Last Kiss Read Free Page B

just fractures. Her wrist is sprained and she has a concussion, all of which can be healed with time.”
    Reeve rubbed at the back of his neck, nodding, taking it in.
    “When she wakes up,” Brent said, “she might be wanting some kind of upper, if you know what I mean. She was pretty fond of the white stuff when she was here last.”
    Reeve shook his head. “Joe – the guy who brought her here – said he thinks she’s not into that right now. He’s pretty sure she’s moved onto opiates.”
    So that’s what he’d talked to Joe about. He was looking out for Amber, and I was grateful. And I was also selfish because it was disappointing to realize he hadn’t been asking about me.
    Jeb considered, raising a brow. “Heroin?”
    Reeve shook his head again. “Codeine. Oxy maybe. She got beat up pretty bad, but he said she’s been begging for a pill every two hours.”
    “Do you know if he gave her anything?” Jeb asked.
    “Some Vicodin. He said he gave it as directed to help with her pain. The last was about four hours ago.”
    Jeb seemed to do a mental calculation. Satisfied with his result, he said, “I just put some morphine in her IV as well as something to help her sleep. We’ll have to watch the clock carefully and only give her what she needs rather than what she asks for. In the morning I’ll see if I can get my hands on some methadone.”
    Brent clapped a hand on Reeve’s back. “I’m going to go check on security, make sure we’re covered in case —”
    Reeve cut him off. “He won’t come here looking for her.”
    “With all the other activity lately, are you sure?”
    Reeve hesitated, then said again, “He won’t come here. But extra security is a good idea.”
    A chill ran through me as I thought about what Joe had said about Amber’s tattoo. But I trusted Reeve’s perception of danger. If he said he didn’t think Vilanakis would come around, I believed him. The additional security was likely just a measure of precaution.
    As soon as Brent left, Reeve addressed Jeb again. “What do we need to do for her tonight?”
    I nodded, wishing I’d asked first.
    “There’s nothing you can do at this point.” Jeb looked at his watch. “She’s probably going to be out for a while. I’d take this opportunity to get some sleep. I’ll stay with her until the morning in case she wakes up.”
    “I could take the first shift.” Again Reeve spoke before I could. His offer rubbed me in places that I didn’t know were raw. I told myself it was simply because I wanted to be the one by her side.
    Well, if he was going to stay, so was I.
    But then Jeb said, “I’d rather it be me. I want to be there in case she has any strange reaction to the medicines or in case she takes a turn.”
    Reeve hesitated before conceding. “Come and find me if there’s any change.”
    “Will do, boss.”
    “Then I’ll see you in a few hours.” Without even a glance at me, he turned on his heels and headed for his bedroom.
    Jeb gave me a tight smile then opened the door to Amber’s room, leaving me in the hallway, alone.

C HAPTER 2
    I remained in the hallway for a handful of seconds before following Reeve into his bedroom.
    He’d left the door open – whether that was to be available for Amber or an invitation for me, I wasn’t sure. I was afraid it wasn’t the latter. But I traipsed in anyway. I needed answers. I needed assurance. I was prepared to demand both.
    Until I crossed the threshold and saw Reeve undressing.
    He peeled off his shirt and tossed it on an armchair then sat on the bed and began tugging at one boot. The sight of his half-naked body made my own body react with a rush of desire, every time, current circumstances notwithstanding. That he was stripping with no sexual intention was somehow even more arousing, the intimacy of it shocking and surreal. As if he and I were actually a couple, and not a sham, despite Amber’s return.
    That realization did things to me.
He
did things to me. Things