Once Again for Old Time's Sake

Chapter 8 - Reunited

IAN-present

Walking into the room, I saw a riot of curls spilling over the pillow where they peeked out from under the thin blanket. Carmen lay toward the door, her face buried under the covers. I knew when I walked over that I would find her nose sticking out and the blankets firmly tucked over her eyes. Her top leg is straight over her bent one, the calf and slender bare foot sticking out. Her emerald green toenails cause me to grin. She is colorful, even when it's hidden from everyone else.

She'd lost some weight since I saw her. Its one thing I hated about being separated. You could see faces, but the intimate details of a person's form, thoughts, or peculiarities often got overlooked. The rollercoaster of her curves stretched and contorted in a new shape as she shifted under the covers.

Two chairs sat close to the bed, one on either side. I'd lay odds that Riley and Nicholas each sat in one, yet jealousy didn't even make an appearance. I quietly maneuvered into the chair closest to the door, willing her to wake up. As if the universe granted my desires, Carmen rolled again, dislodging the blankets. She rolled her ankles before stretching from her feet to her hands, the same leisurely routine every morning. She says it's something about getting the blood pumping. I watched in awe as a yawn stretched her features. As her mouth closed, her eyelids fluttered open to reveal a sleepy gaze.

"You're here! How did you get here so fast?" Carmen shot up in bed, smiling and reaching for me. I lifted from my seat to enfold her in a tight hug, enjoying her form against my chest. My arms tightened, pulling her in closer as I attempted to communicate the depth of my feelings.

Her soft breaths against the crook of my neck tickled as she pressed her nose against my skin. My lips against her temple felt the gentle pulse of her heartbeat. I absently noted the coordination of the monitor with the sensation. Carmen's warm tongue rasped against the underside of my chin, sending shivers up my spine. I traced the rise and fall of her vertebrae as we embraced.

Our lips met with tenderness and settled into the seductive rhythm we both loved. My tongue teased Carmen's lips, encouraging the gentle caresses I'd missed. A soft moan let me know she missed it, too.

My hands skimmed her shoulders and pulled her up further on my chest. I felt her pebbled nipples brushing over my chest. As I traced the silken skin of her arms, I bumped into her IV. A quick gasp broke the mood. Pressing my lips near the tender spot, I brushed the sting away before cupping her cheeks between my palms and kissing the tip of her nose.

"Hi, my love. I caught a Space-A flight back, then caught a hop to the metro airport. How are you doing?" I sat on the bedside near her. She looked me over, assessing the changes. For once, I let my hair grow longer than my typical military haircut, grayer in the remaining light brown. The tips were golden as the sun had bleached them.

Carmen's lips were full and colorful from our kisses. Her expression was tender and loving. "Physically, I'm fine now. It was a terrible choice not drinking as much water." Her voice dropped to a whisper, ending with a hiccuped sob. "Ian, someone's still out there."

"Yeah, so Nicholas and Riley said."

"You've talked to them?" Her eyes were enormous with surprise.

"When you collapsed in the restaurant, they were on the call with Jackie. They've kept me up-to-date when they could since then. I look forward to some dinner with them after I leave here." I held her hand and squeezed it to convey how much I loved her.

"This is crazy. I can't think who's behind this since Sawyer is dead. Have the police found anything?"

"I'm not sure. Your friend Aidan picked me up from the airport, and he said he'd talk to someone in his office before meeting with Nicholas and Riley." I could see the wheels spinning. Carmen never relishes downtime unless camping, and this hospital stay disrupted her tightly controlled schedule.