“I’m sorry if any of my texts came off as pushy. I think it’s really a conversation we may need to have in person.”
“Maybe,” Bridget mumbled. “I didn’t think you were pushy. I wasn’t exactly answering you.”
Jerica pressed her lips together. At least Bridget was being open and honest about that. It would mean less work for her to do in the long run. “True, and I would like an answer, you know.”
“About dating?”
“Yeah.” Jerica gently put a hand on Bridget’s knee, wanting her to know that she was there if Bridget wanted her to be, but not too forthright that Bridget felt as though Jerica was forcing a decision on her one way or the other. “I think you know my position on it.”
“I do.” Bridget clenched her jaw hard, the line of muscle along her cheek tightening as it ran down her neck.
Jerica hated to see how much stress and tension this was causing her. It almost would have been better had she left it alone and decided to let Bridget lead the conversation from a distance, even if they never got to some kind of resolution. But Jerica nixed that idea. She wanted resolution, she wanted an answer, one way or another. She did not like living with uncertainty.
“I would like to know yours,” Jerica started. “But if you don’t know it, that’s fine too. We can take this as slow or as fast as you’re willing and wanting to.”
Bridget remained quiet, and Jerica’s stomach twisted into even more knots. She liked Bridget, a whole lot. She couldn’t even put her finger on why, or what was pushing her to be this patient and insistent, but she wanted to get to know this woman more, the woman who calmed when she was around, the woman she had to spend the night near just to keep her heart rate steady.
“I think I should tell you something, but I’m not sure how weird it’s going to sound,” Jerica’s voice lowered, and she struggled to look Bridget in the eye.
“What?” Bridget’s brow furrowed, her thick eyebrows drawing together, her pale blue eyes such a contrast to her jet-black hair.
“Please don’t take this as odd.”
“I can’t promise anything.”
Jerica paused, not quite sure how to take that, but again, at least Bridget was being honest. “When you came in that night, when you were so out of it, and after surgery, they were struggling to keep your heart rate steady. Every time people would leave you alone for long, your heart rate would drop, your blood pressure would drop, and we’d all be rushed back in to try and deal with it.”
“I didn’t realize that.”
“You were pretty close to death, Bridget.” Jerica squeezed her knee and shifted so she leaned in closer. “But more than that, and this is the weird part and I apologize in advance, it wasn’t really people who kept your heart rate steady. It was—”
“You,” Bridget interrupted and finished for her.
Jerica nodded, her eyes wide with surprise. “Yeah, it was me. I had to keep my hand on your heart, otherwise…” She trailed off. “So I stayed after my shift and stayed with you in the ICU for the first night until right around the time you woke up. Then I left to go home and sleep.”
Her cheeks heated with the confession. It was strange but equally strange that she had such an intimate knowledge of what had happened when she was sure Bridget didn’t remember any of it.
“You weren’t there when I woke up.”
“I was the first time,” Jerica murmured. “You probably don’t remember it because you were still pretty out of it and went back to sleep, but as soon as you were awake, we knew you were out of the woods.”
“We?”
“I knew.” Jerica dropped her gaze down to her hand, where Bridget had covered it with hers. Bridget entwined their fingers together, keeping a tight grasp on Jerica.
They sat in the silence, the tension from her confession running through her chest. She felt better having said it, but she still wasn’t sure it was the best time and place to have done it. Bridget was so fragile.
“What I want to say is that I realize you’re going through a lot. Not just with the accident but clearly some stuff with your parents and with Eli, and I’m willing to take this as slow as you want to. You can set the pace. Is that okay?”
Bridget didn’t answer. Instead she lifted her hand, grabbed hold of Jerica’s chin and pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips touched, and it wasn’t brief. Bridget held her there, her grip firm but gentle as she parted her lips and dashed her tongue across Jerica’s mouth. Humming in satisfaction, Jerica leaned in, pressing a hand against Bridget’s thigh as she moved even closer.
It was a perfect moment. This was so much better than either time they had tried this before. She didn’t know if it was emotion that tethered them together or something else, but Jerica stayed as close to it as she could. Bridget took the kiss slowly. She tasted and tested, holding Jerica to her for a long time as their tongues swirled together, as their breathing joined and became labored.
Jerica closed her eyes, feeling every sensation that rolled through her body. She didn’t expect this, and she certainly expected no more. Bridget was still injured. It wouldn’t be easy, but if she could, she would do whatever Bridget wanted or needed in that moment.
Bridget pulled away, nipping at Jerica’s lower lip before she grinned, those light blue eyes locking on Jerica’s face. “Straddle me, will you?”
“Sure.” Jerica moved, pressing one knee into the couch cushion on either side of Bridget’s hips. She sat back, her hands running up and down Bridget’s arms, finally getting a full view of her.