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Trey looked like he'd been in that wrinkled tuxedo for days. He didn’t take his eyes off of me while he answered her. “Charlotte, I’m here as long as she is, or until someone from her family surfaces. We haven’t been successful in reaching her mother, and I don’t feel right leaving her.”
“But Clint, Rodney, Ray, and Luke have offered to be here in shifts so that she isn’t left alone,” Charlotte persisted. “You’re the one who chooses to keep vigil.”
“I don’t give a damn,” Trey answered, his tone full of irritation. “I need to make sure she is safe. Someone has to be responsible for this girl and make sure everything that should be done is being done. That's why I'm here, and frankly, I’m tired of explaining this to you.” Charlotte wasn’t happy with his response but I was; I felt like I was a voyeur in yet another dream, and this one gave me far more pleasure then the one I'd escaped earlier.
“Fine,” she snapped at him, grabbing her purse from the chair. “Call me if you ever get relieved of duty here.” With that, she flounced out of the room, leaving Trey in a whoosh of wind as she abruptly slammed the door. Trey rolled his eyes and smiled sheepishly at me. I couldn’t suppress a giggle and I winced at the pain it brought to my throat. Why did it hurt so much? Trey came closer and asked if I wanted some water. I nodded yes. He poured some ice water out of the pitcher that was on the bed tray, and gently put his left arm underneath my head, lifting it slowly. I could feel that my lips were parched. I was glad that I couldn’t see how bad I looked. He tilted the straw toward me so I could reach it with my lips. I took several painful swallows.
His nearness made me feel so safe. I wanted to sleep without dreams but there was no guarantee. I didn’t want to close my eyes for fear he would leave. He sensed my fear because he settled back into a chair by my bed.
“I’m not going anywhere, Tylar,” he whispered. “Go to sleep and dream good things, I'm here to chase the bad dreams away.” I smiled and sank deeper into my pillows, closing my eyes.
CHAPTER 5
When I awoke, sunlight was streaming in through the mini blinds of my hospital window. Trey was asleep in the same chair, gently snoring. I reached over and took a sip of water from my Styrofoam cup. My throat felt much better. I drained the water with my straw. The slurping sound caused Trey to stir.
He languidly stretched his arms out in front of him with the fingers of both hands intertwined like a steeple. He yawned and glanced over at me. He was startled to see me awake, sitting up, and trying to slurp more water out of an empty cup. Trey was on his feet instantly, hovering next to me.
“Do you need more water, Tylar?”
I nodded and watched as he lifted the pitcher from my bedside table, frowning as he opened the lid. “Let me go down to the nurse’s station and have them fill this with fresh water and ice,” he said. He was back quickly with a fresh pitcher of ice water, filling my cup. I watched him in awe. He was freshly shaven, his tousled hair looked exquisite. He wore jeans and a royal blue Polo shirt that heightened his sapphire eyes. As I took the cup from him, he smiled warmly, gave me a wink. I took another long swallow of ice-cold water. It tasted so good. He sat on the arm of the chair next to my bed.
“So, how are you feeling today, Ms. Preston?”
“Much better, thank you,sir,” I answered. My voice had taken on a foreign, husky tone. I was shocked when I heard it. “What’s wrong with my voice? I sound like freaking Demi Moore!”
Trey laughed sporting that lovely dimple and reached over, brushing my hair back. Oh God, I wondered how greasy and matted my hair was now.
“It will go back to normal soon,” he promised, “although I find it quite sexy. You’ve been through quite a bit these past few days. Want me to fill you in?”
“Please…” I answered huskily, sipping more water. Trey clasped his hands together, and then rubbed his brow with his thumb and forefinger as if deciding where to start.
“Well, let’s see,” he said. “Do you remember the episode at the pool last Friday night?”
I nodded, still sucking water down.
“As a result of that incident, you sustained a mild concussion, a serious ear infection, and tonsillitis in both tonsils. It could've been much worse. You're one lucky girl.”
“Lucky?” I sputtered, letting the straw drop from my mouth. “How do you figure? I was ready to cross-over.”
“Cross over?” he repeated, puzzled. “Cross over what?”
I leaned closer to him as if confiding a secret. He leaned forward in his chair so that he could hear that I was about to tell him.
“I remember seeing, you know,thelight?” I whispered hoarsely in my new Demi Moore, sexy voice. I could tell he still wasn't getting it. Did this guy know zip about spirituality and the hereafter?
“Youknow,” I started again, this time with a bit more exasperation in my voice than intended, “Thebrightwhite light?The one at the pearly gates?”
Trey burst into laughter, his perfect smile radiant with humor. He composed himself, seeing that I didn't find the humor in it at all.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized, still trying to stifle his laughter and strike a more somber expression. “No, really, please forgive me. I'm really not making light, eh, pardon the pun there, of what you went through last Friday.” He struggled to continue. I watched him as he stood up and leaned on the bed rail. I could smell his aftershave. He was looking at me now, all humor veiled.
God he's fucking hot seven ways from Sunday!
“I think what you actually saw beneath the water was the pool light. It's inset under the diving board."
Oh . . . pool light . . . NOT the light at the pearly gates. Fuck if I didn't just serve him up some toe jam on an idiot cracker!
"You see," he explained, "When I pulled up the drive that night, I saw everyone in the dark pool so I walked over to the pump house and switched on the light for everyone’s safety. That's when I saw that you were in trouble with the rest of those drunken idiots."
