Free Crazy Dreams by Dawn Pendleton

and walked in the door. Stone’s room was the first one on the right and he was sitting up as the doctor talked to him. Thank God.
    “Ember!” he yelled. “The doctor ish telling me about the medicine he gave me. I feel great.” His words were more than a little slurred.
    “Miss Daniels, I’m Doctor Taylor,” the older man in the white coat greeted me, reaching out to shake my hand. “Stone is heavily medicated. He kept passing out whenever we’d wake him. As soon as he saw the blood, he’d be gone. He seems to be doing okay now. He said you’re staying with him?”
    “Yes, sir, that’s right. We’re roommates.” I glanced at Stone and held back a laugh. He was snapping his fingers but not making any noise. The motion seemed to fascinate him. “Is he alright?”
    “Yes, of course. He’s just a little loopy, and will be for a few hours. The nurse will be in here in just a few minutes with the supplies to stitch him and then we’ll let you folks be on your way. Until then, you can sit with him and keep him company. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Dr. Taylor left the room.
    I sat in the chair next to the bed and held onto Stone’s uninjured hand. “You’re going to give me gray hair,” I muttered.
    Stone turned his head to look at me. “You’re too pretty to have gray hair.”
    “Well, thanks, I think,” I said with a laugh.
    “Can I have more juice?” he asked, holding out his IV arm.
    I sighed. “You’re going to be a handful tonight, aren’t you?”
    “I’ll be on my best behavior, scout’s honor.” He held up just his middle finger. Nice . “Just don’t try to take advantage of me again, okay?”
    “ Again? ”
    “You know, when you sucked my dick .” He lowered his voice when he said it. “You took advantage of me and I expect you to be on your best behavior, too.”
    I stared at him in shock. He was hilarious and horrifying all at the same time. Someone cleared their throat behind me. I turned to see the doctor and a nurse at the door, both with wide grins on their faces.
    I turned back to Stone. “I’ll get you back for this,” I hissed, moving up and away from the bed. I watched as Dr. Taylor and the nurse worked on Stone’s finger. Stone just stared at me the whole time.
    It was a little unnerving. I tried my best to ignore him. For their part, the doc and nurse kept their mouths shut about Stone’s embarrassing revelation. I wanted to smack him, but I knew it wouldn’t matter. He was too hopped up on pain pills to even notice if the doctor cut off his finger entirely. Once Stone was sober and fully functional, I planned to get him back for his idiocy. He would pay for what he said.
    Half an hour later, Stone was all patched up and loaded in the truck. The nurse gave me all his release forms, including how to rebandage his wound in six hours. I was sure I’d have to do it, too, since Stone seemed to pass out whenever he saw blood. I planned on making fun of him for it as soon as he could comprehend that he was being insulted.
    The ride back was quiet. Stone fell asleep and drooled all over himself and the window his head leaned against. It would have been funny if I wasn’t seriously worried that his drool would fall on me when I opened up his door.
    “Stone!” I shook him. “Wake up.”
    He lifted his head. “Hey, baby. Are you ready to take me to bed?”
    Not even close . “We’re home. Can you walk?”
    “I can go all night long,” he murmured, his eyes somewhat glazed over.
    I rolled my eyes and jumped out of the truck, walking around the front to open his door. His head hung to the side so he could look at me.
    “I don’t need you to take care of me,” he muttered.
    Stone on drugs is schizophrenic. Great. “Okay. I won’t.”
    I stood up on the step tubes of his truck and unbuckled him. Stone put his face in my chest. I pushed him back and he laughed, thoroughly enjoying himself.
    “You’re a jerk when you’re high,” I told him.
    His response