Told you I write quicker with nice reviews...thanks guys......psalm 57 this quick enough for you?!
THE AMERICAN PATIENT
Chapter XIV – Waking (part 4)
Elizabeth woke bright and early to a chorus of birds singing away outside the window. She lay on her side with Robert spooned behind her, the morning sun already streaming through the glass pane warming the room. Robert stirred in his sleep and drew her closer to him, making her smile. She reached a hand up to where his arm lay over her, and locked their fingers together.
God this feels so good.
They continued to lie together like that for a few minutes, until he stirred again and rolled onto his back. Elizabeth turned with him, and propped herself up on an elbow watching him. She gazed at his chest hypnotized by the rise and fall, rise and fall. Reaching out a hand she absently started playing with the light dusting of hair that covered his chest.
"Are you trying to tickle or to stimulate me?" he said, his voice low.
Dammit he sounds sexy when he does that!
"Sorry, did I wake you?" she smiled.
Romano opened his eyes and beamed back at the lovely face that hovered over him.
"Have I told you that I love you?"
"Not since last night, no." she purred.
"Well, I love you." He reached up and pulled her to him as their mouths moulded to one another in a tender kiss.
"I love you too." She moaned, moving herself on top of him. His arms went around her waist as she placed her hands either side of his head and lowered her mouth down for another kiss.
"How's the headache?" she nibbled into his ear.
"Depends."
"On what?"
"On, if you plan on givin me more of last nights medicine." His hands moved slowly from her waist, up her sides to rest on her shoulders.
"Well, are you in pain?" she smirked, sitting up straddling him.
He smiled, his hands dropping back to her waist.
"Agony."
"Well.... obviously that medicine doesn't work, so we'll have to try something different."
Romano looked up at her adoringly, "What did you have in mind doctor?"
Elizabeth lowered her head and began kissing his chest lightly in teasing circles. He watched in fascination as her hair fell forward around her face and he drew it into his fingers, drawing it back, behind her. She trailed her kisses to his stomach, shifting her body down, before kissing lower still. Roberts's head fell back into the pillow as he let out a gasp, gripped her hair harder and closed his eyes...
"Wobut!" Ella shouted excitedly, "Wobut!"
"Ah man... you gotta be kiddin' me!" he groaned.
Elizabeth's head shot up and she started laughing as she rolled off him.
"I think somebody's calling you!"
"I'm gonna have to have a word with Ella about timing." He grinned, sitting up looking round for something to put on.
"Wobut!"
"I'm coming!" He called out.
"Oh you wish." She giggled, and he shook his head and pouted at her.
"You're gonna have to get her Lizzie, I can't go like this!" he laughed, looking down at himself.
Elizabeth looked him up and down admiringly, laughed and swung herself out of bed.
"How long do you need stud muffin?"
He closed his eyes and started chanting to himself.
"Kerry Weaver, Kerry Weaver, Kerry Weaver."
She laughed and reached for her robe, leaving Robert to his mantra.
A minute later she stood by the door with Ella in her arms, and called out.
"Decent yet?"
He appeared in sweatpants and t-shirt, wearing a smile.
"Yup, that woman's good for something at least.... Hey Ella!"
"Wobut's head better?" she jumped into his arms, and he nodded.
"Mommy, mommy Wobut's head is better!" Ella shouted whilst banging him on the cranium to drive the point home.
"I thought you were in agony." She giggled.
Romano grinned and winked. "Oh, I'm sure I'll relapse later...so, Ella what did you dream you wanted to do?"
"Ponies."
"What?" he looked to Elizabeth for guidance.
Elizabeth giggled. "She means the carousel down by the navy pier."
"Oh right...sounds good, I haven't been down there for ages."
"Okay we have a plan then."
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After a fun filled morning, exploring the children's museum and riding the carousel with Ella they stopped to have lunch at a restaurant.
Romano finished his meal and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"That was awesome." He said with a satisfying pat of his stomach.
"Well you're obviously getting your appetite back...you up for dessert? They do great chocolate muffins here."
Romano smirked, and cocked his head slightly to the left.
"Sure why not, and ...by the way...this morning...stud muffin?" He raised an eyebrow.
Elizabeth smiled naughtily, and giggled.
"What's wrong with stud muffin?"
"The names Rocket, Rocket Romano." He said in his best James Bond voice.
"Oh, like you wish..."
"Excuse me I've never had any complaints in the past, and I've definitely not heard any out of you!"
"Well.... you know, you're only as good as the raw materials that you work with, so don't get too cocky there...Rocket." Elizabeth chuckled, and watched with glee as he inhaled sharply looking down at his lap where her foot had suddenly appeared under the table.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm just goin the men's room." He grinned, getting up from the table. He gave Elizabeth a quick kiss and whispered, "I'll be right back."
She watched his departing back, and laughed when she thought she heard him chanting Kerry's name again. With a happy sigh she turned back to her daughter.
"Oh Ella, don't play with your food." She said crossly, as Ella ran a ketchup-covered finger across her face.
Elizabeth reached inside her bag for the wet wipes and began the process of cleaning up the little girl. A minute later, mission accomplished she turned her attentions to the dessert menu....
"Elizabeth?"
She turned suddenly at the familiar voice with a start.
Oh God
"Donald!"
"Hello, I thought that was you...and who's this...surely it cant be little Ella... my, you are getting big aren't you?" he said playfully patting the little girl on the head.
Ella frowned at him and returned to her fries.
"What brings you down here Donald?"
"Same as you I expect, getting a bite to eat and enjoying the view. This is my first day off for a while so I'm determined to enjoy it. We've been slammed at work...in fact I very nearly called you a few times Elizabeth.... I had to send Robert home with the flu the day your vacation started, and as a result I've been covering all his scheduled surgeries. Anyway he's not much better. Called me yesterday and said he needed the rest of the week, and you know Robert, he'd have to be at deaths door before he'd willingly admit that!"
Her eyes shot to the restaurant entrance then nervously back to Donald.
Oh God Robert don't come out yet!
"Well we shouldn't keep you from your day then."
"Wobut poorly!" Ella shouted.
"Yes he is." Donald laughed, "She's a bright one isn't she?"
"Erm yes." Elizabeth said, stealing another glance at the restaurant again.
"Wobut's head poorly!"
"Yes Ella, I expect it is!" he laughed.
"Wobut's head sore but Ella make it better!"
"Sshh Ella." Elizabeth interrupted, "She likes to think she can make people better like mommy." She explained lowering her voice conspiratorially.
Anspaugh nodded, and smiled at Ella.
"Aww, that's sweet, you want to be a doctor just like your mommy?" he chuckled.
"Mommy make Wobut better too, he's..."
Oh Lord!
"Ella would you like to go round with the ponies again after you finish eating?"
That got the child's attention and she nodded her head before racing the rest of her food down.
"She's got an active imagination hasn't she?" Dr Anspaugh said shaking his head bemusedly.
"Erm, yes...so are you meeting someone Donald?"
"Yes, and I'd better get going or I'll be late." He said glancing at his watch, "I shall see you, upon your return to work Elizabeth, and Ella, always a pleasure young lady."
"Goodbye Donald."
Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief and watched the elderly doctor turn a corner and disappear from view, just as Romano re-emerged from the restaurant.
"Was that Anspaugh?" he asked.
"Yes he just appeared out of nowhere and nearly gave me a heart attack. It's a good job you'd gone inside!"
Robert looked offended.
"Why, are you embarrassed to be seen out with me?"
Elizabeth looked at him like he'd sprung another head, glanced at Ella and said in a quiet voice, "Don't be so bloody insecure Robert...I know you said you'd spoken to him yesterday, but what the hell did you tell him...he's under the impression you're about to shuffle off this mortal coil, so I don't think it would be a good idea for you to be seen stuffing dessert down your face now, do you? I think it might be prudent if we left before he comes back and discovers that you're actually very much recovered!"
"Well...yeah when you put it like that." He giggled, "I'll go get the check."
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When they got back to the house they put Ella down for her nap and went for 'a nap' themselves....
They lay together their bodies still warm from love making, enjoying the feel of naked skin on skin.
"So what did Anspaugh have to say anyhow?"
"Oh, not much. Just that they were busy with you being ill. It was quite funny actually, Ella nearly snitched on you! She started explaining how you were poorly and that we were making you better!"
"No!" he laughed.
"Fortunately he put it down to a child's active imagination." She chuckled.
Robert gazed at her lovingly, "So do you wanna do anything later?"
Elizabeth thought for the briefest of moments.
"No. I have everything I want here." She said cuddling into him more.
"Well, lemme cook tonight."
"You cook?"
"Hello, single man of 45 years who's lived most of that alone. Does it look like I'm starving or live on junk food?" he said, all mock offended.
Elizabeth peeled back the covers and ran her eyes appraisingly over his body.
"My apologies." She giggled into his ear, "I look forward to tasting your culinary delights."
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They spent the rest of the day lazing around the house playing with Ella, who had caught on to the joys of having her own personal guitar player. She kept Romano busy, demanding he play nursery rhymes from her vast repertoire over and over, much to Elizabeth's amusement.
"You tell anyone about this and you'll be joining Lewis with the polar bears!"
"Not a word I promise. You know.... you're going to have to learn to say 'no' to her.
"Shall I practice on you?" he smirked.
"No!"
Later, Robert introduced the girls to his mother's lasagne recipe, which went down a storm. They put Ella to bed, before settling down on the couch together, Elizabeth leaning into him as he held her in a warm embrace.
"How long have you played anyhow?"
"Since I was a kid. My mom got me a second hand one for Christmas when I was nine. I drove her mad, plucking away at it for hours on end." He laughed.
"What, so you're self taught?" she said impressed.
"Well I was until I got to junior high, then my music teacher took pity on me. He tutored me for free right up until I left for college. Turned out I got pretty good...he wanted me to audition for Juilliard!"
"Juilliard as in New York!"
"The one and only." Romano bragged.
"And you weren't tempted?"
"I was, but you gotta understand Lizzie I needed to do something that offered security, and music....well, it just doesn't. It was important to me to do something that would enable me to take care of mom and Emma, and medicine did that."
"But don't you ever wonder?"
He shook his head, "No, I love what I do, you know that. And I still write and play music. It's quite a good work out on the fingers, keeps them nimble for surgery, so all's well that ends well."
"God, you're amazing." She sighed.
"Yeah well take me to bed and I'll show you just how amazing I can be!" he said, in that low sexy voice, she was beginning to go mad for.
She was up and running for the stairs, before he made it off the couch...
TBC