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Kate threw her arms around Alexis’s shoulders, careful not to disturb the wound covered with many layers of bandages.
“You don’t have to convince me. We work. I know it.”
“Promise me you won’t do any dangerous shit like that ever again. If someone says to leave them, you have to listen.”
Kate shook her head in exasperation. “Fine, I promise that if anyone other than you orders me to leave them in mortal danger, I will leave.”
Instead of responding or arguing, Alexis leaned forward and took Kate’s mouth with her own. The relief of being safe and mostly intact overwhelmed them, and after a few minutes, Kate chuckled and had to start batting Alexis’s hands away.
“Cool your jets. We’re in a hospital, and I’m sure someone will come in to check on you at any moment.”
Alexis shrugged and reached for Kate, gently grasping her neck and stealing another long kiss that had Kate gasping for breath.
Chapter 10
Alexis
The road to recovery was painful. The shoulder injury she’d sustained in battle had seriously taken a toll on Alexis’ mobility. The doctors were going to put her into aggressive occupational and physical therapy, to get her as close to back to normal as possible. The injury had Alexis questioning what she would do if the injury was too severe to heal completely and she wasn’t able to return to her job as a Combat Rescue Officer. The doctors said they genuinely didn’t know if the injury was too extensive, and that only time would tell. It petrified Alexis, who’d come to believe that it wasn’t just what she did—being a Combat Rescue Officer was who she was.
Kate hadn’t left her side since she’d been released from the hospital, and Alexis hadn’t adjusted to her presence at all. It was a special kind of torture for Alexis to be so physically weak but surrounded all day by Kate, who stayedjustout of her reach. The doctors had refused to let Alexis go home alone, and they told her she either had to have someone stay with her, or she’d have to go stay with a friend. Kate hadn’t even hesitated to volunteer, and Alexis was being inundated with all things Kate.
They’d decided to stay at Alexis’s house, since Kate lived in a house off base and Alexis’s was in the neighborhood on base. It was much closer to the hospital, and Kate hadn’t wanted to go too far, just in case they needed to take her back.
Alexis had tried to tell her that she’d be fine, but Kate had insisted. She didn’t mind having Kate in her space, but she wasn’t used to it. Kate’s clothes were in her hamper, her soap in the shower, and her scent wafted through every room in the house. It was like the longest game of foreplay she’d ever played, constantly seeing Kate flitting around to take care of her, grab water, or clean the house. She wore these yoga pants that had Alexis losing her mind.
Her mobility was still limited, as her doctors were giving her pain medication and didn’t want her stressing the wounds too much. She was allowed to walk, shower, sit, and lie down. Anything else was considered too strenuous. Every time Kate came near, her scent tantalized Alexis’s senses, but before she could reach out and pull her in, she had flitted away.
The house had two bedrooms, and Alexis had a massive couch that served as a bed when she had too many guests over. She’d never had anyone else stay with her but the occasional friends after a party, and they’d all been men. Alexis had told her to pick whichever room she wanted and told her she could crash in her bed.
“I need to be on the couch. My bed frames are three feet tall.”
Kate’s eyes had widened, and she’d rushed down the hall to check. Alexis heard Kate yell from across the house.
“Holy shit! How am I supposed to get upthere?”
Alexis had chuckled to herself and collapsed backward onto the couch as gently as possible. “Little Lieutenant.”
She’d had every intention of talking things through with Kate, making sure they were on the same page. However, she’d passed out before Kate had finished checking out the bedrooms.
The next day she’d woken up to find a note next to her head.
Alexis,
I’m headed to the grocery store. If you want anything, just text me. I put my number in your phone.
Love always,
Kate
When Kate had come back, ready to cook her breakfast from scratch, Alexis had forgotten her thoughts and hadn’t found the right time to bring it up since.
It had been about a week, and Alexis was gaining some mobility in her shoulder. The physical therapy appointments always left her sore and irritated, and that day had been no different. Kate had brought her back home, given her an ice pack, and told her to go take a bath.
Alexis sat in the tub flicking water with her fingers, staring at Kate’s rose shampoo. There was a light knock at the door and Kate opened it a crack and peered in.
“Can I come in?”
Alexis smiled. “Absolutely.”
