Page 96 of Breathing Without You

Carsten comes in and gives me a hug and pats me on the back. “Love you, Creed.” Carsten squeezes me tight, a hug I didn’t know I needed from him.

“Love you too, Carst.” I smile to myself while hugging my best friend, my brother. Thankful for them and their support.

After they leave, I gently slide into bed next to Emerald. Being careful not to move her too much as I adjust myself next to her. I miss her so much; I just need to be close to her. I need to feel my body next to hers. I need to warm her up, so she won’t be so cold when she wakes up. I lay there in the bed next to her, brushing the hair away from her beautiful face and just stare at her. God I’ve missed having her next to me, the warmth of her body and to just be able to reach over and feel her soft skin under my rough skin, just knowing she’s there, even if I’m not touching her. I’ve missed it. Now I just hope in the morning I can convince her to forgive me, after she wakes up and realizes where she isof course. I end up closing my eyes, getting some rest while I’m next to her. It’s been so long since I’ve slept well, being without her has sucked. I fall asleep to the sound of the machines around Emerald beeping and the slow beat of her pulse, I feel as my fingers grip her wrist gently. I find comfort in her pulse knowing her heart still beats for me, even if she doesn’t realize it yet I know she fought for us.

33

EMERALD

I wakeup the next morning with a splitting headache. I don’t even want to open my eyes fully yet, so I close them as quickly as I opened them. What the fuck are those beeping noises? The room is spinning which I’m surprised I’m not used to by now and my mouth is so fucking dry. I hate waking up like this. What the fuck happened last night. I barely remember anything. I remember getting to the party and drinking those mixed drinks that the one guy at the table wouldn’t tell anyone what they were made of because it was a house secret, and I remember doing a bunch of shots with random people. But that’s it, I don’t remember leaving or how I got home… Wait a minute… Panic sets in. Where the fuck am I?

I slowly open my eyes again, as I think about how I got home, and I realize I’m not in my room. I open my eyes and see bright white walls with weird signs hanging on the walls. White curtains cover the windows, but the room is still so fucking bright. I look down and see white thin bedsheets, no wonder I’m so fucking cold. Where the fuck am I? What the fuck? Then I think back to the party and remember dancing with that blond guy, what was his name? Mike? Matt? I don’t remember it wassomething with an M, fuck what am I going to do if I wake up and I’m with him, how am I going to remember his name.

I try to stay still as I look around some more, my head is still foggy and my headache making it hard for me to focus and then it hits me… No, how the? What the fuck? How did I end up in the hospital? Where the fuck, what the fuck?

“Hey, Sugar.” Creedence walks in with two cups of coffee and what looks to be like a bag of donuts. He rushes over to me quickly. “Fuck, baby, I’m so happy you’re awake. I have so much to say to you, but I don’t want to overwhelm you but I’m so, so fucking sorry, babe.” He sets the coffee and donuts down on the table next to me. Shit, did I text him? I sit here in a panic; I look down and see I’m not in my dress anymore but in a huge hospital gown that’s practically falling off of me.

“What…what are you doing here, Creedence? Why am I…am I in the hospital?”

“Baby, relax, you’re okay, you’re safe now, Sugar. Fuck babe,” he sighs. Then looks at me, tears forming in his eyes. “I thought I fucking lost you, Emerald. You almost didn’t make it. Daisy and Brynn gave you liquid ecstasy, which is GHB, a form of date rape drug. With the amount of alcohol you had in your system you overdosed, babe,” he chokes. “If they would have gotten you here a few minutes later you wouldn’t have made it.” He wipes at his tears as he pulls me closer to him, gently pulling me onto his lap. “Babe, I can’t lose you too, please.”

“Creedence.” I barely get the words out with how dry my mouth is. Tears start to form in my eyes as I think about the past two weeks, and I lose it. I start crying, making my headache feel even worse. My body starts shaking as I try to calm myself down when his arm squeezes me tighter around the waist.

“It’s okay, Sugar, don’t cry, baby. I’m right here,” he says in a calm voice. Sugar? Baby? What the hell is going on, I’m so fucking confused right now.

“Creedence, wh…what...what happened last night with, with us?” I ask, struggling to get my words out from how dry my mouth is.

“Nothing yet and I’d like to fix that.” He stops for a second placing his hand on his face. “I don’t mean sex. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy that, but you get what I mean. Right now isn’t the time for sexual comments. What I mean is let me explain.” He gives me a tired, sad smile that breaks my heart.

“Creedence, please let’s just forget it even happened. I don’t want to be apart anymore. I’ve missed you so much,” I breathe out.

“Fuck, Sugar, I’ve missed you so fucking much babe.” He leans in and gently presses his lips to mine and shit I’ve missed the warmth of his lips against mine. “Fuck, Emerald, these fucking pouty lips of yours, gorgeous,” he growls into my mouth. Before swiping his tongue across my lips, I open my mouth meeting his tongue with mine before swirling my tongue with his. Moaning into his mouth. It’s hard not to be turned on so quickly when you have a man like Creedence Knoxx sitting underneath you, his hard length digging into your ass. “Mmm, I’ve missed this,” I moan. “Can we?” I giggle. Because why not if he does all the work?

“Emerald, fuck babe. It is so goddamn tempting to say yes to you, fuck I’d love nothing more than to bury myself deep inside you,” he grumbles against my lips. “But you need the rest, Sugar.”

“But,” I pout, it’s been way too long since I’ve had sex, and way too long since I’ve felt Creedence’s hard, pierced cock inside of me.

“Baby, please don’t do this to me,” he growls. “Fuck.” He lifts me and readjusts his length underneath me.

“Sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’ve just missed you so much.” I kiss him quickly at first then slow it downdeepening the kiss. I don’t want to go fast right now, I’ve missed this. I want to kiss him and memorize the way his lips feel against mine.

“How are you feeling, Sugar? Are you hungry or thirsty? I brought your favorite donuts and coffee.” He smiles at me.

“God yes I’m so thirsty, and I’m starving,” I pout though.

“Emerald, what’s wrong, did I hurt you?” Creedence looks so worried as he looks me up and down to make sure I’m not hurt.

“No, you did nothing wrong, don’t worry. I feel so sick to my stomach, and dizzy. My head’s pounding.” Tears start to form in my eyes. The pressure from the tears only intensifies my headache.

“You know what, hold on, babe. I’m gonna go get your nurse real quick, see if she’ll bring your medicine.” He walks out the door real quick and comes back a minute later.

“She’ll be in soon.” He smiles at me as he walks in. Before the look on his face turns serious.

“Emerald, please don’t cry, baby.” He gently rubs my cheek as he stares down into my eyes. His kind smile bringing butterflies to my stomach, and it makes me feel safe. Which is a nice way to feel after what I just went through last night.

“I’m sorry I’m just feeling emotional right now for some reason,” I whisper, wiping away my tears as I do.

“Probably a combination of everything going on, babe, you’ve been through a lot. Fuck, you need to lay back down.” He slowly picks me up and gently places me down on one side of the bed and he sits down next to me. Lying back tucking one arm behind his head like a pillow and the other behind my head, his big, strong arm wraps around my shoulder and down my arm hugging me close to his warm body. God, I missed this.

---