When Ian saw the two of them, he shook his head. “You’re in so much trouble, Kraft.”
“Sue me.” Nathan slumped against the bathroom door Avery shut behind him and grinned. “I’ve never felt better.” Then he passed out cold.
Avery didn’t want to spend one more day in the hospital. He’d been in Bloomville long enough. Three days being tended to by nurses while his buddies made fun of his hospital gown and the fact that a sixty-year-old man had kicked his ass were enough to have him plotting cold-blooded murder.
Jack strolled in the door just as he fastened his jeans, intent on escaping while Nathan took a much-needed break at a nearby hotel.
“Well, well. I don’t believe you were discharged, were you?” Jack crossed his arms over his chest. Avery thought the comparison of his boss to a grizzly more than apt. Then Kitty stepped out from behind him with a horrified look on her face, and he knew he wouldn’t be hiding anything from his boss.
He groaned. “Come on, guys. It’s not that bad.”
“You’re such a liar. I could feel your pain from down the hall.” Kitty hurried to him and tucked him back into bed. She pulled the sheet over his waist, hiding his jeans, but not the multitude of bandages over his upper torso.
“Kitty—”
“Now who’s lying?” Jack asked her. “You’re feeling everyone’s pain. Probably that nutcase with the broken leg in room 2B is flaring at you. Heard him yelling when they set it. Supposedly he thought he saw a ghost at the old Dixon house and broke his leg trying to tell everyone about it. Asshole slipped on some ice and fell.”
They looked at one another. Nathan had been right on the money. Aidan, Chloe, Josh, and Ian had entered the house while Avery had finally finished his business in the bathroom. A discreet cleanup had taken Malcolm Dixon’s body away, and rumors about ghosts continued to haunt the old inn.
“Yeah, well.” Kitty huffed at a piece of hair in her eyes. “I’m here now, and I’m feeling his hurt. And how much he misses Nathan,” she added with sugary sweetness.
Avery groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands.
“Oh hell. Really, Avery? Nathan?”
“Well, look at it this way, Jack,” Kitty said and touched their boss on the shoulder. “At least now we have someone to keep Nathan out of trouble, and you don’t need to move Avery back to day shifts.”
“Hmm, there is that.” Jack tried to look angry but failed. A twinkle lit his stormy gaze. “So you fell for the playboy like so many others. Major Discipline bites the dust.”
“But discipline is just what I need,” Nathan said from the doorway, a huge grin on his face.
“Oh, that is just beautiful.” Kitty had tears on her cheeks, and Avery didn’t want to know what had put them there. The empath was no doubt picking up on his intense love for the idiot in the doorway. Bad enough he’d already confessed it to Nathan’s face. The dimple on Nathan’s cheek was adorable but annoying, because Avery could just feel his lover getting ready to take advantage. And Avery would let him.
“What’s beautiful, Kitty?” Jack pulled her into his shoulder. Avery had wondered about the pair a time or two, but Kitty looked at Jack the way a friend did. Not the way a woman in love would. Like the way he imagined he now looked at Nathan. God, he was going to take so much shit from the guys because of this.
“Nathan is glowing. He loves Avery so much.”
“You just had to tell.” Nathan frowned. “I was going to declare my feelings with wild abandon. To go down on one knee, give him a ring, and propose.”
“Ah, dude. Way too many people here for all your drama.” Avery fought a smile. Though Nathan had nearly blurted out the truth a few days ago, it meant the world to hear him declare it in front of others.
“No, no. I love you, Avery. And I don’t care who knows it.”
“So I guess you’re going to have to cancel all those dates back in Bend, then. No other men for you but me.” He was aware of Kitty pulling Jack out of the room and leaving him and Nathan together, but he had to know.
“What men?” Nathan joined Avery on his bed and leaned down for a kiss. “You’re it for me. I mean it. I’m going to prove it to you.” He held up his hand and flashed a golden wedding band.
“What the hell?”
Then the bastard had the nerve to slip a matching band on Avery’s ring finger. It fit as if it had been made for him.
“These are just temporary until Rory makes us a matching set. You and me. Permanent. Together.” Nathan still hadn’t asked.
“You going to ask me or what?”
“No. You might say no.”
To Avery’s surprise, Nathan seemed to mean it. “You’re kidding, right? I told you I love you. Despite how messy and annoying you can be, I love you. I don’t fuck around.”
“I know. I date a lot, but I’m loyal. I mean, I used to date a lot. No more. But don’t be mad when I have to beat them off with a stick. The news will be hard for my friends at home.”
“So many boys, so little time.” Avery frowned, already jealous.
“Yeah. But once they see you, they’ll understand. Why would I want any of them when I have the manliest man in town?”
Avery tried not to react, but he felt the blush cover his cheeks.
Nathan crawled over him and reminded Avery of all his wounds and bruises. But he didn’t care.
“God, Avery. I was so worried about you. I love you so much. I couldn’t lose you.”
“And you won’t.” Avery hugged him with his good arm. “Not unless you reopen my wounds and I bleed to death.”
“Shit.” Nathan hurried off him and wiped his eyes with a scowl. “And I’m not crying.”
“Sure.” Avery smiled. “If you say so, dimples.”
“I saved your life, dipshit. You owe me.”
Avery groaned. “Now what?”
“You still owe me five hours of being in charge. I’m thinking we add another twenty-four to that, because I saved your life and all. And I’m getting inside that ass again.” Nathan leaned down and kissed him until Avery forgot his name.
He blinked when Nathan leaned up. “Make it fourteen hours, plus the five. An even twenty. I’ll bottom for your lurid imagination a few more times. But then turnabout is fair play.”
“Dude, you’re always on top. How is that fair?”
Avery chuckled. “Fortune smiles on the winner, son. You may be prettier, but I’m bigger and stronger.”
“Barely,” Nathan muttered.
“And do you really hate it when I’m deep inside you?”
Nathan shifted his stance, bringing to light his erection.
“I’d say that’s a no.” Avery sat up with Nathan’s help and shoved the sheet from his waist. “The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we make that happen.”
Nathan frowned. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m good. I’ll be better when we’re home, in our place, you lying on your belly with your legs spread and that ass lubed and ready for me.”
Nathan blew out a breath. “Well, what the hell are you waiting for? Let’s go.”
“Lead on, dimples. I’m right behind you.”
The End