Chapter 52

Eva stayed with me at the hospital until late. Really late. It was almost midnight when she decided to go home. I’m just dozing off when my phone rings. Knowing it’s Nick, I grab it and say, “Hello?”

“Hey Sweetheart,” he says, in a sexy, throaty whisper.

“Hey yourself,” I say. “Made it to New York ok?”

He says “Yeah, we did.”

I say, “Why are you up? Isn’t it 3:00 am there?”

“Yeah, it is,“ he chuckles and says, “I fell asleep on the plane. So when we got here, I couldn’t go back to sleep. I’m gonna be a zombie for the interviews later.”

I say, “Nick, you need to sleep.”

He says, “No, Elaine, I need to be laying next to you holding you in my arms and loving you with every part of me. That’s what I NEED to be doing.”

I laugh and say, “Well, since you can’t, what’s left to do?”

He says, “I’ll lay here in bed listening to your voice and masturbate.”

My voice catches in my throat and I say, “Are you really?”

He chuckles and I can almost see that smirk on his face when he says, “Well, not yet. But if you keep talking to me, I will.” I giggle and he says, “OK, that’s not helping any. Or maybe it is. You know, I’ve never tried phone sex before.”

OK, I’m blushing from head to toe and it’s not entirely because I’m embarrassed. I say, “You’re serious?”

He laughs and says, “Sort of. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I’d LOVE to hear all the things you want to do to me.”

OK, definitely aroused now. I say, “Come on, Nick, you know what I want to do with you. I can’t wait till you get back and we can try out all the rooms in your newly renovated house.”

“Oh, so you ARE gonna have phone sex with me?” he says, astonished.

I laugh and say, “You’re crazy. I’m lying in a hospital bed with broken bones and you want to get off.”

He laughs with me and says, “I just wanted to hear you laugh. Thought that would work better than knock knock jokes.”

I giggle and say, “I miss you. I’m glad you called.”

He sighs and says, “I miss you too. I almost didn’t call, but I couldn’t help myself. I needed to hear your voice. How are you?”

I say, “Well, are you really awake enough for the whole story, or do you want to call me after your interviews?”

He says, “No, I’m really awake. What’s going on?”

I say, “Eva came back tonight a nervous wreck. She told me everything. And I do mean EVERYTHING.”

He whistles and says, “Wow, how did that happen?”

I say, “I don’t know. She came in crying and just started talking. She’s really crazy about Brian. I told her to call him, but she won’t. She said she’d talk to him when he came back to LA.”

He clears his throat and says, “Elaine, I don’t think he’s coming back. He said he didn’t want to be there right now.”

I say, “Oh no, Nick, he has to come back! Can you talk to him?”

He says, “Well, I, umm, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

I say, “Nick, what’s going on?”

He says, “Well, we ran into some old friends here in New York. AJ, Howie and I came back to the hotel after dinner. Brian, uh, went out.”

“Old friends?” I ask. “As in, old ‘girlfriends’? Is that what you’re saying?”

He says, “Yeah, but nothing happened, I swear.”

I say, “Nick, do I sound worried you did something?”

He says, “Well, actually, no you don’t. Why don’t you?”

I say, “I trust you, you bonehead. But what about Brian?”

Nick clears his throat and says, “Well, he, umm, it’s like this…”

I take pity on him and say, “He went out with one of the girls.”

Nick says, “Yeah. I think they were going to a nightclub.”

I say, “And you think this will end with them in bed?”

Nick says, “I don’t know. I hope not. He never said a word on the flight. We all knew he was upset about Eva.”

I sigh and say, “Why couldn’t Eva figure her shit out before he left?”

Nick laughs and says, “Because we all told her to and she didn’t want to listen. We should have just butted out like she asked.

I laugh and say, “You’re probably right.” He’s quiet for a few seconds, so I say, “Did I tell you I miss you?”

He says, “Yeah, you did, but feel free to tell me often. Did I mention I miss you too?”

I say, “Well, you did, yes, but it’s been a while.”

He says, “Did I also tell you I’m horny and I want you?”

I sigh and say, “I want you too Nick. By the time you get home, all the casts will be gone and I’ll get to have you.”

He groans and says, “I want you with me. I wish you could have come with me Baby. I hated leaving you alone in that hospital.”

I sigh and say, “I’m not alone, Nick. You’re right here with me.”

He says, “I’ll see you soon, Baby. I’ll work extra hard in Sweden and try to cut that trip short, ok?”

I say, “I love you Nick. I don’t mind waiting for you as long as I know you’re coming back.”

“I’ll always come back, Elaine,” he whispers. “You’re everything to me.”

We say goodbye after telling each other we love each other about a dozen times. I drift off to sleep, dreaming of the day he comes home to me.