Page 54 of Renegade

I shook my head. “Just think about it. You can give me your answer when I drop you off later.”

She nodded shakily and her legs parted slightly, giving me a nice view of her panties. I thought about telling her, but subconsciously, I think she knew just what she was doing.

Regardless of what she was planning to verbally tell me, her body had already given me a yes.

“Take a right on Utica and it’s just there on the left.” Lauren pointed ahead and I slowed my truck to take the turn.

We’d stayed up at the hospital until a little after two AM, then David came out and told us to go home and get some sleep.

“We’ll know more tomorrow.”

I’d kept myself busy by avoiding Lauren and taking care of Cage for Grey. It always amazed me what flashing my badge and a smile could get accomplished.

Once I was sure that both David and Silent Phoenix MC were taken care of, I offered to drive Lauren home. She’d been curled up in the small chair, dozing, with her head resting against the wall. Her eyes had fluttered open and she’d given me a sleepy nod.

Lust surged through my body, leaving me feeling disoriented.

I parked on the street and got out.

“What are you doing?” Lauren asked as she climbed down.

I nodded toward her apartment. “Walking you up. Is that not okay?” She frowned and I continued, “Red, it’s just me walking you up to your apartment—not a marriage proposal.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded. “Okay, but I’m not sleeping with you.”

I gave her a playful grin. “I wasn’t offering to put out. I’m still waiting on that drink. Remember?”

She slid the key into the lock and opened up the door. I stepped around her and into the small living room. Glancing around, it was immediately obvious that she was a neat freak; everything was perfectly in place.

“What happened to ‘I’m just walking you up?’”

I moved a couple of throw pillows out of the way and sat down on the couch. “I would love a cup of coffee. Thank you.”

Lauren’s eyes widened. “Oh, no you don’t. I’m not falling for that. It’s late and you need to go.”

“What kind of hostess are you? Do you treat all your guests like this?”

She held her index finger up and then dropped it with a sigh. “Okay, one cup and you’re gone. Deal?”

I nodded and settled my feet on the small coffee table in front of the couch.

“And, no shoes on the furniture,” she called from the kitchen.

I dropped my boots back onto the carpet with a chuckle. She was a firecracker.

A few minutes later, she walked in with two mugs. “I don’t know how you take it, but I’m out of milk. I might have some sugar in the pantry though.”

I took the mug from her hand. “I’m fine with it just like this.”

She set her mug down on a coaster and moved to the opposite side of the couch, facing me as if I were about to try something.

I can’t say that the thought hadn’t crossed my mind.

“So, you doing okay?” I started off. She still owed me an answer and I wasn’t leaving until I got one.

She nodded and took a small sip before her eyes welled up again. She used her free hand to brush away the tears. “I’m sorry. I just keep picturing David’s face. I can’t imagine the person I loved being in a coma and not knowing if they were going to be okay.”

I hadn’t really considered it until she said something. Suddenly, I had an image of her in a hospital bed with tubes running out of her body. It was as if the world slowed down and I was left with an aching feeling in my chest.

---