Chapter Nine
I HAVE TO WAIT IN a little side room with Maeve for about thirty minutes before the nurses let us in to see Andie. She’s hooked up to an IV drip and some machine that’s making a lot of noise, a rhythmic whup, whup, whup.
I go over to her free side, and Maeve stands next to Mack who’s on the other side of her bed. He holds her hand and Maeve rests her fingers lightly on Andie’s leg.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
“Better, now that I’m here.” Andie’s hair is spread out over the pillow in a tangle and she already looks tired.
I fish around in my purse until I find my brush. Moving to the head of her bed, I drop my bag to the ground and start fixing the mess. There will be plenty of pictures taken soon and I don’t want her hating me for not taking care of this problem beforehand.
“How many centimeters are you dilated?” Maeve asks.
“Three? Four? We’re not sure yet.” Andie sighs and stares at the door.
“Was that your water or pee?” I ask, trying to distract her from whatever is bothering her. “In the diner, I mean.”
Mack smiles when Andie rolls her eyes and answers. “It was my water, Candice. Geez.”
“Hey, how would I know?” I shrug as I brush out a knot in her hair. It’s clear I’m going to have to give her a cut while I’m here. Whoever did her layers needs some serious re-training. “I’ve never seen someone’s uterus blow before.”
“Blow?” Andie closes her eyes. “God, that’s disgusting.”
“Tell me about it. I’ll never eat waffles again.” I finish with her hair and put my brush back in my bag. “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? Massage by a man wearing a thong, maybe?”
“Some tea would be nice.” Andie smiles up at me.
“No tea,” says a mean-looking nurse who busts into the room without so much as a knock. “No liquids, no food.”
“Why?” I ask, offended for my friend. It’s on the tip of my tongue to call this woman Nurse Ratched.
“Just in case she needs a c-section. She can have a few ice chips when we get closer to the actual birth, but for right now, the IV will take care of her liquids.”
I frown. Ice chips? This seems like a special kind of torture. We are on the border of the Arctic Circle, after all.
“Go ahead and get yourself a coffee,” Andie says.
When I see the nurse snapping on some gloves and lubing them up as she moves over to Andie’s crotch, I nod, quickly forgetting the whole drink issue. We’ll let the IV take care of her liquids or whatever. “Yeah. Good idea. I’ll go get a coffee.”
On my way out, I look at Mack and Maeve while carefully avoiding looking at Andie’s crotchal area. “Anyone else?”
They both shake their heads, all their attention focused on Andie. I’m so busy watching them, I don’t notice Ian standing in the doorway until I bump into him just outside the room.
“What are you doing?” I ask, annoyed, trying to right myself without looking like a complete fool. Tossing my hair over my shoulder, I pretend to be searching for something inside my purse. I hate that I can’t look him in the eye right now, but there’s no sense in denying it.
“You’re the one who attacked me.”
I raise an eyebrow and readjust the strap of my purse over my shoulder, abandoning my search and my reticence over looking him in the eye. “Attacked? Come on now, don’t you think that’s a bit of an exaggeration?”
“Lemme see …” He rolls his eyeballs to the ceiling as he thinks, counting off on his fingers as he goes. “First, you shoot me. With a bullet. Then you toss me around in the back of a truck while you drive like a maniac through town. After that you give me a purple nurple…”
“Titty twister,” I correct.
“Whatever, … and then you stomp on my toe.” He looks at me and stops with the annoying counting. “And now, here you are body-slamming me in the hospital.”
I shake my head in mock disappointment. “So sad.”
“What’s so sad?”
He’s standing way too close for comfort, but I’m not going to be the one to back away and give ground. Let him do it.
“So sad that you’re so precious. I thought country boys were tougher than that.”
“Precious? I’m not precious.”
I stick my bottom lip out really far. “Awww, poor baby … how’s your nipple? Do you need some ice for it? Maybe a bandage? Good thing you’re in the hospital. Maybe you should go to the ER.”
“My mom’s gonna kill me,” he says, out of the blue.
I frown, confused. “Why?”
“Because-a this.”
He reaches up and actually tweaks my nipple. Then he smiles. Big. Real big. I can see his wisdom teeth he’s so damn happy.
I can’t move. I’m frozen in shock. “You … you just …”
“That’s right, City. I just got you back. Tit for tat.” He starts laughing. “Literally.”
My eyes narrow as I consider my options. “You are so going down right now.”
He sees the look in my eye and stops laughing immediately. “Hey now … this is a hospital, young lady. You need to behave yourself in here.” He’s waffling between laughing and being scared.
I take a step towards him and he moves back two paces. His hands go up in a defensive gesture. “I’m serious.” He points at me. “Act like a lady.”
That was the wrong thing to say. “When you treat me like one, I’ll act like one.” I leap into action, my boots giving a special spring to my step.
He tries to run backwards but gives up and spins around, tripping on himself to get away. He pushes off the wall to keep from falling.
We wind through hallways with me in pursuit, only slowing when someone is nearby. I chase him all the way to the cafeteria, where he finally slows to a walk. I pull up next to him and pinch his butt hard. He pushes the door open and we both walk through at the same time.
“Youch!” He scoots his pelvis forward, trying to move his buns out of my reach. “Easy now, City,” he says in a low tone meant only for me. “I have witnesses.” He straightens up and tries to look cool.
“Better watch your back,” I say, just as quietly. I separate from him and go over to the coffee area. I’m totally out of breath, but I try to hide it by breathing out of my nose. My nostrils are flaring trying to get enough oxygen into my system. I can’t tell if my heart is racing from the running or the chemistry that’s flared up between us again. He actually touched my nipple! How dare he! I’m still tingling from it and not because it hurt. It definitely didn’t hurt.
I feel something warm on my back and leg. It’s Ian standing way too close. His breath washes over my neck. “Better watch your back,” he says.
I laugh, too cool for school. “Wow, that was original.” Taking a coffee cup, I reach up with my other hand to press down on the button that will fill me up with caffeine. I’m not sure I need it at this point, but at least it serves as a distraction.
“Not original enough for ya? Okay, how about this one … better watch your neck.”
I frown as I put some sugar into my cup and stir it. “What … are you a vampire now?”
I sense his intention before I feel it. “Maybe.” His mouth is suddenly on my skin, the spot between my shoulder and my neck. His lips have clamped on and he’s sucking.
I spin around, completely taken by surprise. We end up face to face when his mouth is forced to detach from me.
“What are you doing?” Trying to act cool is taking every bit of talent I have in that area. My hand holding the coffee cup is trembling
He smiles, all lazy-like and smooth. I hate that he’s way cooler than I am. “Just getting a little revenge.”
My neck keeps tingling. It’s like his lips are still there. “You better not have left a hickey.”
He glances at my skin and smiles. “Or else, what?”
I debate in my mind what I should say next. That I’ll give him a worse one? No. He’s a Bambi killer. I don’t want to trade hickeys with him. Even though it felt really nice and I love the way he smells.
“Or else, you’ll just have to wait and see.” I go back to administering to my coffee. “Keep your murderous lips off me in the meantime.”
“Murderous lips? Wow, you must have really liked that hickey I just gave you to say it about killed you.”
I roll my eyes. “You wish.” I feel like I’m back in high school. What is it about this man that makes me feel and act sixteen again? I haven’t run indoors like that since I was late for Mr. Wilkie’s chemistry final.
He follows me over to a table and takes the seat across from me.
I take a sip of my hot drink and try to ignore him, looking everywhere but in his direction, but he keeps staring at me. He’s leaning back in the chair like he doesn’t have a care in the world. My prayer that the thing will slide out from under him goes unanswered.
I sigh heavily and give up on avoiding him. “Why are you here?”
He looks around. “In the hospital? Same as you, I s’pose. Waiting for a baby to come out.”
“No, I mean why are you here with me in the cafeteria?”
He smiles again, his gaze dropping to my chest for a second before going back up to my face. “I’m not here with you. I’m just in the same place as you are. It’s a coincidence.”
“Whatever.” I focus on my drink and anything else in the room but him. The walls in here are the ugliest color of green I’ve ever seen. Psychologically, it has to be bad for people. You can make a person go insane just by painting his walls a certain color. Hospitals should be more aware of that stuff. They should hire me as a color consultant.
Without warning, he slides his chair around so he’s next to me, effectively interrupting my thoughts and my distress over the lack of interior design in this place. His arm goes up over the back of my seat and he leans in.
“Well, that was a big change of heart.” I look at him like he’s nuts, which he is.
He’s not smiling anymore and he looks worried. Maybe it’s that green paint having its effect on him, but it came on kind of suddenly.
He leans in closer and I struggle a little to get some distance between us. The heat from his body is soaking into me. “What are you …?”
“Shhhhh!” he whispers, clamping onto my shoulders even more. “Just go with it.”
“Go with wh…?” Before I can get the last part of my sentence out, he presses his lips onto mine.
At first I’m so shocked, I freeze up. Then I feel how soft the skin of his lips is and how good his face smells and I relax. I have no idea what we’re doing, but I’m not going to be the one to stop it.
As he senses me give in, he presses into me more firmly, his lips moving to make the kiss more intimate. We’re both enjoying it now, believe it or not. I’m loving the way his mouth moves on mine. This is the kind of heat I usually save for the bedroom, but right now I could care less who’s watching. Lightning bolts of desire are ripping through me. I lean in closer, wanting to press my breasts against him, anything to ease the ache. When the tip of his tongue comes out to touch mine, I gasp with surprise. It’s the happy kind.
“Hello, Ian. What’re you doing here?”
I hate it when he pulls away to answer the question of the girl standing in front of us. Total cold shower, but I think I like this green paint after all.
He clears his throat and swipes at his mouth before he answers. “Oh, hey. Uh, Andie’s in labor. Just waiting for the baby to come.” He tightens his arm around my back and pulls me closer. I’m pretty sure we couldn’t look more awkward. I’m as stiff as a board realizing that his sudden passion had a different motivation behind it than the paint or my cleavage.
The girl’s eyes shift over to rest on me. “And who’s this?”
Ian leans in and kisses me loudly on the cheek. “This is Candice. She’s my new girl.”
My heart stops beating for a few seconds and my jaw drops open. The only thing that revives me is Ian shaking me several times with his arm. “Babe, this is Ginny. Ginny, this is Candice.”
Ginny holds out her hand over the table. “Nice to meet you. Are you from around here?”
I shake her cool, dry hand hoping she doesn’t notice mine is clammy. I open my mouth to answer, but the only problem is, my voice doesn’t really seem to want to work.
“Uhhh …”
“She’s from back East,” Ian supplies. “Big city girl. You know how I love the big city.”
“Back East, huh? How did you two meet, then?” Ginny cocks her hip, giving every indication she plans to get to the bottom of this situation before she leaves.
She doesn’t seem angry, just curious, which is weird because I’m pretty sure this is the chick Ian was supposed to marry. How many Ginnies can there be in one small town?
Poo. I guess that’s why I’m the new girlfriend. Poor guy can’t stand the fact that she might find him still single after all this time. I don’t know what I was thinking letting my head go all fuzzy where he’s concerned. Of course he doesn’t want to jump me in the hospital cafeteria. That green paint is truly hideous.
The gears in my head start cranking away. Now that I know I’m not about to get all hot and heavy with Ian, I have two options here. I could totally call him out and humiliate him in front of this girl … whoa, talk about revenge. Or, I could go along with it and then have him owe me a big, fat favor after.
I can’t help the Cheshire Cat grin that comes over me when I consider Ian owing me a debt of gratitude. This is way too awesome to pass up. Option B it is.
I turn my head, grab his face with my two hands, and plant a huge wet kiss on his lips, angling my mouth so I can tangle my tongue up with is. He is my sex slave and I command him to French-kiss me!
After a couple seconds of that and my heart going bananas, I stop, pull back with a loud smacking of lips, and look at Ginny as I sigh with immense happiness. I am not faking that emotion either. I get to make out with this master kisser and have him owe me a favor after? Hell yeah. Double points. Life is good. No, life is great.
“It was meant to be,” I say. “We met at a wedding. Do you know how many people fall in love when they’re at other people’s weddings?” I sigh again, like I can’t get enough of my man as I sink into his side. “What can I say? I’m the luckiest girl in the world.” My left hand slides over to rest on his thigh. I move it up and down and then closer towards his crotch. “Ian is the best.” I giggle to add a little extra pizzaz to my act and squeeze his leg.
He grabs my hand and pulls it into his lap to keep it from getting any closer to his package. I’m a little relieved, to be honest. Sometimes I can get carried away in the moment. I’m pretty awesome at method acting. I can totally get into the character and forget who I really am. Besides, I admit to being pretty damn curious about what he’s packing.
“That’s nice,” she says in a neutral tone.
I can’t tell whether this chick is upset or doesn’t give a hoot. She’s good. Real good.
“So,” she continues, “are you going to the party at Boog’s this weekend?”
“Nah, I don’t think so,” Ian says. He digs his fingers into my shoulder. I think he’s telling me to keep my mouth shut.
“You should come,” Ginny says to me. “All of Ian’s friends will be there. Have you met them yet?”
“No, I haven’t.” I sit up enough so I can look at my honey and show off my boobs. I’m not disappointed when he glances down at them. “We’ve pretty much been spending all of our time inside, if you know what I mean.” I smile slyly. Ian suddenly looks sick. His skin almost matches the color on the walls.
“Well, then, it’s about time you got out, isn’t it?” Ginny starts to walk away. “See you Saturday. It was nice meeting you, Candice.”
“You too, Ginny,” I say, never breaking eye contact with my new beau.
“Are you trying to kill me?” he asks quietly.
I lean over quickly and kiss him on his open mouth before pulling away. “I told you that you were going down. That was a friendly warning. You better start listening or you’re going to be sorry.”
He looks up at the ceiling and slides down in his seat. “I’m already sorry.” His arm slides off my back and flops down by his side and he releases my hand in his lap.
“Don’t be such a poop.” I squeeze him high up on his thigh, making sure my pinkie finger slides against something it isn’t supposed to.
He jumps out of his seat so fast he nearly knocks his chair over, causing people to glance over at the ruckus he makes. He stares down at me in bewilderment.
I look up in total innocence while holding out my hand and batting my eyelashes. “Help me up, would you? I find myself in need of a man’s assistance.”
He grits his teeth together hard enough to make his jaw bounce out, but he holds out his hand and takes mine as I stand. “You better watch it, girl, before you bite off more than you can chew.” He’s almost growling at this point.
Letting go of him, I walk away with my purse over my shoulder, like I haven’t a care in the world. “Never happened before, not gonna happen now.” I let my words flow over my shoulder, not bothering to turn and sneak a peek at him. Chew on that, country boy.
Leaving him in the cafeteria, I’m ready now to watch my best friend have her little baby. I do my best to ignore my racing heart, my spiked blood pressure, and my lonely lady-parts.