He leaned over the table and took a quick kiss. “Yep. That tracks.”
Jack chuckled softly. “I love that about you. It’s charming as fuck.”
“What, that I’m easy? Or, easy for you anyway.” He didn’t think he’d ever said no to Jack. Not one time that he could remember.
“Easy for me. I love how you melt for me. How your ass looks bent over a bed.”
He shrugged. “You have magic hands. You touch me just right.” If the conversation went on like this, they wouldn’t make it past the rental car. Especially if they had tinted windows.
He was learning that Jack was very into quickies now that they were together a lot.
And he had zero problem with that.
“Oh, look, your ranch dressing, baby.” Their little feast landed on the table and Jack actually did order two coffees.
“See? First booze and grease, now protein and caffeine.” Didn’t that make Jack pleased with himself?
“Are those the four food groups now?” He picked up a slider and ate half of it in one bite. It was so good, he shoved in the other half before he’d finished chewing. “M-m-mm.”
Jack’s chuckle filled the air, and he grabbed a piece of fried cheese, stretching the mozzarella out. “Num…”
“This was the best idea ever.” They just needed to make it to the hotel room for the second-best idea. He swallowed down the slider with the last sip of his beer, and reached for a chicken tender, dipping it in the ranch dressing. “Now the ranch has a reason.”
“Ranch always has a reason.Always.” Jack almost managed to keep a straight face.
He just shook his head and sipped his coffee. It didn’t taste as good as the beer had.
Jack passed over the rest of his beer without comment, and it was amazing, the way Jack watched him.
“Are you trying to get me drunk? I’m already easy.” He took it though, and sipped the rest of it while they ate their fried food fest.
By the time they were done eating, he felt almost human, and Jack was actually smiling, laughing.
“You were jealous of the grandma at the next table who was giving me winky faces, weren’t you?” He took Jack’s arm as they left the restaurant and stepped back out into that weird later afternoon light. “You know you were.”
“I don’t have to be jealous. You’re mine.”
“You’re learning.” He bumped hips with Jack. “You can prove it when we get back to the hotel.”
“You know it. I’ll turn your ass inside—” Jack’s phone rang, and he grabbed it. “Hey, Sid, what’s—Okay. Okay, we’re ten minutes out. Be right there.”
Shit. They jogged the rest of the way to the rental car. “What happened? Is he okay?”
“Sid says we need to be there. He woke up, and he’s having trouble figuring out what’s going on. He’s known me a long time. The doctors are hoping I can help.”
“Keys.” He’d drive. Jack looked white as a ghost. “This will be good. He’ll know you.”
“He’s not all in there, but he’s been out so long.” Jack handed over the keys. “You good to drive?”
“Yep. A beer and a half with food? I’m good.” But it was wonderful of Jack to check. “You just focus on what you’re going to say, and how you’re not going to freak Sid out more than he is. I’ll take him for some coffee or something.”
“We’ve done this before. It’s not pretty, but I know it.” Jack slipped into the passenger’s side. “Poor guy. This sucks, but he’s awake and he’s talking. We’ll get him back.”
“Of course you will.” He pushed the gas just a little to get them back to the hospital as soon as possible. “You want me to drop you off so you can run in? I can park and meet you up there.”
“No. We’ll go together. Five minutes won’t matter one way or the other.” Jack took one deep breath, then another. “I want to go home.”
God, yes. He hated how hard this was on his cowboy. “Soon, baby. They can release him or transfer him now that he’s awake. Sid will want him home too. One day at a time.” He finally found parking and took Jack’s hand as they headed in.