Page 62 of Reckless Curves
She stretched beside him. “I feel fabulous, but I will admit I’m a bit tired.”
He stared at her and she looked a bit flushed, but after their lovemaking that was expected. “Shall I turn the air up?”
“No. Then I’ll just get cold during the night. I just need some sleep.”
Accepting her words, he kissed her forehead. “I’ll just go check on Connor.”
“Okay,” came a muffled response.
He grabbed his jeans and dragged them on, not bothering to do them up and made his way quietly to Connor’s room. His son’s night light was on, but Connor was fast asleep. He’d kicked his blanket off, so Tom covered him again and pressed a kiss to his cheek. His heart overflowed with love, and he couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have Kendra and Connor in his life.
He couldn’t wait to bring Connor to meet his Grandad tomorrow. He hoped these new relationships were not too overwhelming for the little boy. So much had changed in Connor’s life over the past weeks.
Finally, he pulled himself away from watching his son sleep. Tiredness pulled at him. He needed sleep before facing the hospital and all that might entail tomorrow.
He quietly got into bed, noting Kendra had fallen asleep. Tom reached across and switched off the bedside lights, plunging the room in to darkness. He curled his body behind her and it took him barely moments to slip into a deep, contented sleep.
Tom didn’t know what had woken him, but he bolted upright. Kendra wasn’t in bed and his heart raced—Connor. But then he noted the light in the bathroom was on and he walked over to see if she was all right.
He pushed the door wider only to see Kendra lying face down on the floor, the hand-wash container broken on the floor beside her. He raced to her side, his heart pounding. He felt her forehead with the back of his hand. She was burning up. With growing alarm he gently shook her, but she didn’t wake up. Scooping her into his arms, he placed her on the bed, panic setting in.
He raced down the hall to Jackie’s room and knocked. He thanked God that Jackie’s apartment was being repainted, so she’d moved in for a week or two.
She finally poked her head out and gasped in shock. Tom was naked. “Something's wrong with Kendra, she’s fainted and burning up,” he stated fiercely, not concerned at all by his state of undress.
Jackie hurriedly followed him back to the bedroom. She went straight to Kendra and tried to revive her, but Kendra wouldn’t stir.
“Should I call an ambulance?” Tom’s heart was thundering in his chest.
But Jackie had already picked up his phone and was dialing 911. Tom paced across the bedroom floor.
“Please put some clothes on,” said Jackie grimly. “You must let paramedics in and accompany her to the hospital. I’ll stay here with Connor.”
Tom nodded and dressed.
It seemed like hours but was merely 15 minutes before the responders arrived. They asked him questions, but he barely remembered answering them before they loaded her in the ambulance and he clambered inside with Kendra.
They were halfway to the hospital when he suddenly knew he had to make a call. He pressed Marcus’s number. “Pick up. Pick up for once in your sorry life—”
“It’s five in the fuckin’ morning, this better be good,” came a muffled curse over the phone.
“I know you’re out of town but something's wrong with Kendra. We’re on the way to UCLA Medical Center.”
“I didn’t go—last-minute thing. I’m on my way!” and the phone went dead.
Tom sat there, not knowing what to do. Helplessness swamped him. He remembered the last time he’d felt like this. It was when they pulled Marcus’s lifeless body from his mangled car.
And that incident had turned out fine in the end. He remembered to breathe.
Tom watched Kendra’s face for signs of her waking, but all he heard was the monitor and the noise of beeping.
At least that meant she was alive.
