Yearn A. Ellis (carter reed .TXT) 📖

Room 228 needs your help with a catheter. I can do vitals in here.”

Mary pointed a finger Khi’s way. “Don’t break rules again.”

Khi just nodded with a faint smile and pressed the back of my hand against his lips.

When Mary was gone, Khi gave Anthony a wink. “Thank you for the save, man.”

Anthony laughed. “I saw you sneak in. Figured I could save you from Mary’s wrath. You lucked out on the catheter situation.”

I winced. “Sorry for the person on the other end.”

Anthony made quick work of checking vitals. “Sorry we’re interrupting your visiting hours. We got behind earlier and can’t seem to get caught up. Push your button if you need anything, but we’ll probably be able to leave you alone for a while. Your chart indicates, as long as everything goes well overnight, that you’re scheduled for discharge as soon as a doctor checks you over tomorrow morning.” Anthony gave a stunning smile. “Try not to get too comfortable, you’re getting the boot soon.”

I snorted. “I’ll do my best. The bed is just so cozy.”

Anthony eyed Khi’s hands wrapped around mine. “I’m guessing you’ve got something a lot cozier to go home to.”

My cheeks heated and Khi grinned.

“He does,” Khi said somewhat possessively.

Anthony smirked. “Last time I was in the ER, you two had just been thrown together and looked as if you were about to murder each other. I take it things changed?”

“I swear, this staff is so interested in the lives of EMS. I think you all watch us like your own little soap opera when we all know you’ve got enough drama happening here to fuel three different soaps for at least five seasons.” I motioned toward the little cup of water and Khi handed it to me. “Yeah, being thrown together forced us to reexamine what we once thought was hate.”

Anthony’s brows shot up. “Oh, my Lord, do we have our own little enemies to lovers situation right here in room 223? One of my favorite tropes,” he teased.

“Didn’t you say you were going to leave me alone pretty soon?” I deadpanned.

He laughed and gave a wave. “Glad your accident wasn’t any worse. I’ll say hi later if I get a chance. Press your button if you need anything.” Anthony turned his gaze toward Khi. “I can’t protect you from Mary forever. You better leave at the end of visiting hours.”

“Will do,” Khi said. “If she happens to get sent home or moved to a different floor, you’ll let me know?”

Anthony snorted. “Yeah, but don’t hold your breath.”

“Gotcha.”

Once we were alone, I couldn’t help the nerves and barged right into the thick of it. “So, what does this mean for us?”

Khi furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

“Does anything change?”

“Why would it? I mean, if something needs to change, sure. But I can’t see what would need to. Work stays the same. Home stays the same. Let’s face it, we’ve been more than fuck buddies for a while now, just hadn’t admitted it. I guess we let people know we’re together.” He smiled. “Maybe look into moving the twin beds to the basement and getting a queen in our room?”

I hummed in agreement. “That sounds like a plan.”

“Sleep for a bit, I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Don’t want to waste your time here,” I mumbled, but sleep was fast overtaking me.

“I’ve got two hours. I’ll wake you before I leave.” Khi stood and leaned in to brush a kiss on my temple. “Sleep.”

“Love you,” I whispered.

“That’s so fucking crazy to hear,” Khi said. “Love you, too.”

He was right. It was absolutely crazy to hear the words exchanged between us—almost as crazy as the amazingly full and happy feeling that spread through my chest at the thought of loving Khi and having him love me back—but we’d spent almost a decade making our way to this point and I wasn’t going to take a single moment of it for granted.

Epilogue

Khi

Three months later

“We have just under two hours before we have to be showered, dressed, and at your sister’s wedding,” Dre whispered in my ear as I awoke from a glorious naked nap in an even more glorious hotel bed. “I suggest we make the most of our time.”

Earlier that morning, Dre had woken me up with his thick cock pressed against my ass and proceeded to fuck me into the mattress before breakfast. A wake up call I could definitely get used to.

We’d spent the day exploring the beach and little tourist shops in and around the Florida town where Dalton and Gabby had decided to have their somewhat impromptu destination wedding.

Groaning, I rolled a naked Dre to his back and fit myself between his spread legs.

He’d healed quickly after the accident and we’d returned to our regularly scheduled programming shortly after. Dalton and Gabby had announced their decision to wed and invited Dre, Cooper, and me to stand up with them. The entire Remington Place crew had made the trip to celebrate with Gabby and Dalton.

Thanks to our win in the station teamwork challenge and the two-thousand-dollar prize money, Dre and I would be flying from Gabby’s wedding in Florida to a dream vacation in Paris with side trips to London, Luxembourg, and Brussels.

Dre was as giddy as a little kid about all the amazing fashion he’d get to see. I wasn’t as thrilled with the fashion aspect, but if it meant him getting closer to seeing his dream come true, I was down for it. Ever since we’d officially moved from fuck buddies to boyfriends, I’d been shocked to realize just how much energy and effort Dre put into his designs and getting his work recognized. It wasn’t just a pastime for him, it was a true calling, and I knew he would eventually see all of his hard work pay off.

“What exactly did you have in mind?” I murmured against his mouth as I rocked my hips into him. “And don’t even think about anything involving your dick in