Page 59 of Fourth Point Of Contact

“Clearly,” Patrick chuckled.

“What are you laughing at, Gimpy?”

“Sticks and stones, baby.”

Chase walked over and grabbed me around the waist, hoisting me back onto the bed before I had a chance to protest. I made sure to tuck in all my body parts as he walked away.

“Can you hand me the robe?” I asked. It hardly seemed necessary now, but I wanted it just in case.

When he tossed it at me, I laid it at the foot of the bed for the next occasion, then stuffed myself back under the scratchy blankets. “So, how are you feeling?”

“High as a kite,” Patrick laughed.

Chase wheeled him right next to the bed and then headed for the door. “Call me when you need me.”

When the door whooshed shut, I grinned at Patrick. “Was it my ass that was so offensive?”

“Doubtful. So, how are the feet?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking how your leg is? I hear you had surgery.”

“Yep.” He gestured to the cast. “I hear they put some pins and shit in me. I’m like the Terminator.”

“And that’s a good thing?”

“Well, it should make me harder to kill. Though, I think I need a better story than a bear attack.”

“Right, because going up against a wild beast isn’t nearly cool enough.”

“I didn’t exactly come out the hero in that story. I believe that was you.” He sighed heavily, pretending he was upset. “Andthen you had to drag me through the forest to save my ass. I’ll be mocked for at least a year.”

“Well, if it makes you feel better, we only survived because you boiled water in the bark of a tree. That’s quite impressive.”

“Nah, any Boy Scout could have done that.”

“Maybe. I suppose being saved by a woman is rather tragic. I think I’ll have that written on my headstone.Here lies Piper. The woman who dragged a man to safety.”

“It has a nice ring to it, but I can think of something better.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“Here lies Piper. The woman who damn near broke Patrick’s cock.”

“Somehow, I don’t think the word cock should be on a tombstone,” I laughed. “Besides, in a day or two, I’ll be back in New York and you’ll find another woman who will find many uses for you in that wheelchair.”

“One can only hope. Though, I doubt any will be as good as you.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere. I’m afraid that little hike through the forest thoroughly exhausted me.”

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he watched me. I would miss seeing his handsome face and bright blue eyes when I was gone, but it wasn’t like he was asking me to stick around. And I wasn’t in a place to even think about something like that. Fresh off one bad relationship, it would be stupid to even think about entering a new one. Not that Patrick was even offering that. We had a night of fun in the forest, and while I would never forget it, that was all it could be.

“Then I guess we’ll both have to be satisfied with the memories.”

“We will.”

14

PATRICK

---