Page 22 of Loving You Always
“Meredith, she just squeezed my hand! That’s good, right?”
“Sure, Walsh. It’s good. Did you hear me? Cam’s coming.”
“Okay, hold on.”
He turned back to Kerris. He stood and stepped as close as the labyrinth of wires would allow, leaning in until his lips brushed her ear. He spoke low enough for only her to hear.
“Kerris, I know you hear me. Come back to me. You can spend the rest of your life with him. I won’t ever pressure you again. Just come back. I can’t breathe without you here. I need you. I love you. God, so much.”
The rebellious tears finally twisted down his face. He couldn’t let the words go. They clung to his tongue, and they kept tumbling out of him over and over like a needle stuck on a record.
“I love you. I love you. I love you.”
He wept into her neck, burrowing into her, fortified by the strong, steady pulse beating beneath her skin.
“Walsh!” Meredith’s voice snapped a warning, like twigs underfoot. “You have to leavenow.”
He straightened and turned, an apology dying on his lips. He looked over Meredith’s shoulder into the bleak hatred on Cam’s face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Cam’s eyes cut to the bed, where Kerris lay still.
“What isshedoing here?” Walsh refused to back down. “Why was she out chasing you in the middle of the night?”
“Wow.” Cam struck just the right note of false casualness, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re really well informed for someone who’s supposed to be in New York minding his own damn business.”
“You know I care about Kerris.” Walsh balled his fists in his pockets, holding on to his temper.
“Is that code for I’m in love with yourwife?” Cam didn’t bother turning his head when Meredith gasped.
“She’s my friend. How could you not even tell me?”
“Tell you? Tell you! You were supposed to stay out of our lives forever. Did you forget that part? That’s still what I want.”
“Do you think I give a damn what you want? She was out chasing your sorry drunk ass when this happened. All bets are off.”
“Youwillleave.” Cam took a menacing step farther into the room.
“And youwillhave to make me.” Before Walsh knew it, he had taken a step in Cam’s direction.
“Think I can’t?”
“You’d have to kill me, Cam, and I don’t think even you’d go there.”
“You sure about that?” Cam’s eyes backed up the dark threat in his voice.
“Okay, stop it,” Meredith cut in. “Both of you.”
Cam shifted his glare to Meredith.
“And you. You told him, didn’t you? No one else knew she came after me. You were the only one I told.”
“I thought he should know she was in the hospital.”
“Why doesn’t anyone remember that she’smywife? Mine!”
“You sound like a spoiled child.” Walsh’s patience was see-through thin by now. “Mine, mine, mine. She’s fighting for her life. Can’t we put this aside until she’s out of the woods?”
“No, we can’t put this aside. You wanna fuck my wife.”