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Now he broke the kiss but held her hard against his body. Taking her hand, he guided it beneath his gown to grip him firmly, her fingertips brushing his balls, her fingers coiled around his semi-turgid shaft. He pushed into her hold, closing his own hand over it, then brought her palm back to a more public-appropriate location on his chest.
"Just wanted to go in with a reminder of what's most worth living for."
"And, since you didn't have a bag of carrot sticks close to hand, you made do with the second best thing."
"Ah, a woman who understands me."
She chuckled and held onto the humor, though it took effort when she heard a gurney and a blink later saw an orderly and Sal at the door, along with Betty.
"That's my ride," Des said, helping her off the side of the bed as he sat up. Squeezing her hand, he rose, tall and strong, her Master, her Des. He brushed a kiss over her lips. "See you in a bit, love."
"You bet." This wasn't a life-threatening surgery, not the actual surgery itself, so she wasn't going to cry. She smiled for him. Though he didn't smile back, seeing all the things churning inside her, she knew he was glad to see her smile. He leaned in and spoke against her ear.
"You'll do something for me?"
"Anything."
"And here I am going into surgery." His eyes sparked at her. Then he sobered. "It doesn't matter what happens during or after this surgery. I made this choice, and Betty's right. It's the best one I've got to have a normal life with you. So whatever happens, there are no regrets. We're rolling the dice and seeing if we'll get lucky. Got it?"
"Got it."
"I love you. I look forward to saying that to you every day for the rest of my life." He touched her face and straightened as Betty slid into the room.
"Hey, I've got cupcakes," she said, waving two she had on a brightly colored plate. "A patient's family dropped them by for the nurses. Homemade yellow cake, butter cream chocolate icing."
"You are a very cruel woman," Desmond said. "You hear my stomach growling?"
"You've always said my main joy in life is torturing you." Betty set the treats aside and wrapped her arms around him for a hug as Julie stepped back to give them room.
"No one does it better." But he held onto her an extra moment and Julie heard what the nurse whispered to him.
"I'm so proud of you, son," Betty said.
"Same goes," he returned, touching her face. "I've always been glad you're in my corner. Even when I don't act like it."
Betty's eyes glistened, but she covered it by moving around the bed and helping Sal, taking the IV off its hook and handing it to him to transfer it to the gurney as Des boosted himself onto the transport.
"I'll give you a twenty if you do a two wheeler around the corner," he told the orderly, a large black man whose name tag said Paul. Paul gave him a dubious but humorous look.
"You're only wearing that gown, man. Not sure I want a twenty bad enough to take it from where you have to be hiding it."
"Smart man." Des did a fist bump with him and stretched out. "But if you change your mind, I'm good for it."
As the nurse adjusted the covers, Des looked toward Julie again, then shifted his glance to Betty. Now the look on his face was one she recognized, the face of her Master, protective and in charge, despite all evidence otherwise. Her heart swelled in her chest, creating pain and joy at once.
"Take care of my girl, Betty. Don't let her worry."
"I won't. I love you, stubborn boy. See you in a bit, with your fancy new kidney."
"The kidney of a famous artist, no less." Des linked his hands behind his head and tossed Julie an arch look. "It might elevate my rope work to a whole new level. At the very least, I'll probably piss more artistically. Like in loops or swirls or something."
"Just so long as you keep it inside that porcelain circle," Julie said dryly. "Else this relationship won't last."
He winked. "That ship is going to sail in a few seconds anyway, because Sal's taking out the booties and paper hat. My irresistible sex appeal will be shattered beyond repair."
"You're going to totally rock th
at look," she said fiercely.
