Page 37 of Sticks and Stones (FBI Romance/Thriller #65)

Hospital

Same Time

Washington, D.C.

W hen he was coming to, he didn’t know what the hell had happened, or where he was. All Charlie LaRue knew was that he wasn’t at his and Sam’s home. That’s when the panic began, and the fight or flight kicked in.

As he tried to pull the tubes from his arm, to get out of the unfamiliar place, he was stopped by someone.

Staring up at his face, it slowly came into focus. That’s when Charlie saw Sam standing over him, and that helped calm him.

“Sammy,” he said, his voice slurred. “Where am I?”

Oh, boy.

Sam knew that this was going to be fun—as in absolute, complete trouble.

From what Sam knew about Charlie, it was that he didn’t do well with anesthesia. That altered state of awareness made him go crazy.

And no one wanted the big man losing his mind.

When he came out of anesthesia, he tended to get combative, and they knew that from when he had his one and only colonoscopy.

That hadn’t been fun.

He came out swinging, and you didn’t want a big guy like him leveling you while dazed and confused.

The love of his life didn’t pull punches.

“Charles, it’s okay,” Sam whispered, trying to soothe the man the best he could. “Don’t fight. You’re okay and I’m here.”

At his voice, Charlie tried to focus. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, but it was a struggle.

What the hell was going on?

Why couldn’t he remember where he was?

“Where am I?” he asked again.

Sam touched his cheek with his warm palm, and stared into his dazed eyes.

“You had your gallbladder out. We came to the hospital because you thought you were having, and I quote, ‘Sammy, you were right, the bacon got me. I’m having the big one’ ,” he said, trying not to laugh.

It took him a second as he tried to remember, but when he finally did, it seemed to calm the man down.

“I can’t wait for my sorry-ass health insurance to get this bill,” he muttered.

Sam reassured him.

“You have health insurance through one of Chris’ companies,” he reminded him. “We all do. You’re not paying for this, I’m sure.”

He didn’t even register that, and that told Sam how far out of the loop he really was.

The last thing he liked was someone helping him when it came to money. It pissed him off, and made him prickly like a porcupine.

Worse, if that was possible.

Someone was not good with these meds at all.

Brushing his hair off of his forehead with love and tenderness, finally, Sam wasn’t worried.

The whole time that Charlie had been in surgery, he’d been scared something would happen to him.

While he knew he was strong, and it was just surgery, there was always that haunting fear that he’d die.

And that would be devastating.

It was the last thing he ever wanted to experience. In fact, Sam hoped and prayed he went first. Living without Charlie would be incredibly difficult.

“Your surgery went well, and they said you’ll be here for a couple of days. They had to crack you open.”

He sighed.

“Goddamn it. There go my swimsuit magazine cover jobs,” he muttered.

That made Sam laugh.

Yeah, he was going to be okay. That was the sense of humor that always made him laugh, and stay calm. If Charlie was joking around, he was going to be okay.

When he told him he was having ‘the big one’, Sam’s whole world came screeching to a halt.

This was the man he loved.

“I’ll stay with you while you’re in the hospital. It should only be a day or so. God knows you’re out of control on a good day, and can’t be left alone to your own devices. We don’t need you driving the nurses crazy. You want those good meds.”

Yes, yes, he did.

“It’ll be fun. Think of it like camping.”

Charlie went there.

“Yeah, if you wanted the neighbors in the tents to have TB, Measles, Mumps, and Polio. Then, yes, Sammy, it’s all kinds of contagious fun.”

It amused Sam.

Charlie always did.

So, he reassured him.

“There are shots for all of those diseases, and I know you’ve had them. Calm down,” he said, amused. “This is exactly why I have to stay.”

Charlie grinned up at him.

There was a time when he’d not have someone stand over him and care about him. Sam was definitely the best thing he’d ever done.

Other than having Elizabeth.

“Want to climb into bed with me, and we can have some real fun?” he asked. “We can take my lack of gallbladder out for a spin.”

Sam opened his mouth to warn Charlie, but didn’t get to say anything.

Why?

Elizabeth cleared her throat. She was sitting five feet from him in another chair, waiting for him to realize she was there.

The whole time, she was taking in the interaction between the two men, watching her father finally have happiness with Sam.

It made her heart happy.

Why?

She understood that joy. Elizabeth had found the same peace with Chris.

God knew he’d be waiting for her to wake up if she was coming out of surgery, or God forbid, a coma. He’d be right there, like Sam.

Thank God for a good ME.

As soon as he heard her voice, Charlie actually cringed.

Oh, shit.

This was uncomfortable.

“That’s not my kid, is it?” he asked, knowing how awkward it was whenever she asked him personal questions about his sex life.

It freaked him out to no end, and made his palms sweaty like he was doing something wrong.

Yeah, she knew about him and Sam, but they were like the military.

Don’t ask.

Don’t tell.

He didn’t ask questions about her personal life, meaning all the kinkery that he knew went on, and in return, she didn’t question him on who gave and who received.

Was it dysfunctional and insane?

Yes.

Did it work for them?

Again, yes.

At his words, Sam laughed.

“That’s absolutely your kid. I know it is because you’re both sarcastic, have bad attitudes, and are pretty to look at.”

Oh, Jesus.

Sam continued.

“We’ve both been waiting for you to wake up.”

Because he couldn’t escape this, he turned his head, and indeed, there she was.

Staring at him.

“Uh, you didn’t hear that, right?” he asked, his voice still a little slurred from the anesthesia.

Oh, she absolutely did.

Charlie was as high as a kite on pain meds, so she ignored it. It didn’t bother her, but she knew he was squeamish when she knew personal details about his relationship with Sam.

“Oh, I heard it.”

Now, he had to know.

“You’re not going to ask whose dick goes where, are you, Elizabeth?”

She actually snorted.

“I mean, I’m smart, and there’s two dicks and four holes so I think I can figure it out on my own.”

Charlie closed his eyes.

“Jesus Christ. I feel sick. Get me the puke pan, Sam. I’m tossing my bacon cookies.”

Sam laughed and rubbed his hand on his chest, reassuring him.

“You won’t remember this after you take a nap. You’re high, Charlie LaRue. Your pupils are huge, and you’re slurring your words like the town drunk.”

Oh.

Thank.

God.

Getting up, Elizabeth headed toward her father, and she gave him a soft kiss on his lips.

She loved this man so damn much.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Sex Machine, I’m not here to bust your balls about you humping your ME. I get humped by mine. It’s a genetic thing.”

He mumbled.

“Yeah, but he’s your husband.”

Sam was trying to save Charlie’s ass.

“Okay, let’s focus on how the surgery went, and not who is married to whom. We can take a break from that,” he said, doing damage control before Mr. High said way too much and pissed off his daughter.

That worked for Elizabeth.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Dad. Your gallbladder is out, and the doctor said it looked like it was spun with thread. It was silvery and in bad shape.”

Jesus.

“You didn’t ask for pictures, did you?”

She snorted.

“No, but Christopher has privileges here, and he scrubbed in to make sure you were okay. He sat by your head and held your hand through it all.”

That touched his heart.

“I love that boy. He’s the best son-in-law a man could have. Go have babies with him for me. I need to be a grandpa.”

She just laughed, and Sam held his breath.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she offered. “Anyway, Charlie, I was waiting for you to wake up so I could see you before I have to say goodbye.”

At her words, he opened his eyes and stared at his child, not sure if he understood what she was saying.

He was confused.

“Wait. How long was I out? It was just Saturday. Where are you going?” he asked.

Then, to prove he was flying high, he smiled.

“You look like your momma, but with my eyes staring back at me. She had such a pretty face, and so do you. You’re my pretty, pretty baby girl.”

Yowza.

She hoped she wasn’t like this when she was waking up from anesthesia.

That was hella embarrassing. While she couldn’t bust his ass about Sam, she absolutely would bust his ass about being this out of it.

Later.

As for leaving, she felt bad dumping this in Sam’s lap. Charlie was a handful on a good day.

Yeah, someone was going to have a battle when he figured out she was on her way out.

Without.

Him.

“Thanks, I think,” she admitted. “Anyway, like I said, I just wanted to say goodbye. I have to go,” she admitted. “I caught a case across the country. I’m flying out to go catch another serial killer. You know how it is. Wash, rinse, repeat,” she offered.

At her words, he tried to get up.

Only, she wasn’t having it.

“Down, boy,” she said, shoving him back down. “You’re on recovery duty. I’ll call you later when I get to where I’m chasing a cannibal. God. I love my job,” she said, rolling her eyes.

It took him a second to register.

“You should stay home. That sounds dangerous,” he admitted.

That made her laugh.

“Dad, that’s why they arm me and give me body armor. It’s not like being a kindergarten teacher,” she said, shuddering. “All those germs. Yuck.”

Charlie didn’t like this.

“You can’t go.”

Instead of arguing, she gave him a kiss.

“I love you, Daddy. I’ll see you in a few days. Take care of Babylon and don’t do anything with your ME that I wouldn’t do with my ME.”

That was when she winked at Sam.

As she walked away, Charlie watched her go, and that’s when the panic hit, and it hit hard.