No Strings Attached

Chapter Thirty Two

Shannon honestly did try to pull her lips away from his – but to no avail – he clung to her like a dying man to his last breath – his lips ravaging hers.

Until Jayden broke in with a fake cough in the background.

“Put her down, man. Those sheets don’t hide your hard on!” The only response was a middle finger from Nate’s hand – even strapped to an IV he was a cocky bastard!

“Seriously,” Tori said, kind of embarrassed to watch the two of them going at it for this length of time – even hiding her eyes in her daughter’s blanket as she had been, “It’s been about three minutes, guys, he’s been in a coma for five days Shan, let the man have a drink!”

She pulled back sheepishly, a smile in her teary eyes as he ran his hand down her slender cheek – absolute adoration in every corner of his gaze. With her dark hair falling around them, it was like a curtain – cutting them off from everything – even their closest friends.

“I love you,” she murmured, and his eyes widened in response, before he cupped her cheek in his hand, and opened his mouth to say something in return – a small frown eclipsing his features as he pointed to his throat, “I’ll get you some water, we need to call the nurse.”

But he clung to her, pulling her down over his body and laying gentle kisses on her forehead.

“I’ll go, shall I?” Jayden muttered – faking annoyance, but he knew exactly how Nate must be feeling – he knew this was what Shannon needed. He couldn’t really get angry to that, he winked at his best friend before strolling out the door.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered, against his chest, “For God’s sake, why would you put yourself in that position?”

He kind of threw up his arms smiling – his throat too rough to say a word – and she just kept asking questions!

Jayden poured out a glass of water from a plastic Tupperware jug, handing it over to him chuckling.

“I’d kill for a brew,” he rasped out hoarsely, and they burst into tearful chuckles at his blank, confused expression.

“Nurse is on it, man.”

The afternoon was filled with assessments of some kind or another – MRI, CCG, blood tests, response tests – Nate was well and truly exhausted by the end of the afternoon.

“We should have your results by tomorrow morning Mr. Casey,” Dr. Evans was saying kindly, “And then we’ll have a better idea of when we can maybe get you home.”

“I can’t go now?” Nate was frowning, “I feel fine ...”

“I understand that, Mr. Casey, but you’ve been involved in a very serious accident – you’re been in a barbiturate coma for five days – we have to be absolutely certain that you’re well enough.”