Drawing the Line

Chapter 7: Don't Mess With Texas

           

I wake up early and head to the hospital, anxious to get some things settled with Jamie before I head to Paris. The sun is not up yet, but that's okay since I didn't sleep much anyway. I shoot Jerrie a quick text and let her know where I'm going and that I'll meet her at the airport. I doubt she will be surprised.

There is a great little 24 hour coffee shop right around the corner from the hospital, so I stop in for a cold brew for me and a hot coffee for Jamie and make my way to his room. The door is closed, so I open it gently and see, to my surprise, Jamie sitting up and shaving himself.

His eyes bug out when he sees me and he gives me a small smile, "What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving this morning."

Okay, not the loving greeting I would have hoped for, but he's not frowning, so I'll take that. "I woke up early and decided to come spend my last hour with you. Here, I brought you something to get your day started." I set his coffee down and bend over to kiss his nose. "Can I finish you up? You know I love to shave you."

He chuckles and takes a few last swipes, "You love to shave me because you don't want me to be a wooly bear, as I think you called me once."

I sit gently on the bed so as not to jostle him and watch as he finishes up and wipes his face one last time. I am always amazed at his handsomeness and how it moves me. The man sets my belly to dancing every time I simply look at him. Once he's done, I take everything and move it back to the bathroom and go searching through his dop kit for his after shave that I love so much. I splash some in my hands and come back to slap it gently onto his cheeks and rub it smoothly down his neck. He grimaces, as always, but sits back with a sigh and reaches up to scrub his hands through his hair.

Before he can open his mouth to speak I kick off my shoes and climb up to sit astride him. He stiffens and I can tell he is about to push me away so I lean down so that we're nose to nose and I hold his face in my hands. "Jamie, I need something from you before I leave."

He closes his eyes and rests his hands gently on my hips. He doesn't speak, knowing I will plow on. I sit back only slightly, "Look at me." He opens his eyes and I see the wariness there. They are aren't clear and sparkling, they are tired and afraid. "Jamie, I need you to tell me you love me and kiss me like you mean it. I will go away for a few days, but only because it's what you seem to want. But I'm coming back. Nothing, not even you, is going to keep me away, but I need you to tell me you love me."

His fingers grip my hips reflexively and his eyes roll slightly as he tries to turn his head, clearly not wanting to have this conversation. I pull his head back. "I need the words, Jamie. I'm sorry if that makes me weak, but I need to know we're going to be okay."

He looks at me with a smile that is completely void of mirth, "How can we be okay? I'm not the man I was – I'm not the man you fell in love with."

I scoff at that and sit back and put my hands on my hips, "I beg to differ, Mr. Dornan. You're exactly the man, in all your stubborn glory. With or without the use of your legs, you're my mate. I know it. You know it. So quit being an ass about it and trying to push me away. I love you and want you for the long haul, whatever that might bring. Don't you see that? My feelings have not changed one iota."

He takes my hands in his and kisses the back of both. "Baby, you are meant for greater things than taking care of me and I absolutely refuse to hold you back. I would hate myself and you would eventually grow to resent me. So in short, if I don't get the use of my legs back, no, we will not be moving forward. Not because I don't love you, but because I love you too much to saddle you with that."

He goes to release my hands, but I grip them tight and hold them to my chest. "I choose to ignore all that bullshit that just came out of your mouth, other than the part where you love me." He tries to pull away and I hold tight to his hands and grip him harder with my knees at his hips, "Listen to me. No, I can't lift you and do some of the more physical things we might need, but luckily, we can afford to hire the right help. But I WANT to do everything else. I want to take care of you. I want to be with you every step of the way." He's eyes are closed and I can tell he's not softening, so I pull out my heavy artillery.