Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
After dealing with Millie’s delivery problem, along with moving several large boxes, he had to go and see Alex at his home. There, it was a trash clearing problem, and that was all. This was the point. Running around from place to place. It wasn’t long before it was dark, and by then, it was time for him to get to the hospital.
Stepping into Daisy’s room, he was tired, hungry, but the sight of his wife staring up at him with that smile he knew she reserved for him alone, lightened his whole world. He took a step toward her, then another, and he reached down, cupping her cheek, and kissing her on the head.
“On the head, seriously?” Daisy asked.
He chuckled, then took possession of her lips. She let out a sigh, and he felt her sink against him.
“That was better,” she said.
“I never want to disappoint my woman.” He pulled away but didn’t take the seat. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he held her hand.
For several moments, they just stared at each other.
“I missed you,” he said, after a short time had passed.
“I missed you too.” She frowned.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, I’m just trying to remember where I went or what I must have been dreaming about when I was in a coma, you know?”
“Do you think you went somewhere?”
“Uh, I don’t know. It’s all a little foggy right now.”
“If it’s important, it will come to you.”
Daisy tilted her head to the side. “I feel I was ... talking with you, or thinking about you. I don’t know. It’s strange, it’s like I just wanted to get home to you.”
He moved in closer and pressed a kiss to her head once again. “You’re here with me now.”
“Please get me out of this hospital.”
“Babe, you know I’d love to.”
“It’s driving me crazy.”
“I can’t let you out.”
She growled but didn’t try to pull away from him. “Please?”
“No.”
“Pretty please.”
“No.”
“You’re being totally unreasonable.”
“I’m taking care of you, Daisy. The doctors and nurses are here to make sure they didn’t miss anything. Mistakes happen all the time, and I’m not having you alone where something could happen.”
“What could happen?” Daisy asked. “Look at me, I’m doing fine. There is absolutely nothing to worry about. I’m on the road to recovery.”
He smiled at her. “I know, and that is why you’re going to stay this way.” She looked like she was going to argue, and he pressed a finger to her lips. “Stop. You didn’t see it. You felt it, I get that, but ... I watched, Daisy. I watched as she sunk that knife in you. The blood, you going so freaking pale. I’m not going to risk your life, even though all I want to do is take you home and hold you. I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize your health. This is me taking care of you, loving you, and doing what is necessary.”
Daisy stared at him for several seconds. “You know, it’s easier to pretend to hate you when you don’t say things like that.”
Anthony chuckled. “You’re not going to hate me. You can’t. You’ve tried and failed.”
She tutted. “You think I’ve tried.”
“I know it.”
“You’re wrong, Anthony, but that is okay. It is going to take you a while to get used to being wrong. I’ve never hated you.”
“Not even a little bit as kids?”
“No.”
This made him frown.
Daisy laughed. “You wanna know why?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Because no matter what, you saw me, you always have, and you always wanted me.”
And that was true.
Chapter Fifteen
One Month Later
“Finally,” Daisy said.
She was getting out of the hospital today. There had been no setbacks, no internal bleeding. The stitches and the surgery on that first night had held, and she was close to recovering completely. The scars were healing nicely, and everything was going well.
Freedom would soon be hers. The flowers from the Skulls had wilted and died a few weeks ago. There were just a couple of bouquets left that had come from her parents and Anthony.
Her husband bringing her flowers had felt like a new experience. Even though they were technically not newlyweds, they still hadn’t truly done newlywed things. She didn’t know if there was a list of things, like picking out furniture, or giving one another flowers. Other than waking up in the hospital wearing her wedding band, they hadn’t even worn them for others to see. Only now, she wore her band, as did Anthony, which felt so right.
She didn’t have many items to pack. Mainly the gifts that had come with the flowers, including a few teddy bears and other things like snacks. She hated hospital food, and if there was anything else she could eat, she was all for it.
“Are you ready?” Anthony asked, stepping into her room.
Daisy spun around and couldn’t help running toward her husband. “You came.”