A Forest of Corpses (29 page)

I splashed water on my face before I returned to the waiting room to find Miguel still there.

"I have to go tell the Lieutenant the news. Perhaps one of us will be by when Detective Spider is moved to a room and can have visitors."

"Tell her thank you from both of us."

He left and I was alone. But now my thoughts were not dark ones, but were filled with renewed hope. Maybe this really was it. Did that mean Alex would be coming home soon? I remembered Nancy saying he would need therapy.

Could he do that at home, or would he need to stay in the hospital longer? I wanted him home. I'd take time off school and be there twenty-four/seven if they'd only let me take him 276

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

home. We could both rest a lot better there, under a familiar roof.

Face it, I just wanted him home.

It soon looked like that was going to happen a lot sooner than later. Dr Abena approached me once I was alone, and wanted a little heart to heart.

"You realize that his recovery is only beginning," he said as an ice-breaker. I nodded. "He will be weak for several days, possibly even weeks. In that time you both must be careful of what you do. He has to avoid all strenuous activity."

I nodded, figuring I knew where he was going. I was right.

"That includes all sexual activity." He paused. Waiting to see if I was going to object? That was okay, I might not like it, but I'd give up sex with Alex forever if it meant he was with me. I might not like it, but I would abide by it. I nodded firmly, letting him know I was onboard. "Good."

"Have you talked to Alex yet?"

"We touched on it. Perhaps I'll wait until you are together to talk of it more. Don't worry, Jason," he said dryly. "It won't be forever. It's just that his abdominal injuries were severe and a small section of his bowel was removed. As long as the sutures hold this should cause minimal issues and will heal over time. He needs a special diet, too. Only soft foods. We usually recommend baby foods as being the easiest to digest.

Some diet supplement like Ensure as well."

"I understand. I'll buy some before he comes home."

"Good. Now let me return to my patient. You should be able to visit him within an hour."

277

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

I brightened. "I'm going to go to my motel and shower.

You've got the number there if anything comes up, right?"

"We do. He's going to be okay, Jason."

This time I believed him.

I called Nancy from the hospital lobby before I headed back to the motel. Before I got there, I stopped on State Street and picked up a pair of jeans for both of us and new shirts to replace what had been ruined on our ordeal. Then I stopped at a barber and had my mess of hair tamed. I wanted to look my best when I visited, and I knew Alex would want something decent to put on when he was discharged.

By the time I had showered and shaved I felt a thousand percent better than I had in days. I'm sure it showed in my step and on my face when I bounced into ICU later that evening.

* * * *

278

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

I was still feeling groggy when Jason came into the ICU. It didn't stop my heart from giving a lurch in my chest. God, he looked delicious. His eyes still held a haunted look, but he looked fresher than he had in days and he had clearly gone all out to fix himself up for his visit. I'd have loved to see him in his skintight leathers and mesh shirt, but the doctor had warned me about that. I could look, but for now I couldn't touch. And I was supposed to curb my sexual arousal. Good luck with that.

Still, I refrained from hauling him into bed with me when he leaned over and pecked me on the mouth. He even smelled good. A wave of dizziness rolled over me. I shut my eyes and savored it. Maybe I couldn't fuck him, but I could enjoy his aura.

"How do you feel?" he asked softly, as though afraid of speaking too loudly.

"A lot better." I stroked his cheek, loving the smooth feel of his newly shaved cheek. He put his hand over mine and our fingers entwined. I cupped his chin and made him look at me. "They say the worst is over. I'll be coming home soon."

A few more shadows fell away from his face. He sat down on the edge of the bed, careful not to jar any part of me or the tubes that ran out of various parts of my body. After a few brief words about innocuous things like the weather and local news, Jason got a distant look on his face.

279

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

"You remember that dog we saw with those three hikers, the girl who said they were from Portland? The one we heard a couple of days later?"

I didn't want to talk about that just yet. But I had to respond to him. "Yes. The second body I found was the boy's."

"I figured that. Sheriff told me they found the two girls, too. They killed them all."

"Except the dog," I said, wondering where he was going with this.

"Except him. He followed me down the mountain and was following me back up. He attacked that one guy who was going to shoot me."

My grip on his hand tightened. This was the first I'd heard of Jason being endangered and I didn't like it one bit. But something puzzled me. "He followed you? But he came to me.

He stayed with me one night, when my fever started getting bad. Half the time I thought he was a hallucination." I hadn't spoken about those things to anyone. I didn't like the idea that my mind had been so frail and I had lost it so easily. But I could joke about it. "He was a nice figment. Why do you bring him up? He disappeared before you found me."

"But he didn't, really. He was still around. He came back down when everybody left." He dropped his gaze and stared at our intertwined hands. "He was there when I went back for your truck. I brought him into town."

I frowned. "Where is he now?"

280

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

"In a kennel." He flushed and kept avoiding my eyes.

"Camp Canine. I couldn't just dump him at the pound. He has no one left."

I dislodged his hand and reached up to take his chin in my hand. I forced him to look at me. "What do you want to do, Jason? You can tell me, you know."

He took a deep breath. "I want to keep him."

I didn't speak. I studied his face, his cheeks still flushed, his eyes full of both pain and yearning. I knew if I said no, he would take the dog to the pound and would never talk about it again. But he would never forget him.

It was funny, but I knew in that instant that I would, too.

Somehow the dog had made a separate connection to both of us. I could deny it all I wanted, but it didn't change facts. He had kept me from feeling alone at my lowest moment, a moment I would never share with anyone, not even Jason.

He'd certainly crawled under Jason's skin. So, could I tell Jason to forget it? Get rid of the dog? We didn't need it or want it.

I tried to look fierce, knowing I was probably too sickly looking to pull it off. "Is he well behaved?"

"Very. Probably better than me." He grinned. "A lot better.

Though he doesn't do the dishes very well."

"Hmm, neither do I." Which was true. Jason was a far better housekeeper than I was. I cupped my hand over the back of his neck and drew him down until his face was inches from mine. "Okay, go and pick him up. Take him home, and we'll see how it works out."

281

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

His face alight, he closed the gap between us pressing his mouth over mine. Our tongues tangled. When we broke apart, he was flushed and breathing hard. My heart was thudding in my chest.

"We shouldn't..."

"We're not going to fuck, though I want to. But that doesn't mean we can't touch each other."

"I guess," he murmured. A smile lit up his face, making him even more beautiful. "God, I hope so."

"We can."

His smile faltered. "I can't stay. I can come back once they move you out of here, but I have to leave now."

"Yes, you have to go. Come back tomorrow after six. Bring some clothes with you, and a razor and deodorant. I can't shower yet, but I get sponge baths. Better than nothing."

"I've already told you I like the way you smell."

"Which is a good thing. Now go home, Jason. Get your dog and take him home. Get him settled in—don't even think about letting him in our bedroom. He's most definitely not welcomed there. You'll have to get him a bed."

"Yes, Sir."

"And food, I guess. That's all in your hands. I expect you to tend to everything."

"Yes, Sir. Everything will be ready for you when you come home."

I dropped my head back into the stiff pillow. "Bring me a robe too, and something comfortable to sleep in. These things," I indicated the hospital gown with distaste, "aren't fit for anyone."

282

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

"I'll put everything together and bring it tomorrow. After six."

"Good boy. I need to rest, now."

"Goodnight, Sir." He leaned down and brushed my lips again. Then he was gone and I was left missing him. It wasn't long before a nurse came in and took care of the evening duties, tucking me in and giving me my pain medication. I hadn't intended to tell Jason, but all the while he had been here I had been in near constant agony. I wouldn't even let this nurse know.

The next morning, the doctor checked in on me. He looked over the incisions and all my vitals. "Everything is looking very promising. I don't foresee any complications."

"Good. When can I go home?"

"A couple of more days. We'll see then."

I nodded tersely. I'm going to make sure that happens. I was tired of this hospital and this doctor. I wanted my own bed and pillows. I wanted Jason.

He came every night and stayed as long as I would let him. Which was never as long as I wanted, but I had to maintain some semblance of control, and that was damn hard to do from a hospital bed with tubes coming out of my dick.

On the third day, Dr. Abena told me all their final tests showed the incisions were holding well and there was no leakage. He was releasing me. He had already called Jason who arrived less than half an hour after Abena signed me out.

Getting dressed in street clothes was a nightmare. I was glad the only person who witnessed it was Jason. After that, I 283

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

suffered the indignity of having to sit in a wheelchair and be rolled out to my Toyota.

But finally it was just Jason and me. I leaned my head back against the truck seat and took a deep breath. Jason drove carefully. We wound through the streets of Santa Barbara to the 101 and before long we pulled into our driveway, behind Jason's Honda. I studied the ancient vehicle critically. When Jason came around to my side to help me out, I shook his hand off.

"I'm not crippled. When I need help, I'll ask for it." He stepped back and shoved his hands in his jean pockets. I walked steadily, taking care not to take long strides that would stretch my side muscles. I ran my hand along the trunk of his car. "I need to buy you a decent car. What do you think you might like?"

"I never thought..." He stood staring at his car.

"Something like this, I guess. Can we afford a hybrid?" His hands followed mine, coming to rest on top. His warmth gave me the familiar kick in the gut. I realized this was going to be more of a trial than I expected. Being in the same house, hell, the same bed with this man was going to be torture if I couldn't touch him.

"We can afford anything you want." I ran my thumb over the back of his hand.

He startled me that night by bringing a blanket and pillow out into the living room when the credits rolled on our evening movie,
Sunset Boulevard
. First he handed me my nightly meds and a glass of juice, then he tossed the bedclothes onto the couch beside me.

284

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

"What are you doing?"

The dog he had called Buddy, followed him and came to sit beside me, close enough for me to touch, but not demanding attention. Jason was right, he was well behaved. So far, a pleasure to have around. I didn't regret giving Jason permission to keep him.

"You need to rest. You heard the doctor. We can't fuck."

"We don't have to fuck. You think you're sleeping out here?"

"Just for a few days—"

"Forget it. Put those away," I said sternly. I popped the meds in my mouth, chasing them with the OJ. "I'm not putting up with this."

He clutched the pillow to his chest. "I don't want to hurt you."

I took it away from him and pulled him into my arms. "You won't. There are still things we can do." I planted my mouth on his neck and tasted him, feeling his pulse jump under my lips. I cupped his swelling cock in my hand. "We can still do this," I whispered.

He gasped and closed his eyes. "Oh, sweet Jesus."

I opened his fly and shoved his new jeans down around his ankles. Then I wrapped my fist around him and pumped hard.

He moaned and thrust his cock into my hand, crying out when he came.

I found his mouth and pushed my tongue down his throat.

I broke away and gripped his shoulders, forcing him to look at me. "Now, no more talk about sleeping on the couch. Not 285

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

now, not ever again. Trust me, Jason. The good stuff will come soon enough."

He smiled his adoration. "Yes, Sir."

He followed me into our bedroom. We went to bed and held each other all night. I don't know about Jason, but I had no more bad dreams.

* * * *

286

A Forest of Corpses

by P. A. Brown

Dianne, my sister came to visit us four months after Alex came home from the hospital. She was our first visitor in all that time, except for our closest neighbors who had heard about our ordeal, and Nancy and her husband visited once.