Her lips twitched. “I kinda got that. It’s probably best Ross stays, so he can remind you ofeverythingdiscussed.” She glanced at Ross and actually winked. I would have been pissed, but he deserved all the winks.
She then went on to talk about my head and my concussion. I simply latched on to me being discharged once I’d been to the bathroom and figured I could make that happen soon enough.
My gaze drifted to Ross as the doctor spoke. A light pink dusted his furry cheeks, and I wished I was closer so I could stroke them, but my arms felt heavy. My eyes closed, and I drifted off thinking about the soft scruff underneath my fingertips and how I wanted to think of the cutest pet name for Ross.
* * *
Relief wasn’t even closeto describing just how happy I was to be home.
The hospital staff had been great, incredible in fact, but Ross tucking me up in my own bed, then returning with a bowl of soup for us both was just the tip of perfection.
“Thanks.” The scent of hearty beef and vegetable drifted over to me as I took the bowl off him.
“No worries,” he said, still speaking quietly, aware my pain meds were wearing off. Making himself comfortable next to me, our backs pressed against the headboard and a bunch of fluffy pillows, he side-eyed me.
“You okay?”
“Yep, just be careful. It’s piping hot.”
I smiled. “I haven’t forgotten how to eat food or test temperature,” I said with amusement, not-so-secretly loving Ross’s sweet attention.
“I’m more concerned about you spilling soup on your bed, or worse still, on yourself.”
“Urgh, and probably right on my junk too. Hell no. I don’t want a burnt dick.”
He snorted. “I’d think you were starting to feel better, but I know otherwise.” His gaze roamed my face, and I could just imagine what I looked like.
When he’d brought me home with the promise to look after me, since my folks were going to remain at his place and look after the animals, he’d helped me shower. Before I’d washed, I’d caught a glimpse of my haggard form, and honestly, post-shower, I didn’t look too much better.
I kept quiet, blew gently on my soup, and started to shovel it in.
“You cool enough?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
It was another scorching day, and I’d never been more grateful for the air conditioning unit in my bedroom. It made eating hot soup easier, that was for sure.
We ate in silence, a few sips, slurps, and only a couple of spills. Once done, Ross took away my bowl and returned with painkillers.
“How about taking some of these, and we’ll both sleep?”
It was early afternoon, not that the time of day mattered in my condition. Nor in Ross’s by the look of him. He appeared marginally better than me, but I expected his sleep had been all but non-existent in the hospital chair.
“Okay. Sleep I can do, especially if you’re with me.” The need in my statement was clear and earned me a soft smile. “And those Endone are pretty damn awesome.”
When he chuckled, I raised my brow at him in question.
“You do get sorta drunk on them and loose-lipped.”
“I do?” When I’d taken some, it hadn’t taken long for my pain to ease and a sort of fog to settle in my brain. The whole effect had been a welcome relief.
Before I could think more about it, he passed me a glass of water. “Don’t overwork that brain of yours. Just take these.”
“How did I not know you were this bossy?” I asked with zero heat. He quirked his brow at me. “I like it,” I sassed before swallowing the pills.
“Get used to it. I imagine you’re going to take some reining in while you’re healing.”
“Me? Never.”
