Page 65 of Anyone But You
“Did—” I paused to swallow around the dryness in my throat, “Did she threaten you with her stapler?”
“No, but she called me a motherfucker nine times.”
“That’s my woman,” I said wistfully. “Is she injured? Has she eaten? She’s probably hangry. Once you get past the fifth motherfucker, she’s hangry,” I remarked quietly.
“She was fed.”
“What did she eat?”
“Chicken noodle soup.” I grimaced. “Is everything all right, Mr. Ramsey? Are you in pain?” he asked, raising the hospital bed. His cold stethoscope was on my chest before I could answer.
“I’m not in pain, but a fat, juicy steak sounds nice right about now.”
The doctor smiled warmly. “That’s not happening any time soon. All right, Mr. Ramsey, let’s get down to it. I don’t know if you remember, but I’m Dr. Hubbard. You and your hangry wife were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard and brought to our vessel for triage and treatment. Once you are stable, you both will be transported to Guam, where you’ll undergo a more thorough medical examination. From there, you’ll be flown to our Pacific base in California for further evaluation and an intensive and rigorous interview with police, FAA, and possibly the NTSB. Then you’ll be flown back home to New York.”
I listened intently as Dr. Hubbard gave me the rundown on my health and what to expect during my recovery.
“Can you take me to my wife now?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Mr. Ramsey. You should stay in bed,” he worded cautiously.
“I should be dead, but here I am.”
* * *
“How the hell is someone supposed to fit in these?” I complained.
I was appalled at the coffin-sized bunk the sailors were subjected to sleeping in. You’d think they’d make the people who serve our country more comfortable.
“Did you have permission to leave the medical bay?” Victoria asked groggily.
“Of course I did.”
“After you strong-armed Dr. Hubbard, I’m assuming.”
“You’d assume correctly. Scoot over and give me some room.”
“Please return to your full-sized bed in the med bay. There is not enough room for both of us.”
I ignored her and wedged myself in the small bunk behind her. I kissed her shoulder and wrapped my arms around her. “You feel that?”
“I guess your heart is working just fine,” she commented, trying to put some distance between her and my erection digging into her ass.
“Mhm,” I agreed, rubbing my hand up and down her hip.
“No strenuous activity for two weeks.”
“That’s what that crackpot doctor said, too, but there’s nothing strenuous about it—just a little roll of the hips from King Dong, and you’re gushing all over me.”
I smiled when Victoria released a deep, regretful sigh.
“I never want to watch you die again,” she murmured.
Okay, fun time is over; it’s time to get serious.
“I hate that my recklessness nearly cost me my life and traumatized you in the process. But I want you to know that Ifought to stay with you every second. There were times when I said, ‘This is it,’ and I think I saw the light at the end of the tunnel a few times. It wasn’t until I knew you were safe that I checked out.”
“What was it like, Gio?”
