PassionsPoison (23 page)

She shook her head. “No, but it will explain a lot. And it
won’t be relevant unless she wakes up. Ask her how we’re able to live with the
poison, if she—”

Zach put his finger to her lips. “I will.”

When the door closed, he made himself comfortable in the
chair next to Bea and glanced at his friend. “Josh, when will you know about
the antidote?”

“It will still be another hour or so.”

Zach stared at Bea’s face. Was there color back in it, or
was it his own hopeful thoughts? “Come on, Bea, I came to you, now you have to
come to me. Fair’s fair.”

* * * * *

“Zach, go find something to eat.” Josh made a note on Bea’s
chart.

He shook his head, he far preferred Bea’s silent company.
Besides, there was no way he would walk past that waiting room again. Too many
people, and they didn’t all get along, especially Susan and Bea’s grandmother.
That old lady was one sharp woman and a force to be reckoned with, but when she
flirted with another doctor, he’d had to keep himself from laughing. “Do you
think you’ll need to use the grandmother’s blood?”

Josh shrugged. “I’m not sure about anything here. I’m giving
it my best guess. The antidote is pure genius, but the dosage would have killed
her. I’m going to play it safe and wait a little longer.”

Zach squeezed Bea’s hand. At least she wasn’t as cold as
she’d been.

The nurse popped her head in. “Excuse me, Dr. Sutton, but
Ms. Rappaccini has a new visitor. She says her name is Kayla Weeks.”

Zach smiled. “Finally, a normal person.”

Sighing, Josh went back to his calculations. “I guess you
can send her in.”

Kayla came through the door and Zach left his chair to give
her a welcome hug. “It’s good to see you.”

She lifted her brow. “Really? Has it been that bad?”

He pulled her over to Bea. “Yeah.”

She took Bea’s hand. “Oh, honey, what’s happened to you? You
need to wake up and make this man yours. Don’t wait forever or someone else
will steal him.” Kayla looked at him excitedly. “She squeezed my hand.”

He rubbed her shoulder. “Josh says that’s just reflex.”

Josh cleared his throat.

Zach glanced at his friend. “Oh, sorry.” He turned back to
Kayla. “This is Dr. Josh Sutton. Josh, this is Kayla.”

Kayla pushed her hair behind her ear and offered her hand.
“Hello. Zach didn’t tell me Bea had such a handsome doctor or I would have come
hours ago.”

Zach peered at Kayla to make sure she wasn’t poking fun at
his friend, but she gave Josh a hot once-over and licked her lips.

Josh, on the other hand, actually blushed. “It’s a pleasure
to meet you, Kayla.”

Zach coughed as the two remained standing, hands clasped. He
couldn’t believe it, but then again, everyone had different tastes. “Kayla,
Josh is a very close friend of mine and he’s been going nonstop for the last
twenty-four hours trying to help Bea. Could you do me a favor and escort him to
the cafeteria so he can get a bite to eat?”

“I’d be happy to. And when I get back, I think I’ll organize
the people mess you’ve got going on in the waiting room. You boys definitely
need my help with Bea under the weather.”

Zach looked at the ceiling and thanked whoever watched over
them for sending Kayla. They did need her.

She linked her arm around Josh’s. “You ready, Doc? Let’s get
some grub. I’m hungry too.”

Josh glanced at Zach. “You should eat as well.”

He shook his head. “I’ll let Kayla find something for me.
You guys can bring it back. I’m not leaving this room.”

“Okay. We’ll be back soon.” As Josh opened the door for
Kayla, his gaze riveted to her ass.

Zach shook his head. Never would he have matched the two of
them together. Then again, they had just met. His own night with Kayla made
things a bit awkward, but if Josh liked her that was all that mattered.

He sat next to Bea and took her hand. If the attraction was
anything like what he had for Bea, it could last a lifetime. His jaw tightened.
He just hoped Bea’s lifetime hadn’t already passed.

He kissed her hand and felt a reflexive squeeze. The touch
grabbed at his heart and tears formed in his eyes. What was that song?
You
don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone?

Hell. He was in love with the woman holding his hand. Now if
she would only wake up so he could do something about it.

* * * * *

Zach woke to someone brushing fingers through his hair. He
opened his eyes and lifted his head from Bea’s bed. The sight that greeted him
made his heart constrict, even as a tear made its way down his cheek.

Her eyes were open. She gazed at him with such love, he
thought he would explode with joy. “Hi, beautiful.”

She smiled. “Hi. I’m so glad you came.”

He smiled wider despite the pain on one side. “I couldn’t
stay away. Bea, I’m sorry I was such an ass.”

He moved forward and kissed her, reveling in her arms as
they surrounded him. Her lips were warm and her face flushed. He broke away.
“How do you feel?”

“Like I was beat up.” She touched his jaw. “Looks as if you
were too.”

He glanced away. “Just one of your dads being a dad.”

“Gerry.”

He looked back at her. “Yeah, how’d you guess?”

She smirked. “Because while any of them might want to hit
you at some point, Gerry’s the only one big enough to leave a mark.”

Zach held her face in his hands. He couldn’t stop touching
her yet. “Yeah, well, he was scared and worried. You almost didn’t make it.”

She peered beyond him. “I’m in a hospital?”

“Jim flew us here in a helicopter. This is where Josh works.
He needed his lab to figure out what was wrong with you. Do you remember anything?”

Her eyes lit up. “Yes, it was Phillip. He sent the letters.”
Then her face fell, but her gaze remained fixed on him. “Zach, you have to let
me explain the letters.”

He brushed her hair back from her face. “It’s okay, Bea. We
can get you help. They have rehab now for people with sex addictions.”

The slap to the back of his head caught him unawares. He
rubbed the abused spot. “Hey, what was that for?”

Bea’s lips pursed and her brows drew down. He wasn’t sure
he’d ever seen her angry before.

“Because I’m not addicted to sex. I’m shocked you would
believe such a thing just because Phillip wrote it.”

He squirmed when she put it that way. “Well, what was I
supposed to think?”

She lowered her gaze and picked at the blanket. “I was going
to tell you that night. Remember, my secret?”

“Your mom told us about the poisons. That’s why Josh was
able to save you. Your mom and your grandmother both gave you blood infusions
to balance the toxins in your body.” His hand curled tight of its own accord at
what could have happened. “Your boyfriend Phillip gave you an antidote, all
right. It wiped out all the poison in your body and it was too much.”

Bea covered his fisted hand with hers. “How much did she
tell you?”

He tried to relax his hand, but the fact that someone had tried
to kill Bea had his body fighting him. “She said you needed to tell me how you
lived with the poison.”

Bea’s shoulders fell. “Oh.”

He leaned over and kissed her on the lips, then on her
forehead. “It can wait. There are a dozen people worried about you. As much as
I hate the thought of sharing you, I need to let them know you’re awake. Are
you up for it?”

She took a deep breath and gave him a tentative smile. “I
guess I have to face them eventually.”

* * * * *

Bea grinned as Kayla ushered in her next visitor.

Zach remained by her side. He had been very patient, but her
time would come to tell him the facts. She wasn’t sure if he would think her
worth keeping and her fear grew as the time lagged on.

Kayla started to close the door to the hospital room then
stopped. “Fifteen minutes. I’ll be timing you.”

Jim Bellante waved her on. “That’s fine. It won’t take me
long to say goodbye to my daughter.”

Bea glanced at Zach in question, but he shrugged.

Jim sat next to her bed. “Bea, I have to leave, now that I
know you’ll recover. I need to return to my wife and family.”

She lost her grin. “But I haven’t seen you in almost a
decade.” She couldn’t help the whine in her voice. This father had always been
an enigma to her. She wanted to know him better.

He patted her hand. “I know, but I will always be here for
you if you ever need me. I gave your friend out there all my contact
information since it’s obvious your mother never did.”

Bea winced. Mom hadn’t fared well during this whole ordeal,
both emotionally and in her family’s judgment. “Thank you so much for flying me
here. Dr. Josh said I wouldn’t have made it if they’d driven me.”

He smiled. “I’m glad I could help. I would stay longer, but
my children are much younger than you. Teenagers.” He said the word as if it
explained everything.

He looked at Zach then back at her. “You, on the other hand,
are grown and have someone quite capable of watching over you. Remember,
anytime you need me or if you have big news, contact me.” He glanced at Zach
again, making it clear he expected to hear something soon.

Bea twisted her fingers around her father’s hand. “I will, I
promise.”

Jim stood and kissed her on the forehead, then spoke to
Zach. “Take care of my girl.”

Zach rose and shook her dad’s hand. “I will.”

Bea’s heart hitched. She watched her dad leave then turned
to Zach. “I wish he could have stayed longer. I don’t know anything about him.”

Zach took the seat her father had occupied. “Don’t you think
you have enough family?”

At Zach’s raised eyebrow she laughed. “I guess you’re right.
Some kids would hate having six fathers, but I’ve learned something from all of
them. From Charlie I learned patience and common sense. You know I didn’t
inherit those traits from my mom.”

Zach nodded in agreement.

“From Tony, I became good at math. He always helped me with
my homework. Andy taught me to relax and appreciate the little things, like the
mourning doves at sunrise. He also taught me how to organize my time to get as
much done as possible so I could enjoy life. Mathew showed me how to see the
positive in every situation, which I needed with my, ah, condition.” She
nibbled at her lip. She still had to tell Zach how she lived with her poisons.

He squeezed her hand. “What about Gerry? Can we forget about
him?”

She whipped her attention to his face to find a giant smirk.
He wasn’t serious, though she wouldn’t blame him, considering the blue bruise
coloring the right side of his jaw. “Actually, Gerry did teach me a few things.
He taught me not to judge those different from me, to accept people for who
they are and most important, he showed me what unconditional love is like.”

Zach leaned over her bed and placed his hand on the side of
her face. “Unconditional love?”

She wet her lips. “Yes. That’s what I feel for you, Zach. I
love you with my whole being.”

His lips were on hers in an instant, the kiss gentle, sweet
and loving. Her heart tripped as she used her hand to cup the back of his neck.
Opening her lips, she invited him in.

The hospital room door opened and they broke apart.

Grandma Beatrice strode to the bed, a big smile on her face.
“About time you two got it on.” She studied Zach’s face and nodded. “You need
to get to work now, young man. She needs sex and she needs it now. That is, if
you want her to walk out of this sterile place.” Grandma glared at the room.
“Humph, I hate hospitals.”

Bea cringed at Zach’s confused expression. She better tell
him now or someone else would. And Grandma was right, she needed him soon.

Grandma Beatrice peered at Zach. “Come down here, boy, and
give me a kiss goodbye.”

Zach obliged and kissed her on the cheek. Then she stepped
up to Bea. “Have courage, young lady. Everything in life worth having is worth
suffering for. You’ve suffered and found someone worth it all. Take care,
sweetie.”

With a quick kiss to Bea’s cheek, Grandma Beatrice turned to
leave.

Bea stopped her. “Wait, Grandma. How did you slip past
Kayla? I thought she guarded my door like a pit bull?”

Grandma rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t that hard, hon. Everyone
else is gone and she’s hanging all over your doctor, so my guess is that you
two will be alone for a while.” Grandma wiggled her eyebrows before
disappearing around the door.

Zach chuckled. “I like your grandmother. A one-track mind,
but I still like her.”

Bea took a steadying breath. “Is that the last person?”

Zach grinned. “I don’t know. I lost count.”

She smacked his forearm.

He grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss her
palm, his eyes never leaving her face.

A shiver raced across her skin. “Zach, we need to talk.”

He brought her hand down and sighed. “I know. I need to
apologize for the way I treated you last week.”

Bea gazed into his eyes and wondered what planet he came
from. Of course he was upset. Maybe they could have worked it out if she had
tried to reach him again in a few days. But no, she had to punish herself until
she was too sick for sex. Even now, the idea of having sex with another man
made her want to vomit. “I know the letters and photos were a shock to you, but
they were to me too. I don’t know what your letter said, but the photos were
enough for me to know you wouldn’t understand. I want you to know every one of
those pictures was taken before we met.”

Zach squeezed her hand. “I should have known. I questioned
your letters from the start, that someone didn’t want us together. I should
have realized. Still, it was hard to see you with another man, men.”

Bea looked away. “I’m sorry you had to see that. I know
you’ve been with other women, but I would hate to see proof, especially like
that.”