"Your staff can work with me until you can return," I said. "You trained them well."
"Okay, if you're sure. You can always call me if there's something you need that they can't provide."
We finished up and I walked John back to the elevators.
"Call me if you need me," I said, and we hugged.
"I will. Thanks for coming and staying with me."
I nodded without responding.
Then, I left the hospital, feeling a sense of lingering sadness at her impending death but glad that I could spend the day with John and help him through it.
When I arrived home, Alexa was lying on the sofa watching television. I went right over to her once I'd removed my coat and boots and lay down beside her, my arms wrapping around her.
"Give me the biggest hug and kiss possible," I said and buried my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. "I need some Alexa time."
"I'm all yours," she replied, and we kissed. My hands roved over her body, and my body couldn't help but respond to the feel of her curves under my skin. I felt guilty desiring her after spending my day with John and his dying mother, but perhaps because I'd been so close to death all day, I needed to feel someone so full of new life, and I needed to reaffirm our bond.
I heard her gasp when my hands came to rest on her buttocks, and I pulled her close so that she could feel my growing erection.
I pulled back and looked in her eyes, not wanting to pressure her if she wasn't interested or up to sex.
"Are you..." I whispered, my voice soft. "Interested?"
She smiled and the cheeky curve of her lips told me all I needed to know.
"More than interested," she said and leaned up on her elbows to kiss me. "Desperate."
I didn't need any further encouragement and picked her up, her arms around my neck, and carried her to the bedroom.
For the next hour, we indulged in each other's bodies, bringing each other pleasure. The feel of her body on mine, her mouth on mine, her taste, her scent, wiped away all the negative emotions I'd had all day.
Later, as we lay in bed, the sheets wrapped around us, her head on my shoulder and my arm around her, she sighed happily.
"That was good," she said and glanced up at me, smiling. "I needed that."
"I needed you," I said and squeezed her. "It was such an emotional day, sitting with John and talking about all the good times we had with his mom. He actually cried on my shoulder. I'm glad I went and could stay with him while his uncle slept."
"That's what best friends are for," Alexa said. "I had to be with Candace when she was so sick. You have to be with John when he's going through such pain. There's no need to explain."
"I know, but people made plans to come to the beach house tonight for my party. They had to reschedule at the last minute."
"None of them minded one bit and they all understood that you had to put John first. Don't worry about that. I had no problem with the caterers and so everything is on for next weekend."
"Thanks," I said and kissed her once more. "What would I ever do without you?"
She smiled and leaned up to kiss the end of my
nose. "A lot of lonely nights with a beer sitting in front of the flatscreen watching basketball, I'd suggest. Until a pretty young thing came along and caught your eye..."
"Never," I said and squeezed her. "Yes, to the beer and basketball but no to the pretty young thing. If I didn't have you, if I lost you for some reason, my heart would be broken, and I wouldn't even look at anyone."
We kissed, and our kiss was so warm and deep that it chased away any lingering sadness from my day with John.
Chapter Five
Alexa