Wild Addiction (Wild #2)(65)
Author: Emma Hart

“Without this bitch?” I shove the IV forward.

“No, you’re not taking it out. They only just changed the bag. You know they said they’ll take it out when it’s empty. Now sit down and wait a minute.”

I sit in the chair he was just in and grumble something I don’t even understand. I don’t actually think I said any words, just a bunch of awkward, annoyed sounds put together.

Truth is, I know I have to keep the IV line in. I know I have to stay here until they say otherwise, but the problem with hospitals is that they’re not exactly relaxing. They’re too clinical and sterile. And boring. Completely boring.

“Okay,” Tyler says, coming back in. “You can get dressed and come down to the shop with me.”

“And how hard did you have to charm her for that?” I grunt, getting up.

He throws my leggings and shirt at me. “I’m neither confirming nor denying any charming happened.”

“Oh, please.” I snort. “She probably took one look at you, then you smiled and her panties were soaked.”

“Do your panties get soaked when I smile at you?”

“With the force of a tsunami. Obviously.” I tug my leggings over my butt and take the bag off the hook. “Put this through the holes.”

“Sorry. All I got from that was ‘put, this, hole.’” He grabs the bag and threads it through the armhole of the gown then my shirt.

I quirk an eyebrow. “Someone needs to get him some.”

“Someone’s waiting for someone else to get her ass better so he can.”

“Your powers of seduction know no bounds, Tyler Stone. Do I have time to change my panties?”

“Just leave them off. Forever. My life would be so much easier.”

“Oh, yes. You suffer so much trying to get inside them! How do you do it?”

“It’s a hard job, love, but persistence pays off.”

“Your persistence is why I’m knocked up and attached to a rolling bottle of water.”

He grins devilishly. “I’m a man, babe. I can’t help needing sex. It’s in my DNA.”

“Of course! I forgot the DNA strand that means you must have sex at your earliest convenience. And frequently, too.”

“Shame on you. You’ve come into contact with it plenty.”

“Please refer yourself to my earlier comment regarding your persistence.” I poke my tongue out and open the door.

He laughs. “Do you want the—”

“If you say wheelchair, I’m slicing off your balls with a butter knife.”

He laughs again and slides his hand around my waist. “Note to self: remove all sharp objects from apartment, lest those pesky hormones inadvertently put me in harm’s way.”

I giggle into my free hand. He grabs it and looks at my nails.

“Maybe we’ll clamp down on these talons too.”

I flick my hand against his chest. “You never complained about them before.”

He pokes my tummy. “Apparently.”

I bat his hand away and step into the elevator. Walking around feels so good after having been confined to the bed for basically twenty-four hours. The wheelchair outing to the ultrasound this morning doesn’t count.

The hospital is crazy. Noise is everywhere, and the amount of people walking through the hallways is almost panic inducing. Despite Ty’s arm firmly around me, it’s hard to get through them—especially with the IV. There’s nowhere to go, nowhere to move, people in front of me, behind me, closing in on me.

“Outside,” I breathe, gripping his shirt.

He steers me off to the side and out the front doors. I take a deep breath and lean against the wall.

“Are you okay?”

“Too many people,” I reply, exhaling slowly.

“What the hell are you doing out of bed?!”

Oh, shit. Hide me.

I look up at my best friend. “Getting some fresh air. Am I allowed?”

She narrows her eyes at Tyler. “You’re supposed to be keeping her under control!”

My dirty British boy snorts. “Yeah, like anyone could control Liv. She’s wild and that’s just how I like it.” He winks at me and kisses the side of my head.

I smile triumphantly. “Did you bring me chips? I want chips.”

Dayton blinks. “I wasn’t asked to bring you chips.”

I huff.

Aaron laughs. “Cravings.”

“You’d be craving food if you hadn’t eaten for days!” I grumble, grabbing Day’s arm. “Get me chips.”

With her at my side, Tyler guides us through the lobby and into the hospital store. I grab a six-pack of salted Lays and shove them at him with a charming smile.

“Please.” I bat my eyelashes at him.

He sighs, but the despondent feel to it is destroyed by the sparkle in his eyes and the twitch to his lips. “What’s in it for me?”

“I’ll stop talking about chips if I’m eating them.”

Dayton laughs as he turns to the register, his sigh real this time.

“Oh, you are one fun pregnant woman,” she snickers.

“I’m growing a person. I get to be fun, and for once, I can blame it on everyone else, because no one argues with a pregnant woman.” I grin.

Tyler hands me one of the bags and I tear it open. I dive my hand into the bag and stuff my mouth full of salted chips.

Oh my god.

So. Good.

The past three weeks of searching for a house have been completely ridiculous.

This isn’t big enough. That isn’t in the right neighborhood. It’s too far from Day’s place. You call that a kitchen? That bathroom tiling is awful. That’s not big enough for a nursery! Are you kidding? We’re supposed to share that as an office? I wouldn’t pee in that tiny room.

And it’s all me. Because when your boyfriend gives you a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a house, it has to be downright perfect.

Perfection or bust.

“How did your appointment go?” I ask without looking up from the laptop.

“It was delightful, same as the last few. But if she asks me to dissect my sexual urges one more time, I’m going to take my handcuffs and attach her to the fucking Space Needle.” Tyler walks into the apartment and dumps his bag.

“But it’s helping, right?”

“Helping me get a bloody hard-on! Do you know how hard it is to explain to these people that my addiction isn’t because my parents abandoned me as a child or didn’t love me enough?” He raises his eyebrows. “I just like sex. A lot. A lot of the time. Why don’t they get that?”