Come To Me by LaVerne Thompson Page B

split second, there was the love he was accustomed to seeing in
her gaze. He bent and kissed her, but before he could take the kiss deeper, she
pulled back. He had to be patient. She was worth it. At least she knew the
truth now, and dammit, she responded to him the way she always had. At the
hospital, she didn’t shy away when he tried to touch her or kiss her, but
something in her manner told him not to go any further. But god, he wanted to.
He left the room, knowing he had to because he wanted to hold her tighter to
him, to take her inside of him so they would be together always.
    He
missed her so much. He just needed to remind her of what they were to each
other. But ever since they got back to the condo he sensed her withdrawing from
him. Closing herself off. She was still unsure, scared maybe. At first he was
angry when Tony had called and she wanted to see him, but he thought maybe her
need to see Tony was understandable. She was trying to put all the pieces
together. Perhaps talking to his friend about that night would help. He hoped
so.
    They
spent the rest of the day chatting with him again doing most of the talking,
telling her about himself and what she did for a living. He sat with her as
they flipped through the album they’d started three months ago of pictures of
them, their life together in D.C. There were even a few of them from when he
spent time back in San Diego with her and a couple of Tony posing beside them.
Then they went through the albums she’d had shipped there when she’d moved to
D.C. She didn’t recognize her best friend or any of the other photos. A look of
sadness slipped over her face when he pointed out some of her friends.
    “Maybe
this wasn’t such a good idea,” Baron said aloud and typed on the iPad.
    “No.
It was worth a shot that I might remember something.”
    For
a second, he thought about calling Karen and having her talk to Jasmine, but
that wasn’t going to work since she couldn’t hear.
    He
got up, went to the kitchen and then came back with a couple of restaurant
menus. He’d never been much of a cook, and while Jasmine cooked sometimes, he
never expected her to. But there wasn’t any food in the house. He’d been gone
all week and Jas had been in the hospital for the last few days. He went back
to the couch and handed her the menus.
    “These
all look good,” she said. “What do you feel like eating tonight?”
     

     
    She
still wasn’t sure how she managed to get the nerve up to ask Tony the question
that had been haunting her. But Baron got a phone call and went into the den to
take it, leaving them alone for a few minutes after dinner.
    “Tony,
I’m sorry for the confusion.”
    He
shook his head then opened the iPad they’d been using all evening to
communicate with her.
    ‘No worries. Not your fault.’
    Baron
had asked him questions about the night of her accident, trying to help her,
but nothing triggered a memory. Tony’s answers cleared up a lot, like why
they’d been together. However, there was one question she needed to ask him
without Baron present. She never wanted to hurt Baron. The thought alone
cramped her stomach muscles. She knew he loved her. She felt it in every look,
every touch. But she had to be sure. How could she make such a mistake?
    “Tony,
I have to ask you something. Please, I need to know.” She took a deep breath.
There really was only one way to put her fears to rest. “Was there something
more between us other than friendship?”
    He
frowned like he didn’t understand the question, but at that moment Baron
returned to the living room. She thought he’d asked Tony a question because
Tony glanced up at him, shook his head.
    Jasmine
didn’t know what Baron asked Tony, but when Tony handed him his wine glass she
understood. Then Baron touched her shoulder, and she looked up at him. He held
up her empty glass of sparkling water. And she nodded. “Yes, please.”
    When
Baron moved toward the kitchen to fill their