Page 20 of Booking Burke
“I think I’m going to be free for a lot of days to come.” Eli wasn’t going to be back to work on Monday. He’d been shot, this wasn’t a case of the flu.
“I’ll be there to take care of you. I’ll cook your favorite foods and give you sponge baths. Read you bedtime stories and tuck you in.”
“Why do I get the feeling the sponge baths are what you’re really looking forward to?” Eli laughed.
Burke shook his head. “Can I touch you?”
“Why couldn’t you?” Did Burke think he was fragile?
“You’ve got all these tubes and your chest is bandaged.” Burke looked helpless.
Raising his right hand, Eli manage to smile. “How’s this?”
Burke took it and held on with both hands. “I love you so much. I don’t know how thathappened. How I got this lucky. To be honest, I really don’t care. All that matters is that we found each other and you’re going to be okay. You’re safe, Eli. You’re safe.” He pressed a kiss to the palm of Eli’s hand.
Eli loved hearing those words drip from Burke’s full lips. “You know this is a hazard of my job. I got lucky this time, but next time…”
“Next time?” Burke looked shocked.
Shit. Eli was afraid Burke would react this way. “I have no plans of retiring from the force or working a desk job.”
Burke shook his head. “There isn’t going to be anexttime, Eli.” He sounded vehement. “The next time some dirtbag points a gun at you, you’ll have a fully trained partner at your side. I mean, Jesus. If I had known what the hell I was doing out there when the shooter came up from behind us, I could have protected you better. He might not have gotten a shot off at all.”
It all made sense to Eli now. Burke didn’t want him to leave the Salem P.D. He wanted to be Eli’s partner. “You think Cisco’s going to hire you when you graduate from the academy?”
“He better.” Burke swiped at more tears falling down his face. “No one is going to protect my man better than me.”
“Well, you do owe me one…” Eli managed a wink.
“Owes you one, what?” Cisco Jackson asked from the doorway.
“None of your business, chief!” Eli grinned at his boss and friend.
“You gave us quite a scare, Eli.” Cisco took a seat on the other side of Eli’s bed.
Burke moved to get up. Cisco’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.
“You’re good where you are, kid.” Cisco gave Burke’s shoulder a squeeze. “Nurse told me they’ll have you up on your feet tomorrow and you’ll be able to go home a day or soafter that.”
“Thank God. I hate hospitals.” Eli wished he could spend the night in his bed with Burke at his side like they’d done last night.
“Who doesn’t?” Cisco turned back to Burke. “I take it you’re going to be his nurse when he gets home.”
“Yes, sir,” Burke agreed.
“Call me Cisco, Burke. You earned it.” The chief shook his head. “Eli’s the brother I never had. I don’t know what I would have done if…” Cisco’s eyes had gone glassy.
“Jesus Christ, you too? I’m fine. No more tears, huh?” Eli shook his head. He was so blessed to have a man who loved him with his whole heart and a best friend he could trust completely.
“Is he always this grumpy?” Burke asked Cisco.
Eli burst out laughing. “Only when I’ve been shot.”
“There’s a whole hallway full of people who want to see you. The real you, not this grumpy ass version of you.” Cisco sobered. “Are you up to seeing more guests? I can send them home if you’re not.”
“Let them in, but only for a few minutes. I’m sure they’ve all been worried about me.” Truth be told, Eli was on the edge of exhaustion, but he’d sat out in that very waiting room many times before to make sure one of his brothers or sisters in blue was safe. Everyone in the hall had done the same thing for him.
“You got it.” Cisco walked back to the door and motioned out into the hallway.
