Rickson, can I speak to my patient alone, please?” Dr. Brown asked, his humor quickly replaced with exemplary professionalism.

“Sure, Clark.” Ric got up to leave but was stopped by Pres’s grip on his forearm.

“Dr. Brown, anything you have to say can be said in front of Ric. I will withhold nothing from him anyway. So whether you tell him now or I tell him after you leave, he’s going to know,” Pres stated confidently.

Ric wanted to burst. Pres was his again.

“Of course, Mr. Vaughan. I just wanted to be sure you’re okay with it.” Dr. Brown moved closer to the side of the bed. “I just wanted to reiterate how things are going to go tomorrow. When I remove the bandages, I’ll want you to keep your eyes closed. Dr. Stevens, your ophthalmologist, will lift your lids to administer the eye drops. These drops will eliminate any grit or residue that may cause discomfort when you take your first look around. Try to look at only one thing or person. Don’t try to scan the entire room. I also wanted to check with you again that you’re positive about not speaking to a psychologist before we remove the bandages. Seeing again after so long can be hard on the mind. Even seeing loved ones’ faces after so many years can be disturbing, Prescott.”

“No, Dr. Brown,” Pres said with finality, “I’ll be fine. I know when to ask for help. I’ve had to do it before. If I need it, I will accept it then. Okay?”

“Very well. Rest, Prescott, and I’ll see you in the morning.” Dr. Brown patted Pres’s thigh and left the room.

“You okay?” Ric asked.

Pres let out a huff before speaking. “Yeah, I’m fine, Ric. Just a little weirded out, for lack of a better word. What if the bandages are removed and it’s still dark in here?” Pres tapped the side of his head with his finger.

Ric took both of Pres’s hands in his own and kissed his knuckles. “It won’t be. I’ve seen the scans, Pres. I’ve studied them for hours. You definitely have visibility. You just have to be willing to accept whatever level of visibility you have. Images may be blurry or distorted, just like Dr. Stevens said, but it’s all how you perceive it. Don’t be afraid, baby. Even being able to see a sliver of light is a blessing, right?”

“Yeah, you’re right. Even if I can only see light and not actual objects, it’s more than I’d ever dreamed I would have again.” Pres hesitated before speaking again. “The first thing I want to see is you, Sunshine. I’ll focus on your face. Are you okay with that?”

Ric couldn’t swallow for the large lump that was lodged in his throat. He took Pres’s hands and brought them to his face. He wouldn’t hide his emotions from him.

“Yes, Pres.” He choked up. “Does this mean, you know…?” Ric hesitated on the wording.

“Yes, Ric. Hopefully you forgive me and I forgive you, and we move on after this.”

“What about the Texan?” Ric didn’t want to, but he had to ask. He had to be sure that he didn’t have competition.

Pres held a serious expression. “Blair means a lot to me, Ric. There will be some things that we’ll need to discuss when I’m outta here. If you care for me, then that means you’re gonna have to trust me.”

“Of course I trust you. It’s him I don’t trust.”

“Well, you should trust him, because he’s been rooting for me and you all along. When I accepted your invitation to come over and talk before all this”—Pres waved his hand around in the air—“Blair told me to be open about letting you in again. He told me about your talk by the elevator and how miserable you looked every time he saw you in the building. He said eventually you’d be back, and I needed to hear you out and not hold a grudge at the pain I felt.”

“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that. It seemed as if he was waiting for you to agree to be with him, and anytime he saw me, he threw you guys’ relationship in my face.”

“That was just his way of baiting you. He knows how I feel about you. When he arrives tomorrow, you be nice to him, and I mean it. I want everything that happened to be in the past,” Pres demanded.

“Pres, I’m so sorry I lost it on you that day on your yacht. I was coming over to your place the other day, before you fell, to give you an explanation. I was coming over to tell you that I lost my partner of five years to a boating accident. He was my high school sweetheart, and we were supposed to get married after we finished medical school. We’d planned out our entire lives.”

Ric felt Pres squeeze his hand a little tighter, giving him silent support while urging him to continue.

Ric took a deep breath as he recalled the painful memories. “We’d just finished finals and were looking for a way to release a little steam. After hitting up several bars, we ended up on my friend’s small cabin cruiser. It was only a few of my friends from med school. It was dark, we were drunk, and my friend decided to open up the engine.

“We were in full speed when Aaron went over the side on a sharp turn. My friend tried to turn around as fast as he could, but Aaron never resurfaced. It was so fucking dark, and I was so scared of never seeing him again, that I jumped in without even thinking. I almost drowned myself before my two friends could pull me back into the boat. The police and coast guard searched for fifteen straight hours before giving up.”

Ric was silent for a few minutes. Pres never said anything, patiently waiting for him to keep going. He appreciated the comforting circles Pres rubbed on his back, because he desperately needed the touch of the man he loved now.

Ric continued, “I prayed for days, but I knew he was gone. After five days, Aaron’s body washed up on a shore sixty-two miles from where he fell into the ocean. It was like the ocean swallowed him up and spit him out where it saw fit.

“I grieved hard, for many years. What was most difficult was that Aaron’s parents blamed me for his death. They said I didn’t take life seriously, and now my joking around had killed their son.”

Ric leaned his forehead against Pres’s. “I shouldn’t have let those memories into what we had. I just couldn’t figure out how to separate it. Please forgive me, baby. I promise you, I’ll never let anything like that happen again. Aaron is gone. I won’t make you live your life in a protected box because I’m scared of losing you.”

“I understand, Ric. I truly do. I don’t want you to be afraid for me. But I promise you, you don’t have to worry about me playing silly pranks again.”

Enough had been said. Ric laid butterfly kisses on Pres’s face until he was sleeping soundly.

Pres’s room had only seven people in it, but it felt full to capacity. He was the major attraction, and he was beyond nervous. The only thing keeping him grounded was Ric’s scent. His man was right there with him, holding his hand, as Pres listened to Dr. Brown’s instructions for the tenth time.

“Are you ready, Prescott? Dr. Stevens is going to remove the bandages now.” Dr. Brown’s imposing voice was loud in the quiet room.

“I’m ready,” Pres said, his voice quivering from the nerves.

“Nurse Maggie, dim the lights, please.”

“Sure, Dr. Brown.”

Ric picked up Pres’s hand and sat down on the side of the bed. He turned his entire body to face him as Dr. Stevens peeled back the tape on the left eye and then the right. Pres didn’t open his eyes, just like instructed. He felt the doctor just barely lift his eyelids to drop the cold solution into his eyes.

Then he had to wait.

Ric leaned down to his ear and whispered just loud enough for him to hear, “I love you, Pres.”

After fifteen minutes of silence in the room, Dr. Brown instructed, “Open your eyes slowly, Prescott.”

Pres’s heart was trying to beat out of his chest. This was it. He would see his man, his parents, and Blair. He couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes. His chest heaved up and down, and he began to break out in a cold sweat.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Pres’s entire body shook with fear.

“I can’t breathe,” he croaked, his eyes tightly sealed shut.

“Prescott, please calm down,” Dr. Brown said. “Nurse, get me two milligrams of
midazolam.”

“Yes, sir,” she responded.

Ric intervened. “No. He doesn’t need to be sedated.”

Pres felt Ric lean in and use his heavy upper body to cover him, blocking him from everyone in the room.

“It’s okay. I’m right here. Need you to calm down. Slow breaths now.” Ric’s deep voice was in his ear. Ric wasn’t panicking. He was being strong for him, so Pres needed to be strong too. “That’s it.”

Ric peppered kisses along his jawline until he got to Pres’s lips. He laid several gentle kisses on his panting mouth before easing his moist tongue inside. Pres kissed him back. Whoever else was in the room could be damned if they didn’t like it. By the time Ric finished kissing him with so much love and emotion, he was a lot more relaxed.

“Now, open your eyes and look at me, beautiful,” Ric whispered in the sexiest voice Pres had ever heard him use.

Pres took one last deep breath and began to very slowly open his eyes.

Nothing was moving. He could see dark shadows of figures in the room but no faces. Then he remembered what the doctor said,
“Focus on one thing.”
He turned his head to look in the direction of the sweet scent drifting up his nose from his left side.

Pres’s excitement began to fade. He could only see shadows, and even they were blurry. He wanted to see Ric’s face so badly. He wanted to see Blair, too. He blinked again and again, but he never turned his head. Ric’s face became clearer and clearer. Soon he was staring into grassy green eyes.

Green, his eyes are so green. Oh God, he’s…he’s…so handsome.

Pres didn’t speak yet. He just blinked the beautiful image—the very large image—in front of him into better focus.

Sweet Jesus. His shirt…brown…it’s brown. Oh God. I can see.

This was better than Pres could’ve ever dreamed. He thought he’d only see spots of light, but this was not even close. He could actually see fairly well, and it kept getting better with every few blinks. He saw Ric raise his hand toward his face, and it made him flinch back.

“No moving, Rickson,” Dr. Brown barked, making Ric jerk his hand back.

“Oh shit. Pres, did you see my hand?” Ric smiled, but also looked very concerned.

That smile is amazing.

“Sunshine”—Pres barely whispered the endearment—“you have a beautiful smile.”

Pres heard collective gasps from around the room. His mom’s cries could be heard—no, actually, he could see her sobbing into his father’s chest.

 
“Pop, your hair is so gray.” Pres beamed at his father’s wide smile.

Pres saw his dad’s tears falling down his cheeks as he squeezed his wife tighter to him. “Yeah, son. Well, that’s your mother’s fault.” He winked back at his son.

“I saw that, too,” Pres whispered in awe. He actually saw his father wink at him. It’d been so long. His father used to always wink at him.

Dr. Brown spoke up. “Prescott, take your time, please. You can see colors as well as details on our faces?”

“Yes, I can see details and colors, but it’s still a little blurry,” Pres responded. He felt Ric squeeze his hand, making him turn his attention back to him. “I can see you, Ric. Jesus, your shoulders are huge, and your eyes… Jesus.”

Pres watched those toned shoulders rise and fall with Ric’s deep laugh.

“Okay, so enough compliments for Rickson. We need to run some vision tests, Prescott. We don’t want you to overexert your eyes, so I want you to close them back now and let them rest before the tests,” Dr. Stevens requested.

“Damn. Okay.” Pres groaned a little. “I have throbbing behind my right eye, Dr. Brown.”

“Headaches, sometimes even migraines, are going to be expected, Prescott. That’s why it’s important to look around in small time intervals until you can get used to seeing again,” he said.

Pres closed his eyes and immediately felt the throbbing lessen. “Ric.”

“Right here, Pres. You did so good. I’m so proud of you.” Ric sounded so emotional that it was making Pres get emotional too.

“Let’s leave them alone for a while, everyone. Prescott, Dr. Stevens and I will get everything set up for the tests. It’s going to take several hours to complete them, so try to relax a little while, and keep your eyes closed, please. We’ll be back in an hour.” With that, Dr. Brown and Dr. Stevens left with everyone except Ric and his parents.

“Pres, honey, I’m so happy for you. This is God’s work. He’s blessed you in the most wonderful way. I can’t wait to cook with my baby boy again. I know we never technically stopped, but it’s going to be different. I’m so excited.” His mom was crying all over his chest as Pres gently stroked her soft honey-blonde hair.

“Me too, Mom. I love you.”

“Come on, dear. Prescott needs to rest a bit.” His father’s calm voice was so comforting at that moment. He felt his dad prying his weeping mother off of him before patting him on the shoulder. “I’ll take your mom down to the gift shop and let her look around so you can rest. Rickson, take care of my boy, son, and see that he follows the good doctor’s orders,” his dad requested of Ric, and it pleased Pres that his parents had completely overlooked the fact that their son was now with a man.

“I will, sir,” Ric responded respectfully.

Pres waited for his room door to open and then click shut before he abruptly rose up and gripped the back of Ric’s neck, slamming his mouth over top of his. He kept his eyes closed and hungrily swallowed Ric’s shocked gasp and sexy moans. He clung on to the beautiful man for dear life. Now that he’d seen the broad shoulders, large chest, emerald-green eyes, and wavy brown hair, Pres was a hot, horny mess. He needed Ric in the most animalistic way. He released Ric’s supple lips with a moan.

“Fuck, Sunshine. I didn’t want to say this in front of my folks, but damn, you are delicious. Jesus. You’re the sexiest man I’ve laid eyes on in the last ten minutes.” Pres chuckled at his blind joke.

Ric huffed breathlessly against his mouth. “Thank you, honey. Wait until you get a look at yourself.” He let out a nervous sigh against Pres’s neck as he hugged him.

“What’s wrong, Ric?” Pres pulled back, but kept his eyes closed.

“I think there may be someone that has me beat in the looks department, baby.” Ric sounded exasperated.

“Blair,” Pres said simply. Thinking about the enticing man who had become his best friend over the last few months, and who he was very much in love with, too, brought a slow smile to his face. Pres couldn’t wait to see him.

“Damn it. That’s what I’m talking about. How can you say you love me and then smile like that when you speak that man’s name on your lips?” Ric spat as he rose up off the bed to pace the length of the room.

“Ric. I do love you, honey. I love Blair, too. I don’t know what to do. If it wasn’t for Blair, I don’t know where’d I’d be right now. Honestly, I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be here. I was thinking about moving away, because of my depression of knowing you were right down the hall from me but I couldn’t have you.

“I was drinking and self-medicating, and he didn’t let me do it anymore. He cooked with me, went to my assignments with me, took me out, bragged about me to his friends and family. He was falling in love with me, all the while knowing that I love you. He never once spoke badly of you. He just waited…He’s still waiting. I’m not the type of man to mistreat someone, especially someone that loves me so much. However this goes, I need you to understand that.”

“What are you saying? That you want us both…as lovers? What the fuck, Prescott? Are you asking me to let you cheat? I don’t fucking share!” Ric growled.

Pres couldn’t believe how he was feeling right at the moment: powerful, turned on, elated, scared, excited even. Ric was growling and being all possessive of him, and it had him rock hard. The thought of Ric and Blair snarling and rumbling over the right to claim Pres had him dizzy with want and lust, or maybe it’d just been too long since he’d had release.

I want both of them in my bed.

“I’m saying we should take this slow. I need you, Sunshine. I’ve made that clear. All I’m asking is, if you really love me, you’ll be open and understanding. To answer your question, no, I will never cheat on you, or anyone that I love.” Pres made sure to put emphasis on the word “cheat.” If both men were his and they were together, then it wasn’t cheating.

“You need to rest, Pres, and I need to think about some thi—” Ric’s sentence was cut off by Pres’s hospital room door bursting open.

“My sweet Strawberry, how are you?”

Blair’s bass-filled drawl was beautiful music to Pres’s ears. He’d missed him so much while he’d been away at school. Paired with Pres’s accident, they hadn’t seen each other in a week. That was a long time for them, but Blair was on his final preparations to graduate, and Pres knew all too well how demanding that was. He had spoken to Blair several times on the phone and insisted that he was okay, and to just come when he was finished with his finals.

Pres felt Blair lean down and place a slow kiss on his lips. Blair smelled like Cool Water cologne, and his skin was scruffy like he hadn’t shaved today.

I have to look.

Blair pulled back, and Pres slowly opened his eyes for his first look at the other man he loved. Once he had his eyes wide open, he gasped at the heavenly vision.

“Darlin’, what’s wrong? Are you in pain?” Blair took Pres’s hand and pressed it to his cheek. He always made Pres touch his eyes, lips, and cheeks so that Pres would know his facial expressions. Blair had no clue that he didn’t need to do that now. Pres could see the concern on the man’s handsome face.

“Ric, why are you staring out the window like that? What’s wrong with him? What aren’t you telling me?” Blair turned his angry hazel gaze from Ric’s back and focused on Pres.

“Talk to me, darlin’. What’s going on? You said you fell, but it wasn’t life threatening and you had to get stitches. I’m not a doctor, but that doesn’t require a four-day hospital stay. So, don’t bullshit me.”

Pres couldn’t stop the smile on his face. His best friend never lost his cool. He was demanding but composed at the same time. His attitude, coupled with the sexy drawl, made him a lethal combination of provocative seduction that no man or women could resist. No wonder Rickson was nervous, but Pres didn’t believe he needed to be. Ric was in a class all by himself, and Pres loved him just as much as he loved Blair.

I’m screwed.

“Honey, I’m fine.” Pres held Blair’s face with both hands. He took in the light brown eyes, the long, dark lashes that he’d always loved to finger, and the plump, soft pink lips in the center of a trendy five-o’clock shadow.

Blair had a two-inch black barbell in his left eyebrow.

Hmm. That’s new.

Pres rubbed the two sparkling one-carat diamond studs in each of Blair’s ears. Damn, the man was all style. His tight denim jeans hugged his tight ass to perfection, and his thin “I Can Burn in the Kitchen and the Bedroom” V-neck T-shirt was so damn tight, it looked wet.

Pres lowered his voice. “You can burn in the bedroom too, huh?”

“You’re fuckin’ right I can. Maybe you’ll let me sh—” Blair jumped back from Pres’s bed so fast that he knocked the flowers that he’d just placed on his tray to the floor with a loud crash. The realization that Pres had read his shirt was all over that beautiful, stunned face.

Blair’s wide eyes bounced from Ric’s back, to Pres, to his shirt.

“D-darlin’,” he stammered, “did you just read that? Tell me I’m not fucking crazy.” Blair looked like a deer caught in headlights.

“Ric!” Blair growled. “Fuckin’ turn around.”

* * * *

Ric gritted his teeth as soon as he saw the Texan barrel in like a tornado, but with an astonishing amount of finesse and swagger. In with him came the most erotic smell, and it pissed Ric off that his dick jerked happily under his scrubs.

Ric kept his back to them as the man kissed and swooned all over his Prescott. He wouldn’t act like a jealous prick. He’d just gotten Pres back, and he’d be damned if he was going to walk away again. If he had to go to war with the longhorn, then he would.

He could hear Blair’s cool disintegrating as he tripped and knocked shit over in the room at the realization of Pres’s sight. The man was growling and snarling at Ric’s back like Ric had done something wrong.

Ric rolled his eyes. He knew Pres was surely gushing over the Texas god, because Lord knows the man was stunning.

“Ric, fuckin’ turn around.” That suave southern drawl had been replaced with the anger of a speared bull.