Chapter 44

After being discharged, I was practically dragged back to Roxy's house, where her and Sean insisted that I was staying there until I'd had time to recover. It was clear that the accident had shaken Roxy, and it made me feel awful. I hated seeing that look of fear on her face, and the way that she cried as she clung to me when she saw me. It was then that it hit me, that such a stupid little accident could have been so much worse, and I we could have lost each other. Of course Jamie had told her about my reluctance for an ambulance, and hell I paid for that one. Roxy lost her nut when she'd finally overcome the majority of her fear, and only calmed when I reminded her I had a concussion and held her in my arms, apologising, and promising to never scare her like that again.

A few days later I was sitting in the kitchen whilst Roxy prepared dinner. I'd been home all day again, just trying to pass the time without dying of boredom. The time away from work wasn't agreeing with me. The knowledge of the growing pile of work for me to do, along with annoyance at not being allowed to do anything, was making the compulsory rest, difficult to say the least. I sighed, standing and crossing to the fridge and opening the door. My fingers had barely closed around the neck of the bottle before Roxy's voice rang out harshly from her place in front of the stove.

"No."

I turned to see her still facing away from me, stirring the mince meat in the frying pan and adding a spoonful of mustard.

"No, what?"

"You're not allowed to drink, not until you've been cleared to."

I groaned and reached for the milk instead, deciding to make a coffee.

"Or that."

"For fuck's sake, how are you doing that?" I half snapped, releasing the milk bottle and leaning against the fridge door.

Roxy turned to face me, a playful, yet determined, smirk on her face.

"I know you Ev. And you know that you're to keep caffeine to a minimum, and no alcohol."

"Kill me now." I sighed, reaching back into the fridge and pulling the bottle of fruit juice out. "Is this okay?" I asked sarcastically.

Roxy fiddled with the dial on the cooker, turning down the heat, then proceeded to walk towards me, stopping in front of me and wrapping her arms around me, pulling me into a hug. I felt the stress and anger that was bubbling through me, begin to ebb away in her embrace, and I put the juice down on the counter and hugged her back.

"You'll be back at work soon, this isn't for long. Just stick to the rules, rest and get better, for me."

I chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I've been a dick, haven't I?" I asked.

"No more than usual."

I swatted her on the arm, feeling her laugh against my chest.

"I'm kidding!" She said, straightening up and looking me in the eyes. "You've been fine, it's just a few more days."

"Thank you." I smiled.

The sound of the doorbell chimed through the house. I stepped around Roxy, nodding for her to go back to the stove.

"I'll get it."

Reaching the front door, I pulled it open to see Kat standing on the other side, looking beautiful in a flowing black halter-neck top, under a dark red, leather jacket, with grey skinny jeans and black ankle boots. It was the first time I'd seen her since the hospital, and it felt strange at first, remembering her touch that day. It felt somewhat awkward being face to face with her after she'd seen me at my weakest, but I saw nothing but care in her warm eyes.

"Kat." I nodded.

"Hey," she smiled, stepping forwards as I moved to let her inside. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing fine."

She arched an eyebrow and looked skeptically at me, causing me to slump, pushing the door closed with a laugh.

"I'm bored out of my mind, and I want a beer."

Kat laughed, and the sound sent warmth radiating through me, I was growing to love that sound.

"Well you're looking brighter." She waved her hand at my torso and pressed on, "How are the bruises healing up?"

"They're healing fine, Doctor." I emphasised the last word, and she held her hands up.

"I'm sorry, it's hard to switch off sometimes."

I smiled at her and waved it off.

"I appreciate it, thank you."

"Sorry, could you repeat that?" She teased.

"Ha ha, very funny."

As my eyes refocused on her face, I felt the tension build, silence stretched between us and I was drawn towards her, as if by a magnetic pull.

"You had us all worried for a while, you know," She muttered, "When Owen told me it was you, I'd never felt so scared." her cheeks flushed a little as though she surprised herself for letting it slip.

It surprised me too, I'd not even considered that she would have felt that strongly. Somewhere inside me, the feeling of guilt I already had, was tangled with some sense of elation that she cared so much. Her eyes drifted to the floor, seemingly embarrassed by the admission. It was strange to see her this way, but it was oddly adorable too. I reached out a hand, my intention to touch her was fast becoming a need, a craving even. My fingers had barely skimmed the edge of her jacket, when Roxy popped her head around the kitchen doorway, and her voice broke the tension.

"Are you two spending the entire evening out there?" She called, playful sarcasm weighing on her tone.

"Yeah, we thought we could build a new trend. Hallways dinners, they'll be all the range." I replied with false enthusiasm.

Kat sniggered, trying to contain her laughter, and half failing. Roxy rolled her eyes and stepped back into the kitchen.

"Good, that'll work in your favour then Ev. Just think, any of your crazy hook-ups fancy stopping for dinner, they're that much closer to the door."

This time Kat lost control, doubling over and howling with laughter. I heard Roxy's laugh from the kitchen and shook my head, giving Kat a small shove forwards. She stumbled further along the hallway, her laughter making her progress slow. When we reached the kitchen, she took a couple of steadying breaths, hugging Roxy as she moved to greet her.

"Where's Sean?" Kat asked, grabbing a bowl and a knife and beginning to cut up some salad.

"He's running late, some case file needed to be dropped off or something. He should be home soon." Roxy replied with a shrug, pouring some sauce into the pan and stirring it briskly.

"Thank God! I need someone on my side against you two." I sighed, sinking into a chair at the kitchen table.

"You know he will always side with me, right?" Roxy laughed.

I groaned and helped myself to a glass of iced water from the jug on the table.

"Has he been like this the whole time he's been here?" Kat asked, throwing some tomatoes onto the chopping board, and beginning to slice them.

"Pretty much. I think he's getting frustrated." Roxy said, the meaning of her words, more than clear.

"Fucking hell." I muttered pressing my hand against my forehead and closing my eyes, in exasperation.

"Longest he's been without sex in some years." Roxy continued, ignoring my dramatic moment. "He'll probably go for a week straight once he's given the all clear."

My eyes darted towards Kat, I noticed that she'd gone strangely still, then I heard her clear her throat, flicking her head to the side and knocking her hair back over her shoulder.

"Well, in that case, with your type, I guess I'll give the clinic a heads up that you'll be in to get checked." This type of jibe was normal for her and me, but there was something slightly more bitter in the tone it was delivered in.

"Don't worry about that, I'll just ask for you. I know it's the only way you get to see a dick." I snipped back, taking another sip of water.

Two can play at that game.

Kat spun around, knife still in hand and a cold smirk on her face.

"No it's not, I see one all the time, I'm looking at it right now in fact."

I saw Roxy, staring determindly at the pan. I stood up and walked back towards them, Kat turned back to the salad prep, ignoring my approach. I drew nearer, stopping directly behind her, and leant down, my lips right by her ear.

"You couldn't handle looking at mine, doll." I whispered in her ear.

I felt her body tense up, it was like an electrical force was crackling between us. It took everything in me to stop myself from wrapping my arms around her waist and pressing my lips to her neck. My blood seemed to heat under my skin and my body tingled with desire and longing at the radiating heat from our bodies.

"I'm home!" Sean's voice called out from the hall, followed by the sound of the door closing.

I stepped back from behind Kat and drifted to the other side of the kitchen, distancing myself from her, before Sean could see us that close. I wasn't sure how he'd react to the idea, not that there was anything to react to at the moment. Kat turned her head slightly, looking in my direction, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes had a darkened richness to them, it was as though they were echoing my own hunger, mirroring it right back at me. It made my mind race, beginning to make me a little dizzy at the attempt to control my warring heart and head. I swore internally, I couldn't figure it out exactly, but something felt different with Kat. I had never been as frustrated as I was right then, in that moment, staring at her and wanting nothing more than to march over there and kiss her, and yet, not being able to. Not even knowing if the change between us that I felt, was all in my head, or whether it was real. Either way, the pull to act on it was becoming harder and harder to resist.