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“Which is exactly why we’re staying until morning.”
“I don’t want to stay here—wait, did you say we?”
“Can’t get rid of me that easily, buddy. But you have to rest. No pervy hospital fantasies will be played out tonight.”
“Who said I had hospital fantasies?”
Avoiding his gaze, I straightened his blankets.
“Or is that you, Miss Ramos?”
“It is not.”
“You’re the one who mentioned it.”
“Yeah, well, you’re the one who keeps showing off your chest and abs.”
“You like it.”
I hid a smile. “I’d like it better after a shower and with a very large bed.”
“That can be arranged.”
“Tomorrow.” I climbed back into the hospital bed with him. I’d had to get out for a while to get the circulation moving again. “Right now, I just want to hold on to you, if that’s okay.”
“More than.” He made a little room, but there wasn’t much to be had.
I settled myself against him as best as I could, tucking my head under his chin. His deep, even breathing calmed me, as did the cool oxygenated air from his mask that helped combat the heat that seemed to radiate off him.
“I love you, Freckles.”
I smiled against his neck. “I love you too, Jake.”
Epilogue
Jake
3 months later
I hefted a keg and brought it outside to the tented area by the lake. We’d looked into purchasing the land surrounding Sharkey’s to exp
and the bar. One addition had been a space to rent out for parties with an incredible pavilion built by Erica’s brother.
A dock was set up beside it with a floating deck perfect for water sports. Currently, the class of 2020 was having one helluva party. Sheriff Brooks was vigilantly watching to make sure the only beer drinking was being done by the over twenty-one crowd, which included parents.
A fleet of Sea-Doos were currently racing around the lake. Their bleating motors gunned up and down the straightaways just past the anchored boats. A lake town was made for this kind of setup, and my girl was very good at creating just the right kind of family-focused establishment.
My sister was making a name for herself in the kitchen. She knew how to cook the hell out of meat, fish, and surprisingly, vegetarian fare that lured more than one customer back for more.
I scanned the pavilion and found Freckles holding court. She was smiling and touching shoulders and making sure everyone was happy. Sun streaked over her curls, adding a touch of fire to the wild, midnight waves I loved to distraction.
As usual, she seemed to know I was looking at her. Her gaze zeroed in on me, and she flashed me a wide smile. Her lips were berry-stained, and her honey-toned skin was even darker now from days out in the sun getting the space ready for our first big party of the season.
She’d already booked four more. Knowing how she worked a room, I’d wager another handful of parties would be added to our schedule before the night was over.
I frowned when she grabbed hold of a deck chair. She covered the move well enough, but she quickly reached for the little bag where she kept her bottle of water and drank deeply before continuing on to another umbrella-shaded table of people.
“Let me grab that, Chief.” Ben took the keg from me and added it to the huge metal drums of dry ice mixed with the regular kind to keep the kegs cold against the brutal heat bouncing off the water.
