“I’ve made arrangements for him to be taken by helicopter to St. Francis as soon as he’s cleared to travel,” Marty assured him. “It’s one of the best places around and in his home city.”

“Good. Good. Well, I’m beat. Gonna call it a night. Suggest you do the same. Don’t expect any problems but you never know. I’ve left my pager number in case there’s a change during the night and I’m just down at Colton’s. Can be back here double quick.”

“Thanks, Lee.”

“Yes, well don’t thank me ‘til you get my bill. Should just about cover my losses at the crap table. Don’t know how you managed to get me operating privileges on such short notice, Marty and knowing you, I’m not even going to ask. Good night.”

“Well, Elgin my dear, I guess we’ll pass on the coffee and snacks. I’m exhausted and I’m sure you are too. I’ll call the Crystal Pines and have them send a car.”

“You go on, Marty. I want to stay here. In case.”

“Absolutely not. You can’t see him and even if something did happen, you couldn’t do anything but get in the way. And if you spend the night on one of these orthopedic disasters masquerading as a sofa, you’ll be too crippled and disfigured to walk, much less…anything more strenuous when you do get to visit. So, it’s off to bed we go. Separately, of course.”

“By the way,” she asked as they walked toward the elevator, “you said the hospital ‘graciously consented’ to allowing Dr. Carswell to operate.”

“Yes.”

“So, how much does ‘graciously consented’ run these days?”

“Good God, Elgin,” Marty sighed. “You have the most foul, suspicious mind.”

“How much, Marty? A new wing?”

“You’re the one who’s in love with him,” he sniffed disdainfully, “not me. For you, a new wing. For him, just a new dialysis machine, which I’d been planning on donating anyway so it’s no big deal. Now can we get out of here? I’m absolutely famished.”

One more day.

In twenty-four hours, he’d be sleeping in his own bed. Or, better yet, in Elgin’s.

Harm shifted uncomfortably and tried to close his eyes. After two weeks in various hospital beds, he still couldn’t sleep on his back, no matter how much he fiddled with the bed adjustment. He normally slept on his side or stomach, virtually impossible, first with chest tubes and thick dressings and IV tubes and now simply because of the narrow, hard bed.

Oh well, with visiting hours past now, perhaps the floor would settle down. Tomorrow, his doctor would come after breakfast, sign his release papers, and with any luck, he and Elgin would be having lunch on her terrace.

He heard the door to his room open and close quietly. No doubt the night nurse coming to wake him up to give him his sleeping pill.

A pair of lips brushed gently against his, bringing him wide-awake.

“Sorry,” Elgin whispered, “didn’t mean to startle you.”

“I thought you left. Visiting hours are over. What are you doing here?”

“I decided after two whole weeks, I can’t wait another day.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She stepped back, undid the sash of her trench coat and pulled it open. “Surprise,” she chirped as he gaped at her naked body.

“Are you crazy?” he asked, not taking his eyes off her.

“Just unbearably horny.” Elgin stepped back to the bed, running the fingertips of both hands lightly along the top of the railing. “How do you get these things down?”

“You can’t be serious?”

“Why not?” A malicious grin appeared. “I mean, haven’t you ever wondered what it would be like to do it in one of these things? See what happens when you press the up and down buttons?”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m in this thing because of a gun-shot to my chest.”

“You’re getting out tomorrow. Obviously the doctor thinks you’re okay. I think you’re hot.”

Dropping the coat on the floor, she moved past the rails and hopped up on the bed. “Shove over.”

“What if someone comes in?”

She slipped under the thin sheet and blanket and snuggled against him.

“This is a hospital,” she whispered brightly, “I’m sure they’re familiar with anatomy.”

“Elgin…”

Taking his face gently in her hands, she stifled his objection with a passionate kiss, feeling his mouth open to receive her anxious tongue, his body relax as he pulled her to him.

“Ouch!” he yelped.

“Oh, sorry.”

“How do you propose we do this? I mean, without both of us ending up in traction.”

“I suppose we’ll have to do it like porcupines,” she giggled. “Very carefully. Here.” She opened her hand to reveal a white plastic box about two inches square.

“What’s this for?” he asked, taking it from her palm and examining it.

“You’ll see.”

“I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”

“Well I do, and so does he.” Elgin pulled up the hem of his gown. His fully erect cock lay red and hard against his brown hair and tan skin. “That makes it two against one.”

Harm grinned. “Okay, I guess I’m outnumbered. What now?”

Elgin changed her position, settling between his long legs. Gently, she kissed the head of his cock, slowly taking it up in her mouth, nipping lightly at the swollen flesh, feeling his body tense under her. Sucking, she swirled her tongue around the tip, tasting a salty drop of his fluid.

A few more seconds of this delightful torture and she released him.

“Flip the little switch on the top to ‘on,’” she instructed, “and move the thumb wheel very slowly.”

Obediently, he did as she said.

“Oh,” she squeaked in surprise, shivering a bit.

“What?” he demanded quickly. “What happened? What’d I do?”

In response, Elgin rose to her knees and spread her pussy lips apart. Sliding her thumb and forefinger slowly inside, in a moment she produced a smooth, shiny silver egg which she held up for him to see.

“It’s a vibrator,” she explained with a broad smile. “Remote controlled.”

“You mean…” he could hardly believe it.

“Uh-huh, I’m completely in your hands,” she laughed, sliding the egg back where it had come from. “Since it might still be a little bit longer until we can resume our more…strenuous activities, I thought it might be fun to explore alternate avenues. Besides, I know how fond you are of gadgets.”

“Well, well, well,” Harm chuckled, “ a remote control pussy. Whatever will they think of next?”

“Yes, well you be damned careful with that thing,” she warned playfully. “Don’t forget; I may be in your hands but you’re in my mouth.”

As she worked on him at her leisurely pace, Elgin could feel the egg inside her, now barely running, the next second sending waves of pleasure shooting through her. Nibbling on his balls, she felt a steady flow of energy prickling through her blood like shards of fire. Moving back along his shaft, the current ebbed and flowed like a roller coaster of sweet torment, dipping and rising and plunging and swaying as she moved toward the edge.

His cock, stiff and erect, glowed red hot, wriggling as she played with him, alternating her own tempo just as Camp varied the vibrations for her. But she knew they’d both been simmering, alone, for much longer than they should have been. Like that first frantic time, all that mattered to either of them showed in their revving hearts, rapid breaths and moans.

Grunts and stifled cries signaled the onrush of his climax, pushing the vibrator to its limit as she came too, muffling her shrieks of pleasure with his cock, swallowing as much as she could, the rest spilling out.

Limp, she pulled herself up and collapsed next to him, feeling the egg shut off as she lay back on the shared pillow, unable even to express her joy at being with the man she loved again. Panting, she closed her eyes and reveled in the sheer ecstasy of him.

“I love you,” he mumbled contentedly.