“No, but I’m thinking I might owe you when you get out of here. Buy you dinner at the very least.”

“I’ll take you up on that. Did you lose anything?” She held up her hands and wiggled her fingers at him. “All ten fingers and toes accounted for?”

Easton shook his head. “The only thing I lost was my pride. Scoot over.”

“There’s not enough room,” River protested.

“Nah, it’s fine.”

“You’re a beast-sized person. There’s definitely no room.”

Even as she argued playfully with him, River moved over, making a spot for Easton. And yes, there really wasn’t room, but that didn’t matter, not when he turned on his side, drawing her in flush to his body. She snuggled in, pressing her face to his neck.

“So this is what it’s like.” At her askance look, Easton explained, “Holding you without fifteen feet of jackets between us.” The IVs weren’t ideal for cuddling, and his pulled at his hand when he moved wrong, but being able to feel the soft skin of her arm along his was worth it.

River grinned at him. At least he assumed she grinned at him, because he could feel her lips curving against the skin of his throat. But like Easton, she seemed far too happy to be close to actually look up at him.

She felt good. Far better than a guy like him deserved.

“So, Jamie, huh?” He tried her name to see how it fit.

River sighed dramatically. “No, please don’t. I’m legally changed to River now, for better or for worse. I’ve married myself into this personality.”

Easton didn’t care what he called her, as long as she was tucked in his arms like this.

“What’s a girl got to do to get a ‘we survived, yay’ kiss?”

Easton nuzzled her neck, pressing a soft kiss to her pulse point. “Like that?”

“Not quite.”

“There?” Another kiss to her earlobe, then behind her ear.

“Hmm, that’s better. But not yet.”

Settling in, Easton tangled his hand in her hair, gazing into her eyes. She was so beautiful, even more so when she pulled him to her. Drawing her deep into his arms, Easton rolled so the weight of his body didn’t press down upon her. Lost in her, Easton didn’t realize they had company until a delicate female cough at the doorway was followed by a deeper, masculine snort.

“I take it this isn’t a good time?” Graham asked cheekily.

Graham and Zoey stood inside the doorway, twin expressions of curiosity on their faces.

When Easton groaned, his best friend chuckled. “We’re getting you back for all those times you interrupted us, buddy. Hey, Zoey, East has a girlfriend.”

“I know,” Zoey played along. “And she’s really pretty. Maybe too pretty for him. Do we know what he looks like under the beard?”