Reaching Hearts - Faleena Hopkins Page 0,16

a lot. Really. But I can’t stay because you have a girlfriend. She seems very nice and I can’t hurt her more than getting you shot already has.”

For Lord only knows what reason, he laughs. And not just chuckles, but a building laugh that makes him yelp in pain and hold his right side. With a smile gleaming in his dark blue eyes, he says, “Stay a little longer, Freckles.”

A knife twists in my heart. “No.” I turn and walk out the door, pulling my IV fast.

“Wait! She’s not my girlfriend!”

The door closes completely. I freeze, staring at Maria, caught. Her face says everything. My head is doing flip-flops, looking at her, hearing what he said, knowing what she’s about to say. “Hi. Um. He was in the robbery with me. He’s my… friend.”

With two pillows in her hand, she looks at his room number, putting it together like perfectly matched puzzle pieces. “Annabelle O’Brien… you’re Annie.”

I nod. “I guess so.”

She cocks her chin to his door and says, “Well, what are you waiting for. I didn’t see anything.” Woman-to-woman again, she smiles and continues walking, humming loudly for the fun of it.

She’s not his girlfriend? Why did she say she was? He didn’t lie to me? I open the door and see him with his head in his hands. He drops them as he looks up.

“She’s not your girlfriend?”

He slowly shakes his head, a smile spreading. “No. She’s just a good friend. But you called her my mother so she got a little upset.”

Covering my mouth with my hand, I laugh, embarrassed and happy. “I should have said sister. She doesn’t look old enough to be your…”

He stops me. “I know. Come here.” He points to the side of his bed.

I walk to him, glancing to my metal appendage and maneuvering it so I can sit on the edge of his bed again. He’s serious, but his eyes are gleaming and connected. He reaches up and touches my cheek. I hold my breath as his thumb caresses it, because it reminds me of when I did this to him when I was drunk and twenty-three. Did my eyes look like his, the care apparent?

His fingers slip into my hair and he pulls me to him until we’re inches apart, looking into each other’s eyes. “I don’t have girlfriends. You need to know this. I won’t settle down.” He searches me for acceptance and understanding.

I give a tiny nod, wondering why he’s telling me this. “I’m just sitting here,” I say on a whisper and he smiles.

“Be careful of my horrifying gunshot wound.” His smile grows into a grin. “It’s pretty badass.”

“Oh, you’re very badass,” I say and lean in to kiss him without touching his chest. He pushes on my hip to tell me without words that he wants me on his lap. I carefully bring my leg over to straddle him, the IV cord swinging from my right arm. I bring my hands up and hold his face, kissing his cheeks, his eyelids, his lips, with tiny, tender kisses. “I won’t hurt you, Brendan,” I whisper as I feel him hardening. His left hand, the one with more mobility, travels under my gown and his fingers slip inside my panties as I feign shock.

“What?” he says, mocking my expression. “Oh no, what’s happening?” I stay very still as he strokes me and whispers, “I have to take advantage of being alive, don’t I?”

“I can’t say no to that. But it’s so hard not to press my whole body against you when you do that.”

“Well, try.” He kisses me, his fingers working. I rise up a bit and pull his gown up, I take him in my hand and guide myself to hover over.

“You’re not wearing your boxer briefs.”

“They were gone when I woke up.”

“Maria…” I make a tsk tsk tsk noise. He tries not to laugh.

“It was probably a hot doctor,” he argues.

“A male hot doctor,” I counter with a wink as I slowly stroke him.

“That feels good,” he says hoarsely, his voice deepening. “Finally something feels good.”

“So does what you’re doing, Brendan.” I look down at his chest, covered and secret. “Can I see it?”

A nervous flicker passes his eyes, but he nods, and releases me, his hands resting on my thighs as I very slowly pull the cotton of his gown up. The taught abs on his stomach are bent in with his posture and the beginning of a large white bandage comes into view. The