Knight Life (SEVEN)

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Gentle fingertips gliding along my cheek helped me to slowly rouse from a deep, dreamless sleep. Upon blinking several times, I noticed that I was lying in a hospital bed within a quiet and dimly lit room. When I attempted to sit up, a splayed hand pressed down on the middle of my chest.

"Stay," I was softly instructed, body tingling immediately after hearing that welcomed voice.

"Where?" I wanted to turn my head toward the right, but it felt a bit too heavy.

"Here," that voice replied with faint amusement.

"Where is here?" Almost in slow motion, my tongue peeked between my lips to moisten them. What I wouldn't have given for a glass of water at that moment.

"Here is with me."

"And where are you?" Finally, my head began to move in the direction of that voice.

A long, warm body pressed closer to my own, lips just barely brushing the ridge of my ear. "Hopefully, in your heart. Maybe...okay, I don't deserve to be there, but I want to so very much."

Following a few seconds of silence, I was asked to look at my bedmate. Several seconds later, I successfully stared into a pair of hazel eyes. A tiny smile found my lips. "Hi you."

She returned the smile, index finger stroking the outline of my mouth. "Hey yourself. How are you?"

How was I? I supposed that I was...well...I didn't actually know how to answer. Shrugging, I shifted toward my right side, mirroring her position. Eyes beginning to well with tears, I rested my hand on her side, fingers stroking. She felt so right, so real. "I miss you," I whispered. "Funny that before tonight I hadn't seen you in a decade, but I miss you so damn much, Brooke. Why did you do it? Why did you give up?"

Her tears fell before mine. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't bring you back."

Brooke briefly smiled through the tears. "Back? Coop, haven't you been listening? Told you that I'm here. I'm right here, and I don't have any plans to try leaving again."

"But you...already have."

Those eyes focusing on my mouth caused me to swallow with some difficulty. "If I were gone, how could I taste you?" My heart began to beat faster when she moved closer. My eyes began to shut upon feeling her warm breath on my face, lips mere centimeters from my own.

"Brooke," I murmured, just desiring to state her name. Clutching her side, puckered lips awaited a tender kiss.

"Cooper?"

A sudden frown etched my forehead as I was immediately aware that wasn't her voice. Eyes opening, I noticed that my ex-classmate was no longer in that hospital bed with me, and that I remained on my back gazing toward the ceiling. Hearing my name again, I looked toward the right, spotting Detective Dunn seated in a chair two or three feet away from the railing locked into place. Managing to refrain from groaning at the sight of her, I carefully sat up, surprised that she hadn't handcuffed me to the bed.

The heel of my left hand alternately rubbing my eyes, I heard her inquire if I was okay. Hand dropping to the crisp white sheet pooled around my waist, I stared at her, that time refraining from cussing her out. "I learned that the woman who secured the largest part of my heart successfully committed suicide after you treated me like a cold-blooded murderer, and then you or someone in your police department decided to sedate me. I'm freaking peachy."

Moving the chair closer to my bed, the detective wrapped her hands around the railing while she looked at me. A sigh escaping, she nibbled a bottom lip. "It's been a rough night."

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