Page 87 of Tell Me Your Desires
Jaime blinked away a few tears, her body physically and emotionally drained. She lay her head back, closed her eyes, and reminded herself of what she’d very briefly had with Anastasia Grant.
“Baros, everything is okay.”
Jaime chose to remain silent. Max had no idea how intense things had been between Jaime and Anya, and he likely never would. That wasn’t the kind of relationship they had with one another. “I just need to get myself back on my feet. I’ll be fine. Same shit different day where my love life is concerned.”
“Jaime.”
Jaime swallowed at the sound of a familiar and very beautiful voice.
Anya.
Fearful that it was all in her head, Jaime slowly turned towards the door and prayed that the very woman she needed was standing before her. When Anya’s soft eyes gazed back at her, Jaime almost lost it. “H-hi.”
“You don’t know how good it is to hear your voice.” Anya crossed the room and stood next to Jaime’s bed. Their hands instantly found one another’s, but Anya didn’t know where to begin. Jaime had been dying in front of her, had coded more than once, and now she was here…awake and talking. “How are you feeling?”
“Better now that you’re here,” Jaime said, her gaze unwavering.
“I thought I’d lost you.” When she had received a text from both Max and Zoe earlier that morning, Anya was hesitant to look at it. What if it had been bad news? How could she ever forgive herself for leaving Jaime’s side if something had gone terribly wrong? It had taken her a full twenty seconds to openone of the texts. She then allowed herself a few moments to cry tears of relief and happiness before rushing to get ready to get back to Jaime.
Jaime squeezed Anya’s hand. “And I thought I’d lost you.”
“Lost me?” Anya’s brows drew together.
“I’ve been so stupid. I could have gotten us both killed.” Jaime did look away this time. Well, to their hands and how good they looked resting in one another’s. “I couldn’t see any other way, andI knowI fucked up. Please forgive me.”
“Hey, none of that is important right now.” Anya leaned over and kissed Jaime slowly. Neither of them cared that Jaime hadn’t come by a toothbrush lately. They just wanted to feel that connection again. Anya brought a hand to Jaime’s face, her soft palm stroking her skin. “The only thing that matters is that you rest and recover.”
“I’ve missed you.” Jaime’s bottom lip quivered, but she pushed down her emotions. “Even while I was out, all I thought about was you.”
Max cleared his throat, reminding them both that he was still in the room. He hiked a thumb over his shoulder as he grabbed his blazer. “I’ll just take a stroll while you two…you know. I don’t think anyone is listening to me.”
Jaime smiled. “What did he say?”
“Something about a stroller?”
“Huh.” Jaime managed to lift a shoulder slightly. Her body felt heavy and sluggish, but she didn’t care. Because as she turned her head away from Max’s retreating form, she found herself fixed on Anya’s eyes all over again. Could she take a mental picture of this moment so she would never forget it? Everything was incredibly fucked up, but none of it mattered while they were in the safety of this room. None of it mattered so long as Anya’s hand was in hers. “Will you stay for a while?”
Anya had a meeting with Kate’s team in a few hours to discuss how to take down a couple of serial killers, but for now, this was where she needed to be. “As long as you agree to rest, then of course.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Enjoyinga moment or two in the silence of the hospital room, Jaime hummed lightly when Anya stroked lazy circles over the back of her hand. She hadn’t imagined this—having Anya by her side—but Jaime was grateful for her. She was also grateful for the care she had been receiving here and for the people who had kept her alive. At that moment, she couldn’t imagine never seeing Anya’s face again.
Anya reluctantly let go of Jaime’s hand long enough to bring a chair closer to the bed. “So,” Anya said, slipping her hand into Jaime’s once again. “Did you have a nice nap?”
Jaime chuckled, immediately regretting it when pain shot through her side. Fuck, she would have to remember that whenever she dared to crack a smile. “Ow!”
“Sorry!” Anya shot to her feet and reached for the call button.
“No, it’s all good.” Jaime tugged on Anya’s hand. She didn’t want anyone to come in here and interrupt them. She wasn’t ready to share Anya just yet. “It’s manageable if I don’t laugh or move…and stay in thisexactposition.” Jaime squeezed Anya’s hand and grinned, hoping she could lighten the atmosphere. It was a tough crowd, understandably so, but she was okay. Shewas alive. “Come on. Don’t look so sad, babe. At least the pain means I’m alive, right?”
“This isn’t funny, Jaime. I watched you die in the back of an ambulance—more than once. Your blood covered my hands and soaked through my clothes.” Anya sighed and shook her head. “I tried to stop the bleeding, but it felt like no matter what I did, nothing slowed it down,” Jaime noted how Anya swallowed repeatedly as she paused. This was a lot for her to say. “Then I sat here, watching the machines hooked up to you, wondering when or if you would wake up.” Anya knew perfectly well that she was contradicting the joke she had made just moments before. She blamed her mercurial mood on a lack of sleep and heightened emotions.
“If you felt that way,” Jaime started, mindful of how she worded what she wanted to say. She didn’t want to come across as though she was judging Anya, but it was an acceptable question that she was about to ask. After all, actions spoke louder than words. “Why did I wake up to Max’s skinny ass sitting in that chair and not your beautiful face?”
Anya lifted a brow. “You think that if the tables were turned, wild horses couldn’t pull you away from my bedside?”
“Damn right.” Jaime winced as pain shot through her. It was stupid to try to move closer to Anya, as she had just attempted and failed to do, when she was in so much pain.
