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Elaine came to the bed and pressed a motherly hand to his brow. "She's as stubborn as you are, but they said you'll be able to have a liquid diet tomorrow and get the IVs out. If you're up to it, you'll be able to get up and move around a bit. That will go a long way toward convincing her. They won't let us feed you anything but what they approve yet. Have to take care of that special kidney of yours."
"Bet Thomas will get hash browns," he said sullenly, but he took a closer look at Marcus. As Elaine had hinted, he had the lined tiredness in his otherwise perfect face that said he'd been camping out in another room the same way Julie was camping in his.
"Is Thomas okay?"
"He's great. We'll get you together for a visit in the morning."
"Tell him thanks. Thanks...to all of you."
Des saw Julie's eyes open and he couldn't look away. He wanted her in the bed with him. He wanted her close.
"Let's give them a little time to snooze. We'll go back to Thomas." Elaine, picking up the vibe, eased her and Marcus toward the door. Des felt a little guilty about making them feel like they had to leave, but he did have one question he wanted answered first, that he asked as they reached the door.
"How do you know I'm a generous, kind person?"
Elaine blinked. "I've interrogated your closest associates. Waterboarding was used."
He snorted but Marcus tossed him a look. "Believe her. She could wear a California redwood to a stump."
"Hush," Elaine told him, though her lips pressed against a smile. "I talked to these two and Thomas about you. Particularly Julie. That wonderful girl thinks she's been in love before, but I disagree." She glanced toward Julie and back at Des. "You love someone worthy of being loved, and it's clear to me she's deeply in love with you."
As Marcus held the door for her, he gave Des a nod before the door closed behind them.
Des looked toward Julie immediately. "Can you come here?"
Her lips tipped up. "What, a request? No Dommish orders? No 'get your ass over here now'?"
"Not my style."
"I beg to differ. It's your style. You just don't use the words. You use 'the look.'"
"Well at the moment they've got so many chemicals running through my system, the best I can manage is a cross-eyed, drooling stare. But since there are three of you, I'm having all sorts of good fantasies. Get all of your asses over here."
She giggled and put the footrest down, coming to him with the blanket still wrapped around her. He expected it was chilly, as it always was in hospital rooms, though he wasn't feeling it, since they had him swathed in a bunch of blankets.
He was able to move over enough for her, though, so she could slide in on the side that didn't have all his hookups. As soon as she pillowed her head on his shoulder and settled her body against his, his world centered in a way that he knew without question answered Elaine's question about intentions.
"I'm going to marry you," he said.
"Oh?" She sounded drowsy, but happy at the prospect. "I can go for that. Are we doing this right now, or is there time to get a dress?" She paused, and she didn't have to say anything for him to know she was thinking of the night in the theater.
"Is that the one you'd like to wear?"
"Yes. I'll get it altered to fit me a bit better. Otherwise it will slide all the way off my boobs at the reception when I step on the hem and cause a wardrobe malfunction, but...yes."
"Good."
"Good to the wardrobe malfunction or the dress?"
"Both." He put his arm around her. He was weak, Christ, he was weak, but that would change. The one good thing about having a tidal health history was knowing these things ebbed and flowed. He'd be strong enough to lift her over a threshold by the time they were married. He'd make damn sure of it.
"So...Elaine. She's a bit scary. She said she expects me to join them for Christmas this year."
"Of course. You're part of the family, aren't you? I was going to invite you to Marcus and Thomas's as my plus-one. Sounds like I'll be yours. Don't tell me you're going to refuse. It takes a braver woman than me to say no to that woman."
"Are we sure she's not a Domme? I'm thinking she has stilettos and a whip hidden away somewhere."
"If she does, when she passes--hopefully decades from now--we better get them before her kids find their hiding place. Thomas would be traumatized for life." Julie glanced down, amused, noticing he was winding his pulse-ox line around her wrist. "Just can't help yourself, can you?"
