Page 2 of Always Mine

“Name?”

She gave it. “You’re in luck.” The woman’s smile was soft. “His family isn’t here yet.”

The thought of his big, boisterous Hispanic clan who she’d loved dearly made her miss them all over again.

Pasting the visitor’s pass on her chest, she took the elevator up to the ICU floor then headed to room 29. She stopped at the doorway.

The window was open letting in fresh air and the sunlight that streamed in through the slatted blinds. He lay in bed, propped up on pillows behind him and under his arm. A huge bandage covered his shoulder and down to his elbow. Some kind of ice pack was situated on his shoulder, a heavy sling keeping it in place. His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell rhythmically.

Tip-toeing into the room, she crossed to the side of the bed opposite his injury. And sighed. Up close, his swarthy complexion was pale and even in sleep, he frowned. The pain must be awful.

After a few moments, his eyes opened. “Annie? Oh, God. You’re here.”

He’d be on a narcotic, of course. Still, she didn’t expect such a warm tone and probably wouldn’t have gotten it if he wasn’t drugged. After she finished up at Penn State, she’d gone down south to teach and get away from him. In the four years since she came back to Westwood, she’d seen him around town. He often had some gorgeous woman on his arm. Or was with his buddies in a bar. Or out to dinner in a restaurant with his family. On a few occasions, they’d exchanged pleasantries like they were total strangers and not former soulmates.

“Annie?”

“I read about your injury and the whole horrible incident.” All of his task force members had been murdered in a gang bust gone bad. Diego was the only survivor. “I didn’t know if you’d want me here but…I couldn’t stay away.”

Reaching out with his right hand, he grasped hers. He moaned when he tugged on it. She dropped to the side of the mattress. His onyx eyes were blurry and bloodshot. “I do. I…still think…about you.”

Now that was news.

“I can’t keep my eyes open. Don’t go.”

“If you want me to stay, I will.”

“Stay.” His lids closed.

She stayed there next to him. Though the hospital had the usual antiseptic smell, this close Diego’s scent of soap and aftershave filled her head. He was a big man with a big heart. His hair was still dark but trimmed now for police regs.

They’d loved each other fiercely. She remembered how he’d come to Penn State to see her soccer matches…

“Hey,” he said when she saw him standing by the locker room one night after a game. She rushed over and threw her sweaty body into his arms. He kissed her quick and hard. When she drew back, she grinned. “I thought you had to work.”

“I got coverage. I’m glad I did. You scored two goals.”

She’d received a four-year scholarship to play on the women’s soccer team, though her GPA was nearly perfect, and she would have gotten into the college anyway. “Can you stay?” she asked, pulling away from his chest.

“Till tomorrow.” His dark eyebrows arched, and a lock of longish hair fell onto his forehead. “I rented a motel room.”

“Super. Let me go shower and change.”

“Just change. I don’t care if you’re sweaty.”

Once in the room, he shut the door and pressed her against it, hiked her up and kissed her. They made love twice that night and once in the morning…

She moaned out loud.What was she doing?For God’s sake, it had taken her years to totally forget this man. But eventually shecame home, moved on to a new teaching job and dated again. Met a wonderful man. Planned to marry him.

Yet here she sat with the first guy who won her heart then broke it into pieces!

* * *

Diego dreamed…

Annie looked over at him from where she lay on the pillow next to him. “I can’t believe I’m graduating.”

“Magna cum laude.” He kissed her. “How did I snag somebody so smart?”

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