Make it to Me - Ender Inciarte romance

Chapter 10

A few days later I was actually ready to go home. The doctor has cleared me for a head injury, which is what he was concerned about the most. My outside injuries were very much visible and would take some time to heal, but he wanted to make sure I didn't have any internal injuries that may not have shown up right away.

My parents had planned a honeymoon trip to Greece over a year ago and they tried to cancel it, but I wouldn't let them. I was a grown up and at some point had to get through life's rough moments without them. They were hesitant but finally agreed as long as I promised them I would stay with Ender, Dansby or Lucy and not try to stay on my own.

Ender had insisted I stay at his house, and Lucy would come stay with me there when they went on the road. I wasn't sure that he knew what he was getting into. I needed help with everything from getting dressed to taking a bath with my cast. I also had dressings on my scratched and burned skin that had to be changed.

"Ok, I'm going to run you home and get you settled in on the couch. Then I need to go pick up your medicine and supplies. I'll run by your house and pick up the bag that Lucy packed. What else?"

"Can we have pizza?"

"Anything you want."

He got me settled in at home with my leg and arm propped up on pillows, the remote, my phone and a drink all within reach.

While he was gone I started to think about how much I wanted to soak in a bubble bath. This is when staying with Luc would have been helpful.
I grabbed my phone and texted Lucy.

C: 911!!!!

L: what?! Are you ok? I'm getting in my car. What's wrong??

C: no not actual 911. Relationship 911. I want to take a bath.

L: annnnndd.....

C: Are we ready for this? This feels like a big step.

L: well I was curious when you said you would stay with him if either of you had thought that through. It is a big step. But the guy adores you, Charlie. And I think you feel the same way. I think this will be a good step.

C: thank you 😘 I just had a moment when I really thought about how this would have to go down. Not the romantic way I would prefer for the first time I undress in front of him to go.

L: it will be fine. But call or text if you need me.

C: ok. I love you Luce.

L: I love you too.

Ender got home with an armload of stuff that he dropped on the kitchen table before coming over to the couch.

"Do you want to eat now?"

"Actually. I think I want to take a bubble bath."

"Ok.....um. So. I guess I need to help you get in?"

"Is that ok?" Poor thing has turned red in the face.

"Of course, baby. I just don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Ender picked me up and carried me into the bathroom, sitting me on the toilet while we ran some bath water. I had thankfully remembered to have them grab my bubbles from my house so I could take a hot bubble bath.

"So....." he turned to me.

"Ender. This is fine. Right? It won't be weird. And I won't be uncomfortable. It's you. And me."

"You're right. I'm sorry, I'm just flustered and trying hard to control myself. I want you. And I know this isn't the time for that but I'm a guy. Forgive me."

He leaned down and kissed me sweetly on the lips before slowly reaching down and pulling my shirt up over my head. He ran his fingers lightly over the bruises along my side, causing me to shiver.

"Sorry. I haven't seen them all yet. Baby...." he trailed off, his already raspy voice a whisper.

He put my arms around his neck and pulled me up, having me hang on to him as he shimmied my pajama pants down over my hips. Everything fell into a pool at my feet. I took a deep breath and looked up into his eyes to see he was looking into mine as well. He leaned down and kissed me, deepening the kiss briefly before pulling me to him in a soft hug.

"Let's get you in....I'm going to put your cast up on the side and then pick you up to lower you in, ok?"

He got me all settled in, putting a towel under my cast to help cushion it. I sank down into the tub and moaned. "This is a million times better than a hospital bath. Thank you."

"Baby, please do not make that noise again. I'm barely holding it together here."

Ender left me to soak for awhile and went and unpacked some of my stuff. He slipped his head in once or twice to check on me.

"Hey, before I unpack all of this stuff, where do you want to sleep. I have a guest bedroom. Or there's mine."

"With you, please."

He finished moving some of my stuff to the bedroom and then came back in, shirtless and in a pair of his workout shorts.

"Lean up," he instructed me. He took a wash cloth and gently rubbed some body wash over my back and shoulders. He had me lean back against the back of the tub as he ran the washcloth over the front of my body.

"Are you ok?" I asked him, as he swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"Yeah baby, I'm fine. Let me get your hair."

He washed my hair and wrapped it in a towel before pulling me up out of the tub and carrying me to his bedroom and sitting me down wrapped in a towel. He got the antibiotic ointment out of the bag from the pharmacy and rubbed it over the scratches and burns on my side and back before covering them with gauze. He brushed out my hair with my comb and then pulled my pajama top over my head, gently pulling the arm that was casted through.

"We made it," I smiled at him.

"Just barely," he laughed. "You are so beautiful. I cannot wait for another time when we are not in this situation to be able to really get to look at you."

I blushed and buried my head in his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist. "You are the best, baby. You know that, right?"

We spent the rest of the night sitting against the headboard of his bed, eating pizza and watching TV before snuggling up in Ender's bed as much as we could with my injuries.