A Special Kind of Love (18 page)

Sharon
took Aaron’s hand and the three of them walked over to the waiting ambulance.
Tanner placed Aaron on the gurney and the EMT’s went to work, strapping an
oxygen mask on his face and an oxygen saturation meter on his finger, taking
vital signs, and starting an IV. They still couldn’t give him anything for the
pain, because narcotics could suppress his respirations.

“I’m
sorry, Mom. Please don’t be mad at me. I hate it when you’re mad at me.”

Sharon
raised the hand she still held to her lips and kissed his palm. “I’m not mad,
baby.
Just happy that you’re all right.
But we
will
be talking about this later.”

A
small smile formed on Aaron’s lips. “That’s just what Tanner said,” Aaron replied
before he closed his eyes, his breathing ragged and his face contorted in pain.
Sharon held his hand all the way to the hospital in the ambulance while Tanner
followed behind in his truck.

When
they reached the hospital, Aaron was whisked away for x-rays and Sharon had to
deal with all the insurance paperwork. The ordeal was made easier by the quiet
presence of Tanner at her side.

Sharon
paced the waiting room. What the hell could be taking so long? Tanner came up
and put his arm around her, drawing her in for a hug and then leading her over to
the sofa. “Sit down, baby. You’re wearing a hole in the carpet. The doctor will
be out soon with news.”

“I’m
sorry. I was never very good at waiting.”

A
green scrub clad man appeared in the doorway to the waiting room, a clipboard
in hand. “Mrs. Daily?” he asked.

Sharon
and Tanner both rose and walked over to the man.

“I’m
Sharon Daily. How is my son?”

“Hello,
Mrs. Daily. I’m Doctor Parker. Aaron is doing well. His oxygen saturation
levels are good, so he is doing well despite his smoke exposure. The broken leg
appears to be the only injury. However, the break is severe. It is a compound
fracture and there is some chipping of the bone. We need to take him to
surgery, remove the bone fragments and stabilize the break with a metal plate.”

Tanner
squeezed her shoulder and kissed her temple. “It’s standard procedure for this
kind of break, baby. Aaron will be fine. Right, Doctor Parker?”

“I
don’t anticipate any complications. It’s a simple procedure and I anticipate Aaron
will make a full recovery,” Doctor Parker replied. “Let’s sit down and I will
explain the surgery to you in detail. If you consent, then there are some forms
you need to sign.”

After
twenty minutes, Sharon’s mind whirled with worst-case scenarios. People died from
anesthesia, infections.
Stop. Aaron
survived a forest fire. He will survive this too. My baby has to be okay. He
just has to be.

“We’ll
be heading up to the O.R. in about twenty minutes. The anesthesiologist will
need to speak with you too. You can come and sit with Aaron until we take him
upstairs.”

That
statement brought Sharon back to the present. “Thank you. That would be
wonderful.” Sharon took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Tanner’s hand
slipped to the small of her back and he guided her out of the waiting room in
Dr. Parker’s wake.

Sharon
and Tanner entered the small treatment room where Aaron rested. He looked so
small and pale, lying on the white gurney, an IV attached to his arm, a nasal
cannula
in his nose. Sharon walked to the side of the
gurney and brushed back his hair, gently kissing his forehead. Aaron’s eyes
fluttered open. “Hi, Mom,” he said in a slightly slurred voice.

“Hi,
baby. How are you feeling?”

“Sleepy.”

“Are
you in any pain?”

“No,
just sleepy.”

“Did
the doctor explain what they are going to do? You need surgery to fix your leg.
They’re going to put you to sleep and you won’t feel anything. When you wake
up, your leg will be in a cast. You’ll be good as new in no time.”

“I
know. It’s a simple procedure,” Aaron said. His eyelids were drooping again and
Sharon could tell he was fighting sleep.

“Just
close your eyes and rest, baby. When you wake up it will all be over and Tanner
and I will be right here waiting for you.”

“’Kay,”
Aaron said and drifted back into sleep.

An
hour and a half later the doctor came back to the waiting room to tell them
that everything had gone well and Aaron was in the recovery room. They could go
see him now.

Sharon
didn’t think that Aaron was really even aware that they were there, but they
both kissed him and told him they would be there when he woke up in the
morning.

As
they left the hospital, Sharon realized Tanner’s arm still rested around her
shoulders. He had been there for her every minute. His quiet presence and
support surrounded her. What a change from her ex-husband, who was never there
for her. She stopped walking and looked up into his beloved face. She raised
her hand and cupped his cheek, drawing him down to her lips for a sweet kiss.
“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for finding my son and for being here with
me.”

Tanner
smiled down at her. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Do you want me to take
you home or will you come home with me?”

She
laid her head on his shoulder. “Let’s go to your house. I know you need a
shower and a change of clothes. Plus you have a bigger bed,” she said with a
saucy smile, trying her best to lighten the mood.

Tanner
hugged her quickly.
“
Mmm
, a shower
and a beautiful woman in my bed.
What more could any man want?” At that
moment his stomach growled loudly.

Sharon
laughed.
“Maybe some food.”

Tanner
blushed and Sharon bit the inside of her cheek to keep her mirth in check.

“Yeah,
food would be good. Let’s get some take out on the way home. What are you in
the mood for?”

“How
about a big, juicy hamburger and some wonderfully greasy French fries?”

“That
sounds great!”

* * * *

They
arrived at Tanner’s house in less than twenty minutes. The fire was now under
control, so they were free to enjoy their evening.

“Why
don’t you go and grab a quick shower while I get the food set out. I know you
will be more comfortable clean. I hate to be rude, but I don’t think I can
stomach eating with you in the room smelling like smoke.”

Tanner
laughed, “Sounds like a plan to me.” He gave her a quick kiss and high tailed
it to the bathroom.

Sharon
set the table and as she pulled out the cold drinks, she heard the water shut
off and smiled. That was definitely a quick shower. Tanner stepped into the
kitchen in a pair of low slug draw string pants. His gorgeous bronze chest was
still glistening with drops of moisture and his hair hung damply, brushing his
shoulders, loose the way she liked it.

He
walked over and wrapped her in his arms, kissing her lips, her cheek and then
her forehead. Sharon laid her head on his chest and snuggled close. “
Mmm
, now you smell good enough to eat.”

Tanner’s
stomach growled again. He leaned back and smiled at her. “I think I better feed
the beast in my belly before it escapes. I would be more than happy to be
dessert.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

“Okay,
food first.
I have a feeling you’re going to need your strength tonight.” She kissed his
pec
and pushed him toward the table. “Eat. Everything is
ready and nothing is worse than cold French fries.”

Tanner
consumed two large cheeseburgers and two orders of fries in the time it took
Sharon to eat half of her burger. He also drank three bottles of water and two
glasses of sweet tea. “Do you want my fries? I’m full,” Sharon asked.

“No,
I’m ready for my dessert,” he said. “Come over here, my sweet, I need a little
nibble of your sugar.”

He
pulled Sharon onto his lap and kissed her deeply. Drawing her bottom lip into
his mouth and nibbling it with his teeth, then soothing the sting by sliding
his tongue gently over the bite. He held the back of her head, thrusting his
tongue in to duel with hers. Then he gentled the kiss, lightly kissing the
corners of her mouth and then moving down her cheek to the hollow behind her
ear. Sharon shivered when he nuzzled that sweet spot.

He
slowly peeled her blouse from her shoulders, kissing the skin he exposed. “You
are so beautiful,” he said between kisses. Sharon felt tears crowd her eyes. He
made her
feel
beautiful, and the day
had been so full, her emotions were running high.

Tanner
lifted her to her feet and slid her
capris
down her
legs, taking her panties with them. Sharon stepped from the clothing and slid
back onto his lap, rubbing her pearling nipples against his chest. The friction
was marvelous and she felt her sex pulse in time to her movements. She slipped
from his lap to kneel on the floor, running her hands down the outside of his
legs to his bare feet.
Damn, he even has
sexy feet.
She lifted his foot and sucked his big toe into her mouth.
Tanner groaned and his cock twitched in his pants. She kissed up the top of his
foot to his ankle, while her hands made her way to the waistband of his pants.
He lifted his hips and helped her slide them to the floor. He wasn’t wearing
any underwear. Sharon sat back and pulled the pants from his legs. She caressed
his calves, her mouth trailing kisses along his thighs until she reached her
ultimate goal.

The
hot smooth flesh of his cock slid between her lips and Tanner bucked his hips.
“I’m not
gonna
last long if you do that, baby.”

She
hummed her approval and took him as deeply as she could. The taste of him
excited her and she reached between her legs to touch her throbbing center.

“Oh,
no you don’t. You’re not coming without me inside you.” He stood and swept her
into his arms, carrying her off to the bedroom. This was becoming a habit she hoped
would last a lifetime.

* * * *

Tanner
rolled to his side, pulling her with him and snuggling her close. Sharon rested
her head on his chest, breathing in his clean masculine scent as her breathing
slowly returned to normal.

“Thank
you. That was wonderful,” Sharon whispered.

Tanner
kissed her temple and took a deep breath, it was now or never. He knew it was
early in their relationship, but after today, he wasn’t willing to wait any
longer.

Tanner
drew back so he could look into Sharon’s
eyes,
he
framed her face with his hands and couldn’t resist kissing her sweet red mouth.
“I love you,” he said.

Sharon
kissed him back. “I love you, too,” she said between kisses.

He
held her face, gently pulling her back from the kiss. “I know it may be soon,
but I hope it’s not too soon. Today proved to me that I don’t want to live my
life without you and Aaron in it. Will you marry me?”

Tanner
watched as Sharon’s eyes filled with tears. “I love you, Tanner. I really do,
and I’d like nothing more than to be your wife. But are you sure? After the
stunt Aaron pulled today, you know that dealing with him isn’t always easy. Are
you sure you want to take on that responsibility?
And what about other children?
Autism can be hereditary. There’s the
possibility that any other children I had could be autistic too.
Especially boys.”

“I
love Aaron, Sharon. When I thought I might lose him today, I thought I would
die. Yes, what he did was stupid and reckless. But I don’t think it really had
anything to do with his autism.
Kids his age do stupid
things.
They think they’re invincible. Hell, when I was ten I jumped off
the barn roof and broke my leg. I wanted to fly like Superman.
And as for more children?
I would love a houseful of kids
just like Aaron. He is an amazing kid. Would you like to have more children?”

“I
would love to have more children. I always wanted more kids. But John didn’t
want to chance having another
damaged
child.”

“Pardon
my French, but John is an asshole. I would love to have a little girl with your
curly blonde hair and cute little nose.”