Revelation: A Contemporary Erotic Romance (Iris Series) (44 page)

“Nice.  I’ll snag ’im tomorrow night then,” Jose said with a smile.  “Have a good workout.”

She did, and when she got home and ate something, she picked up the phone to follow up with Taylor about Columbus Day. 
And
to tell her about the text she’d received from her cousin.

“Hey!” Taylor said when she answered.

“Hey yourself.  You sound happy.”

“I am.”

“Why, pray tell.”

“Well, if I’m gonna be honest, the first reason is why you’re calling me.”

“Why am I calling you?” Emily asked with a smile.

“You wanna know what’s going on with Columbus Day.  I knew you wouldn’t wait long to follow up.  Plus, your cousin called me today.”

“
Did
he.”  She’d already known that from her text from him.

“He did.  To tell me we were taking a trip to NYC Columbus Day weekend.  Emphasis on the words ‘tell me’
.  There was no asking involved.”

“That’s because I texted him that I already set it up with you, and that he needed to come.”

“I figured,” she said, sounding disgruntled.

“What’s the second reason you’re happy?”

“Number one was that he called.  Number two was that we’re coming.”  She chuckled.

“Would you like to know what his text was to me today?”

“Yes,” Taylor said with anticipation.

“It said, ‘Tee and I comin’ Columbus Day weekend. Be there late Friday night.  It’s our first couple
’s weekend together.  Aww.’”

“He did not say that!”

“Yes, he did,” she laughed.  “I swear!”

“What did you say back?”

“I said, ‘Ooh. Wacka wacka.’  And he said, ‘Insert eyebrow wiggle.’”

“Are you kidding me?!”

“Nope.”

“Well, shit.  I’m gonna bring some sexy ass clothes then.”

Emily guffawed.  As they finished their conversation and she hung up, her mind began to think through the sleeping arrangements for that weekend, which then carried her mind to Mike.  She texted him.

EW: 
Missing u.

A couple of moments later, he responded. 

MC: 
I’m ALWAYS missing u.  Sorry I’m stuck at work.  In the middle of a case, but can’t wait to see u tom.

EW: 
Me 2 baby.

MC: 
Krav Maga tom night?

EW: 
U bet.  I’ll text u tom w/ a time.

MC: 
Got it.  Now go put on ur flannels so ur warm.  Think of me.

She laughed and bit her lip.

EW: 
Just thinking of u will make me warm enough. U better be ready for me tom night.

MC: 
I love you, Em.

EW: 
I love you more.  CU tom. XO

MC:
XO

She put down her phone and put on her pjs, spending the rest of night putzing around the apartment.  A couple of hours after texting him and being in bed for close to 25 minutes, she was almost asleep when another text came in. 

This one was from Lacey.

DL: 
Hey Ninja Girl.  U still up?

Emily’s stomach dropped.  She knew Mike was with Lacey on a case and immediately she panicked.

EW: 
Lacey, what happened?

The moments she waited for the texted response to come back felt like an eternity.  Her phone rang instead.  She answered on the first ring.

“Did something happen?” she asked as soon as she picked up, her voice nervous.

“He’s fine, okay?  Everything’s fine, but I knew you’d want me to call.”

“What happened?!”

“We were out on a case and the perp shot at us.  He’s in custody, but a couple of bullets hit Mike’s vest and he’s getting his ribs checked out.  They just wanna make sure nothing’s broken.”

“Oh, God.  What hospital?”  She began frantically putting on clothes.

“We’ll be done here in less than half an hour.  By the time you get here, he’ll be done already.  He really is fine, I promise.  He’s crackin’ jokes and everything.”

She practically collapsed on the sofa and held her stomach, then started doing some deep breathing because she felt light headed.  “Lacey,” she said, sounding tortured.  “Thank God for the vest.”

“He’s okay, hon.  As soon as he’s done getting checked out, he’ll call you.  I’m sure.”

“Tell him to call me.  And make him come here so I can take care of him.”  She grabbed her stomach again as the reality of almost losing him set in.  “Oh, my God,” she whispered.

“He’s okay, I promise.” 

After saying their goodbyes, they disconnected and Emily waited the agonizing 15 minutes to hear from Mike. 

“Mike!” she practically screamed into the phone when it rang.

“Everything’s okay, baby.  I’ve been yelling at Lace for the last five minutes for calling you.”

“Of course someone should call me!  Are you okay?  What did the doctors say?”

“Just a bruised rib.  It’s a little sore, but I’m good.” 

“Come here so I can take care of you,” she cajoled. 

“You don’t need to tell me twice.  I’m getting in the cab as we speak, so I’ll be there soon.  I’m looking forward to some TLC,” he said.  She could hear the smile in his voice.

“Mike,” she swallowed, “I love you.”

“I love you, baby.  It’s okay.  I’ll be there in 10 or 15 minutes, okay?”

“Okay.”  She wanted to cry.

“It’s okay, baby.  I’m almost there.”

“Hurry.”

“You’re always wanting me to hurry,” he chuckled.  “I’m on my way, Em.”

They disconnected and she waited for him to arrive, her mind racing in a million different directions.  She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t thought about the reality of his job.  Every day he was out there, he could be killed.  The thought literally made her sick.  She actually had to run to the bathroom to empty her stomach, the fear was so great.

When her intercom went off she buzzed him up and opened the door, waiting for him in the hallway.  A moment later, she saw him get off the elevator and turn the corner toward her and she covered her mouth to hold in her sob.  She’d never been so happy to see him.

He walked to her, giving her a tender look and when he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders pulling her close.  Paying special attention not to apply pressure to his ribs, she kept her arms loose and nuzzled and kissed his chest through his shirt, then looked up at him.

“I’m so glad to see you,” she whispered, tears in her eyes.

“Me too.”  He kissed her softly.  “Take me inside.”

She held his hand and brought him into her apartment. “Have you eaten?”

He shook his head, then pulled her to him again.  At that point she couldn’t hide it in anymore and she started to cry, holding onto him for dear life.

“Shh.  I always have the vest on,” he said, quietly stroking her hair.

She was so overcome with fear and emotion that she couldn’t speak.  When she was able to regain control, she pulled back noting the wet spot on his shirt.  She put her hand on it then whispered.  “Let me make you something to eat.”

He didn’t argue and finally let her go.  He used the bathroom while she whipped up a huge omelet and several slices of buttered toast.  When he emerged from the bathroom, his hair was still wet.

“Did you take a shower?” she asked, thinking of his bandages.

“No.  Just dunked my head under the sink a bit when I was washing my face.”

“Here.  Eat something,” she ordered softly, pulling him to sit at the small table off the kitchen.

“This looks great.  Thanks.”  He sat and plowed through the meal quickly, all the while touching her hand or looking at her.

“As soon as you’re done, we’re going to bed.  You need to rest.  Do you have to work tomorrow?”

“Nope.  I’m done ’til Monday.”

She looked at him, her heart in her eyes.  “Okay.  I’m gonna work from home tomorrow.”

He cocked his head.  “You don’t need to do that.”

She put up her hand before he could finish.  “Joe let’s us work from home and when I tell him you’ve been shot, I’m sure he’ll understand,” she said sounding annoyed.  “So, I’m staying home.”

He smiled sweetly at her, willing her to calm down.  “Em, I’m okay.”

“I’m staying home,” she practically growled.

“Okay.”  His eyes twinkled.  “I like getting TLC from you.”

She got up to clear his plate.  “Yeah, well you didn’t need to get shot in order for me to give it to you, you know,” she grumbled.

She heard his chuckle then heard him get up and walk up behind her.  He touched her back as she put the plate in the sink.

“Are you pissed at me?”

She let out a huge exhalation then turned to him, her back leaning against the counter.  “No.  I’m not pissed at you.  I’m,” she began, trying to be honest.  “I’m just scared.  That call from Lacey took a couple of years off my life, that’s all.”

He nodded and touched her face.  “I’m sorry he called you.”

If he hadn’t been shot at, she would’ve pushed at him.  “No, Mike.  He absolutely
should’ve
called me.”

He put up his hand as if to stop her tirade before it began.  “I didn’t mean you shouldn’t have been told.  I just meant it would’ve been better for me to tell you in person so you could really see I’m okay.”  

She breathed out a sigh and looked down.  “I’m sorry.  This is just really new for me.  I hadn’t been thinking about your job and the realities there.  I don’t know why.  It seems so stupid now that I think about it.”

He reached his hand under her chin forcing her to look at him.  “It’s not stupid.  Nothing like this has ever happened for us to talk about it.  Let’s go to bed, Em.  We’ll cuddle,” he smiled, “and you can take off those god awful flannels, and we’ll talk if you want.  Or we’ll sleep.  Whatever you want.”

She let out a shaky breath, stood on her toes and kissed him.  “Let’s go to bed.”

They did.  While holding each other, Emily thought about one more question as their limbs were entwined and her head rested above the binding over his rib.

“Have you ever been shot before?” she asked quietly.

His hand rested in her hair and rubbed at her scalp.  “No.  Which is really something considering I’ve been doing this for a while.”

She looked at him.  “Were you scared?”

He thought for a moment.  “Yes and no.  I knew I had the vest on so in that sense I felt safe.  Plus there’s this girl?  She’s been teaching me some moves at a Krav Maga studio and so my game has been getting better,” he said with a smirk in his voice.

She smiled but said, “I’m serious.”

“I know.  There’s always an adrenaline spike when we go into those unpredictable situations.  But you never really believe something will happen to you.” 

He got quiet for a few moments until he finally continued by saying, “It kinda makes me think of my job differently now that I have you.  I have a tremendous amount to lose if something happens to me.” 

His words touched her deeply and she reached out to caress his mouth.  He didn’t say anymore and she didn’t ask him to expand.  Instead, she leaned up and kissed him and they both went to sleep.

……

All day Friday, Emily pampered Mike, making him meals, going with him to his apartment to get clothes, making sure he could shower around his binding which he complained
incessantly he didn’t need.  In essence, she needed to be with him, just be close to him and love him.  The realization hit her that the TLC was for both of them.

He called his parents, Janie, Jeremy, Luke...then when he was exhausted by relaying the story for what felt like the billionth time, he turned to Emily in excitement.

“Let’s go to the Krav Maga studio tonight like we planned,” Mike said, as it was now late afternoon.

“Are you frickin’ crazy?!  You’re not working out tonight, Callahan.”

“Well, I don’t have to workout, but I can watch you workout.”  He smiled lustily.  “Besides, my ribs don’t feel that bad.”

“There’s no way you’re going to the mat with anyone tonight,” she said pointing her finger at him.

“Come on, let’s get outta here.  We’ve been locked up in here all day and you know you wanna workout tonight,” he said.  “Come on,” he said slapping his thighs as if talking to a dog.

She rolled her eyes.  He knew he had her when she started to laugh at his antics.  “If you want to, we’ll go.”

“Nice.  Come on.”  He got up quickly and didn’t even flinch.  Maybe he hadn’t bruised his ribs too badly after all.

When they arrived at the studio, Jose came over to say hi while Emily dumped her stuff in
the locker room.  By the time she’d made it back out, Mike was leaning against the wall watching her, a smile hovering over his lips and their eyes practically devouring each other.  She gave him a smirk and a once over with her eyes then she and Jose began sparring.