Page 45 of Accidentally Falling For My Best Friend (Chicago Awakenings #2)

OAKLEY

December

M y boyfriend gets moved into a regular medical room first thing the next morning.

We called his mom last night after things settled down and again this morning with updates. I still can’t believe he agreed to date me. When I rushed to see Parker in the hospital, I was really hoping he might admit to having feelings too, but I hadn’t dared hope for what that could mean for us.

Honestly, I hadn’t given much thought to the consequences of that for us professionally until Parker voiced his concerns about it, and I don’t know how exactly we’ll get around the things he’s worried about, or if they even matter at all, but I’m sure we’ll think of something.

Even though I hate that Parker is here and I never want him to have to go to another hospital again, things are definitely looking up for us. Parker is my boyfriend . The smile on my face might be permanent at this point with how fucking happy I am.

That is until Aspen waltzes into the room with her own smile aimed at me as she sets down luggage before handing me a coffee.

My gut drops. I had kind of forgotten about the fact that she’s still technically publicly dating Parker.

I don’t know if her parents are about to follow her into the room expecting their daughter’s boyfriend, or how she’ll take the news that we’re together.

Aspen takes one look at my conflicted expression and bursts out laughing.

“Calm down, Oakley. I caught you two in the same bed and then you rushed across the country to be at his bedside. I know you’re together.

” Then she turns to give Parker her attention, pulling up another chair to join me at his bedside.

“I wanted to come and tell you in person that you’re officially off the hook.

” She’s still smiling as she continues, so I guess she’s happy about how things have turned out so far.

“We’d always intended for this arrangement to work out for us temporarily. ”

Parker doesn’t look nearly as nervous as I feel about this conversation. Aspen doesn’t seem mad at us though, and assuming this coffee isn’t spiked with anything unpleasant, I think she seems to be handling their arrangement ending gracefully.

Parker gives Aspen a soft smile before asking in a teasing tone, “Aspen, are you fake breaking up with me?”

I relax a little, sinking back down in my chair when her expression doesn’t change.

Then he sits up a little straighter in the hospital bed, looking very serious as he continues.

“Aspen, I really hope you got what you needed while I was in here, but even if you didn’t, I would just like to wholeheartedly say, fuck your asshole family.

Fuck what your evil parents say. You deserve to be happy with Sage. ”

I’m kind of surprised he said that so bluntly, even though I wholeheartedly agree with him. What happened before he ended up in here? Aspen’s eyes are watering like she’s trying to hold back tears as he continues.

“You’re one of my best friends and you’ll always be important to me.

I want you to be happy. I know it isn’t always that simple to be with the person you want to, especially when your family is against it.

Oakley and I have had Beckett as our example of queer relationships, and how easy they can be when the people in your life love and support you.

But I know that wasn’t the case for you growing up here.

No matter what you work out, I hope you find a way to be happy, and I would love it if the four of us can remain friends even though our arrangement is over. ”

I nod along, not wanting to interrupt their moment, but also trying to show my support.

Aspen stands up, clearing her throat before leaning over Parker to leave a kiss on his forehead.

“I hope you two can find that happiness too,” she whispers before straightening again.

“I think I got what I need and I’m planning to go straight from here to the airport, so hopefully I won’t be seeing anyone I’m related to any time soon.

Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with us as your friends.

I’ve brought the rest of your stuff too,” she says, motioning to the bags she left near the door.

“Will you head back to Chicago when you’re discharged? ”

“I haven’t gotten that far, but I assume so. Thanks.”

“Sorry you ended up in the hospital,” she says quietly, like she’s also felt some of the guilt I’ve been dealing with since I found out he was here.

“Eh, I think it’s worked out pretty well for me,” Parker says, winking at me.

How is a wink so fucking hot? And how much longer does he need to be in here before I can jump him?

The rest of his hospital stay is a blur of nurses, doctors, and lab techs in and out of the room at all hours. The medical floor has more relaxed visiting hours, and they don’t care that I spend the night again.

Rationally, I know that Parker is fine now, and if I had to go to a hotel for a few hours, he’d be okay.

He’s already in the hospital for fucks sake, the people working here wouldn’t let anything bad happen to him, but the part of my brain that’s always worried about him is still relieved I’m able to spend the night.

He’s discharged the next day and we get a suite at the Caldwell hotel in the city so we can both shower and get some actual sleep before heading back to Chicago in the morning.

As much as I wish we had the energy for a more exciting night full of orgasms to celebrate our new official relationship, sleep in the hospital was nearly impossible with how often the staff had to come in to check his blood sugar or vitals, not to mention how loud it was with all of the machines and people, so we’re both exhausted.

We pass out as soon as we’re in bed, but it’s okay, because we’re together. It doesn’t matter if we have sex, or just spend the night wrapped in each other’s arms, having him sharing my bed again makes everything better.

When we finally get home, though, I’m practically buzzing with anticipation.

Parker is my boyfriend and it’s about damn time that he fucks me.

I’ve loved every time we’ve gotten off together—topping him, exchanging blowjobs, even just using the toys together—and it truly has been the best sex of my life.

But during all of that, we weren’t together together .

We hadn’t admitted how we really felt about each other, and I was delaying checking off such a big sex act from the nonexistent list that I assumed Parker was working through.

Now that I know he loves me, that there’s no end date or limitations on us being together, I want nothing more than for him to claim me in every way that he possibly can.

We’ve been using condoms up until now, I think mostly to avoid any discussion of what not using them would mean, at least that’s why I never brought it up, but I don’t want there to be anything between us if there doesn’t have to be.

I slam the door to our condo as we walk in and spin to face him. “I haven’t been with anyone other than you since I ended things with Sage. I’ve been tested since then and everything was negative. Did you get tested at your appointment last month? ”

“Yeah, also negative,” he says with a small laugh.

“Well, boyfriend,” I say, grabbing his bag from him and tossing it aside. “I think it’s finally time for you to top me, and I’d like to skip the condoms if you’re comfortable with that.”

His smile lights up the whole room. “I’ve never fucked anyone without one before. You want to be my first?”

“Your first, your last, and every time in between.” I know it sounds cheesy when I say it like that, but I really do mean it. I’m so glad he’s already agreed to date me, because I have a feeling I wouldn’t have lasted long without trying to officially claim him as mine.

He steps in closer, wrapping his arms around me to squeeze my ass, leaning in to talk lowly near my ear. “Let's go shower the plane germs off. I want to taste you. I want to take my time stretching your hole and getting you ready for my cock before I fill you up.”

“Damn, Ranger. Bringing out the dirty talk already?” I tease, definitely not complaining. My dick is already thickening as I tug him toward the bathroom, eager to live out what he’s promising.

“I don’t need to hold back anymore. You’ve already agreed you’re mine, so now I don’t have to second guess my every word and action when it comes to how desperately I want you,” he answers seriously.

The thought of him doing that, that he’s had to filter himself like that around me, is so wild to consider when I’ve been doing the same exact thing.

I hold out my pinky for him. “Let's make another promise—no more holding back. I hate that we were both so afraid to be honest about our feelings when they changed. We probably ended up hurting each other and ourselves with all of the stress and tiptoeing around. From now on, let’s promise to go back to telling each other everything, even if we’re not sure about how the other will react. Does that work for you?”

He lets out a soft laugh, wrapping his finger around mine. “Yeah, Oak. I pinky promise, no more hiding from each other.”

Then he uses our connection to pull me to him, stepping in until he’s close enough to lean down for a quick but passionate kiss. His mouth on mine reminds me of expensive champagne, leaving my lips tingling and my head a little fuzzy as he wraps his arms around my hips to grab my ass once more.

But then his hands keep moving and he’s using his grip on me to hoist me up until I’m over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold.

I burst out laughing. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Taking you to be fucked.”

“And I couldn’t walk there myself?” Not that I’m complaining, I have a great view of his ass from here.

“Nah, you said I shouldn’t hold back, and this is what I want. To throw you over my shoulder and have my way with you,” he teases. His voice is strong, and he doesn’t seem to be struggling with the effort to hold me. Why is that so hot?

“I could get used to this, ya know. You carrying me around.”

“Say the word and I’ll have you wrapped around me all day,” he promises.

I love the sound of that, and how easily he agreed, but that might not be the most practical plan. “Maybe not at work,” I concede. “Or before we tell everyone about us.”

We’re in the bathroom now, so he sets me down gently on the counter before turning on the water to warm up the shower for us “So, when it’s just the two of us then?” he checks. “No more walking for you?”

I smile up at him, blinking in an exaggeratedly innocent way as he walks up to me again, legs between mine. He leans into my space, resting an arm against the mirror behind me.

“I meant it. I think you’re the only person I could ever love.” He runs the tip of his nose up mine, closing his eyes and just breathing me in as he explains. “I’ve been talking to Adrian about all of the different labels that are out there, and I think I’m on the Ace spectrum, maybe demisexual.”

It’s hard to focus with him surrounding me like this, but I also think that this conversation might be important, so I try to work on steady breathing as I meet his gaze, managing to ask, “What does that mean?”

“Well, it can mean a lot of different things for different people, but for me, I think I need to already have a very deep emotional connection with someone before I can be physically attracted to them. When we kissed that first time, it was like it woke up something inside of me that I’d never experienced before.

That was the first time I was ever truly aware of being physically attracted to someone in my life. ”

Fuck, ever? I’ve heard the terms he’s using before, but I’ve never given them too much thought. “But you weren’t a virgin. You weren’t attracted to any of the women you’ve hooked up with before? Or any other guys?”

“Not like this. It was never like it’s been with you.

” He’s still running his hands all over me, tracing the muscles of my arms, up my neck, into my hair, as he continues talking, a determined expression on his face.

“I’d had sex before because the physical stimulation still felt good, and mostly because I felt pressured to fit in, not by you specifically,” he quickly adds before I can panic that I’d failed him somehow without realizing it.

"But just by our society in general, so I went along with it. I really had no idea that it could even be like this until after we’d kissed. ”

I can’t help the growing smile on my face as he explains. “So, I’m the only person? Ever? I must be really fucking awesome.”

“Without a doubt,” he agrees smoothly.

“For what it's worth, you’re special to me, too. I’ve always been drawn to you, wanted to spend all of my time with you. I’ve been wondering lately how much of that was just us being such great friends, or if a part of me has always wanted to have more with you.”

He leans in to claim my mouth with his, and I can’t help but groan at how amazing it feels to be able to let go and be with him without worrying about giving away how much I care for him.

His lips are soft, dragging against my own in the most teasing way, and I lean back against the mirror so I can give myself completely over to the kiss.

His hands move to my abs, pushing my shirt up, and I hate having to break our connection even for a moment to push it over my head.

I help him out of his clothes until we’re both naked.

He removes his insulin pump, pausing to take a moment to appreciate my body.

At least, based on the hungry look he’s giving me, that’s what I’m assuming he’s doing, because I can’t take my eyes off of him either.