44
JD’s friskiness was short-lived, falling into a much-needed (likely drug-assisted) doze within a few minutes. Backing out of JD’s room, trying not to wake him, I bumped into someone in the hallway. I flinched when the someone immediately hugged me to him.
“Thank God you’re all right.”
He’d clutched me so close so quickly, I hadn’t recognized Mike until I heard his voice. But the tuck into his chest was familiar, too, albeit more intense than the last time I’d been there. My ribs twinged as I lifted my arms to meet his.
“Are you my escort?” I asked.
“Something like that.” He grinned and held out an arm. “This way, my lady.”
“You’re lucky we were eating barbecue,” Mike said as we made our way, arm-in-arm, to a waiting exam room downstairs. “It smelled so good, we got antsy waiting t
