Chapter Nineteen:
Patrick was going out of his mind with worry. He had searched everywhere and couldn't find Robin or Bobbi. He was also concerned about his father spotting him, so he was trying to stay out of sight. He went back to the room she was in and he looked for a sign of something, anything. He closed the door and sat down on the bed before he picked up the cup on the table and threw it.
"Patrick?" Robin's voice came out of the closet.
He spun around and didn't see anything. He was losing his mind. He was absolutely losing it.
"Get over here," the voice said again.
He walked to the closet and yanked the door open, seeing Robin somehow huddled inside.
"Oh my God," he said as he helped pull her out. "Oh thank God," he pulled her into his arms and she cried out.
"Oh, shit, sorry," he said and let go.
"You have to keep your voice down," she said. "They can't find me."
"I thought you were gone. I thought my dad got you," he sat down and realized his hands were shaking.
"We need to get out of here right now," she said.
"How did you get away?"
She looked at him and sighed.
"Patrick, I will tell you what happened, but we need to get out of here. We aren't safe here."
His instincts kicked in and he nodded.
"Put this on and I'll walk you out," he handed her a hair cap and a blanket. "We'll wrap you in this and we can just go."
Robin did as he asked and he put a doctor's coat on with a surgical cap. He kept his arm around her and they walked out, their heads down, their hands clasped.
Patrick flagged a cab outside the hospital and they got in. He told the driver to head to the nearest hotel and he did. They checked in under fake names and paid cash. Once they were inside the room, Robin pulled off the hospital gown.
Patrick turned and looked at her, still trying to process what happened. She sat down on the bed and looked up at him.
"Come here," she said and patted the bed next to her.
He sat down and she took his hand with her good one.
"When the nurse came to get me and told me the hematologist wanted to talk to me I asked where you were. She said you were waiting for me there."
"That wasn't true," he said.
She smiled. "Patrick, this isn't my first day on the job. I figured out pretty quickly it was a trap, but I didn't want to put up a fight until I knew what we were up against. I figured the nurse wasn't involved, but I couldn't be sure. When we got closer to the room, a man came out and tried to grab me."
He tucked her hair behind her ear.
"What did you do?"
"I got away. I'm not helpless, you know. I may be injured, but I can hold my own. I think I surprised him. I just hope the nurse got away from him because he couldn't be happy about what I did."
"I know you can hold your own. I know you're not helpless, that what scares me."
"What do you mean?"
"You are really important to me, Robin. I don't want anything to happen to you."
She leaned into him and he kissed the top of her head.
"You're very important to me, too," she said.
"We should get something to eat and rest. Tomorrow we should go back to your home like we planned."
She nodded. "I'm sorry."
Walking to get the menu, he turned and smiled.
"For what?"
"You think it was your dad. That can't be easy to handle, Patrick."
He shrugged. "I've come to terms with who Noah is. Nothing surprises me anymore and I'm just thankful you got away from him."
Robin didn't say anything. She figured now wasn't the time and she was exhausted.
Patrick showed her the menu and then ordered what they wanted. He put their bag down and got some ice for the bucket. When he walked back in, She was asleep on the bed and he smiled as he sat with her while he waited for the food.
She was amazing. He had been so worried and for all he said about not caring about his father, it was a lie. He hated him. He was afraid that if he saw his dad he would try and kill him for what he did to Robin.
Robin. He looked at her, so beautiful and serene. Her shoulder was bandaged, but it did little to mask her sun kissed skin. She was tiny, but he was the strength she carried. He could learn a lot from her, and more importantly, he wanted to.
"Stop staring at me," she said through her closed eyes.
Smiling, he blushed.
"I'm not staring at you."
She opened her eyes and grinned.
"Then why are you blushing?"
"I'm not," he got up and crossed his arms. There was a knock at the door and he exhaled. Saved by the food.
A little while later, they were eating and talking about their various stories of working in medicine. Patrick laughed while Robin talked about the number of times people mistook her for a pediatric patient.
"I can imagine that got a bit tiring," he said as he took a drink of his beer.
She smiled at him and ate a breadstick.
"A little, but it really helped when connecting with the kids. Sometimes they saw me as a friend, and it helped with trust."
"That must have made it hard when things didn't go well," he said.
"That's why I made it a point to be the best," she said with an arrogant tone that he recognized as his own.
"Touché," he smiled again.
Robin sat back in the chair and watched him. He was different than before, more vulnerable and sensitive. Something had happened to him back at the hospital. He was real and scared for what he almost lost. Robin felt her pulse race as she realized the feelings she was having for this man.
"You okay?" he saw her go somewhere else.
"Sorry. I'm fine, just thinking."
"About?" he put the tray of food outside the door and came back to her.
"You and me."
He ran his hand through his hair.
"Should I be scared?"
She was quiet for a minute. "What if I told you I was a little?"
"I would tell you I understood that and I feel a little scared, too."
"What do we do about that?" she walked over to the bed and winced as she moved her arm.
He sat next to her and looked at the bandage on her shoulder before he sat back.
"We are trained to stay away from feelings. We learn that connections are distractions and a good spy has neither," he sighed. "But sometimes life takes turns we don't anticipate."
She moved closer to him and put her hand on his face, cupping his cheek.
"I'm really glad you found me," she said softly.
His eyes filled as he looked at her. She had become extremely important to him He found himself feeling things he knew he shouldn't.
"Robin," he murmured.
She pulled him to her and his mouth met hers in a tentative and sweet kiss. She went to reach up to him and her arm ached.
"Oh, shit," she said and sat back.
"I'm sorry," he looked at her bandage again.
"You might feel better if you soaked in the tub. There aren't any stitches and it's been enough time."
She looked into his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Will you soak with me?"
Chapter Twenty:
Patrick smiled.
"Are you sure you want me to sit with you?"
Robin stood up in front of him and nodded. "I am."
He walked to the whirlpool tub in the corner of the room by the bathroom and began to fill it with warm water. He felt like a nervous teenager and turned to see Robin as she watched him.
"What is it?" his heart pounded and he wondered if she heard it.
"It's just hard to believe that you're real. It's been so long since I felt," she stopped and looked at her hands.
He turned the water off and crossed to her.
"Felt what?" his fingers ran through her hair.
"Happy? Excited for what comes next?" her big brown eyes filled with tears as her honesty came bubbling forth.
His thumbs wiped her tears and his head tilted as he looked at her.
"You deserve to live the life you've always wanted. You deserve to be happy," he bent down and tilted her chin up with his thumb. His mouth covered hers and she moaned as his tongue split the seam of her lips.
She didn't know where he had come from, but so much of his life mirrored hers. He was hurt as she was. He was jaded, like her. He was vulnerable, and she respected that.
Robin stepped back and looked at him, biting her lip.
He pulled his shirt off and she smiled.
"I can't get my clothes off on my own, can you help me?"
He pretended to think about it.
"I might be able to help," he walked over and unbuttoned her shirt, never breaking eye contact as he gently pushed it off her good shoulder and then carefully removed the fabric from her injured arm. He leaned down and kissed her shoulder before stepping back and waiting.
"What's wrong?" she reached to his hand and held it.
"I didn't want to be presumptuous."
She grinned. "That's sweet, but I tend to sit in a tub naked."
"Just checking," he wiggled his eyebrows and she giggled as he moved to pull her pants off. She leaned on his shoulder as she stepped out of the fabric. He ran his hands up her legs as he stood back up and took in her beautiful figure, clad only in her bra and panties.
"You are so beautiful," he said softly.
She reached to his waist and unbuttoned his pants. She kissed his chest as she ran her hand under the band of his slacks and over his buttocks. She could feel his heart beating faster and hers matched.
"I need a little help here," she said as he pulled his pants down and kicked them off.
"Much better," she laughed.
He walked her to the tub and swallowed.
"I feel like I'm a teenager," he chuckled. "This is ridiculous."
Her hand snaked up his chest to his cheek and his body melted with the heat he felt.
"I feel the same way," she whispered. Her good hand moved to her back and she unclasped her bra, letting the material fall away. She pulled her panties off and stood in front of him.
"I'm going to sit in the tub. I'd really like it if you joined me," she said softly and stepped into the water. It was warm and inviting and she sat down against the side, staring up at him.
Patrick was a little concerned at the condition of his arousal as he turned to remove his briefs. He soon saw she didn't flinch. The way she was watching him was so erotic and intimate and he realized he didn't care about anything other than feeling her body against his.
Robin swallowed as she watched him. He was impressive, to say the least, and she ached to feel his body against hers. Her eyes followed him as he sat down behind her.
Patrick gently moved her so she was sitting between his legs, her back against his chest. He moved his arms around her waist and she linked her fingers through his. They sat quietly for a few minutes and she closed her eyes.
"What do you think the future looks like?" he asked softly as he ran his fingers up and down her forearms.
She smiled as she pictured it. "I think it looks relaxing."
He smiled with her. "Can you be more specific?"
"I don't know. I think I've lost that vision over the last year," she felt her voice catch and sighed.
He hadn't meant for her to get upset.
"Was it full of love and laughter?"
"Maybe."
"Lots of sex?" he grinned.
"I hoped so, but now I don't know," she said seriously.
"Why not?" he kissed her head.
She turned slightly in his arms and he saw the sadness.
"I don't mean to be a buzz kill, but my HIV kind of puts a damper on a healthy sex life."
"I don't think that's entirely true," he said and stroked her cheek. "I think what you know in your head and what you feel in your heart are telling you that it's possible to have it all. I think your fear of the unknown is what stops you."
"It isn't unknown, Patrick. I could pass HIV on to you. I don't think that's something to take lightly."
He smiled. "So you think about me that way?"
She laughed. "We are sitting together in the tub, naked, and unless you have a third arm, I'd say you're thinking of it, too."
"It's easier for you," he said and she was confused. "I can't hide my attraction. I don't know that you feel the same way."
"Oh, I do," she said softly. "If you could see my excitement, it would put yours to shame," she stopped and he laughed. "Wait, that didn't come out right."
He kissed her and she smiled.
"This is the strangest conversation I've ever had in a tub," he said as she moved her hand over his torso.
"I've had a few similar," she teased and he sat back.
"I'm kidding," she grinned. "You're too easy."
He rested his arm on the side of the tub and flashed his dimples at her.
"In all seriousness, I don't want you to think that I take your health lightly or am blowing off your concerns. What I need for you to understand is that I know the research. It is safe to make love using a condom and the facts support that. I am not saying you will make that choice with me, but your health and welfare is my main concern. I want you to be comfortable with anything we choose to do."
"Where did you come from? How is this my life?" her eyes glistened and she traced a line across his chin with her finger. "How are we here like this?"
His mouth claimed hers again and she aggressively returned his kiss. He pulled back and held he gaze as he stood up. He reached for her and she took his hand, standing with her. He grabbed a towel and stepped out of the tub before helping her out. He wrapped a towel around her and one around his waist and walked her to the bed.
"We are here because we deserve to be happy," he said as he pulled her towel off. "This is our life because we found each other and decided, for once, we were worth it."
She watched him remove his towel and he sat on the edge of the bed. She stood between his legs and smiled. "You're right," her hand traveled across his chest. "We deserve to be happy."
He moved and she crawled onto the bed. A thought occurred to him and he sat up.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't have any condoms. I don't have anything. I ran out of the hospital and I have nothing," he was so pissed off at himself.
"Patrick," she said and pulled him to her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think about it. I mean I thought about it, for sure, but then you were gone and I was terrified and now you're lying here so amazing and," he was silenced with her mouth against his.
"Patrick, we can wait," she said. "I can wait."
He lay back and exhaled.
"But I don't want to wait."
She smiled and kissed his chest.
"Then maybe I can help you out."
His eyes opened wide as she took his hand in hers.
"Show me what you like," she whispered.
He grinned as he covered her mouth with his own and shook his head.
"Nope. We do this together or not at all," he said and pulled her to him. "We have time."
"Well it's not like there isn't anything you could do for me," she teased.
"Well if that's the case, I'd be happy to oblige," he wiggled his eyebrows and she laughed as they touched each other and connected on a deeply intimate level.