Chapter 2

When Caitlin Collins recovered consciousness, she found herself lying on her bed face down on a sheet of plastic. Her face was resting on a pillow while her body was lying on the vinyl. "Where did this come from?" she asked softly, lifting a corner of the plastic.

"Oh, that?" Bill replied nonchalantly. "That's your shower curtain. I figured your blood would wash off it easier than it would from a sheet. Besides, your body won't stick to it, either."

Looking up Caitie saw him holding a familiar-looking small container. "What's that?" she asked suspiciously. "It almost looks like Super Glue."

"That's only because it is."

"And what, Dr. William Corcoran, are you using it for? To glue me back together?"

"Exactly!" he replied with a grin. "And it saves a lot of work, too. If I had tried to stitch all your lacerations closed, I would have run out of sutures an hour ago..."

"My God!" she exclaimed. "How long have I been out?"

Glancing at his watch, Bill saw that it was almost four o'clock. "I guess for a couple of hours. It gave me a chance to do the front of you and let the glue dry before I had to turn you over." Shaking his head he added, "You know something? Gluing your nipples back together was a real bitch!"

"Bill Corcoran, if you glued my asshole closed, I'll never speak to you again!" Looking suspicious she added, "For that matter, did you glue my vagina closed already?"

"I was going to," Bill replied casually. "I thought it might keep you out of trouble. But then I figured, what the hell. You might want to use it for something sometime, so I didn't."

With her eyes softening and her feigned anger forgotten she asked softly, "What do you think? How am I, really?"

"I was right," he replied seriously. "I've seen survivors of head-on collisions who were in better shape than you are." He just shook his head and added, "Honestly — and this is a medical opinion, by the way — I don't really know how you survived."

"Did I?" she asked softly.

"'Did I' what?"

"Did I survive?"

"Caitie, you're terribly ripped up internally, and I'm not a gynaecologist. But I think you'll make it." He paused and then added, "On the other hand, I've never seen a more perfectly formed human than you are. Or were!" He shook his head and asked again, "But why?"

"Because I needed $6,000 and this was the only way I could get it," she replied softly. Then she added, "Are you almost finished?"

"Yes, I am," he answered. "Just lie still for a few more minutes and let the glue dry." Then he leaned over and very gently kissed her. At least it was intended to be a gentle kiss. Instantly there was the electricity and bells.

Finally easing away, he whispered, "Caitlin Collins, I love you."

"I love you, too, William Corcoran." Then tears came to her eyes and she added in a near-whisper, "What a stinking shame I didn't meet you a week ago..."

"What difference would that have made?" he asked. "Of course, I think I could have set it up for you to have avoided the new body decorations..."

Suddenly her eyes were blazing with anger. "What do you mean, what difference does it make?" she demanded. "A week ago I was a virgin. I suppose I was the kind of girl a man might think of marrying. But now? Hah!"

"I admit it is a bit premature since I've only known you for a couple of hours," he replied softly, ignoring her apparent anger, "but what's wrong with marrying me now?"

Caitlin didn't reply. Instead she dropped her head to the pillow and began to cry her eyes out. While she was crying, Bill gently slipped her off the shower curtain, eased her under the covers, and rehung the curtain in the bathroom. Returning to the bedroom, he found Caitie fast asleep. After dimming the light, he went out to the living room taking a spare blanket he found in the closet with him. Lying on the sofa, he quickly fell asleep.

It was an hour later when he heard Caitie cry out. Returning to the bedroom, he found her weeping while still asleep and reaching out for something.

By this time he was wearing only his shorts, but he got into the bed beside her. When she felt his body, she pulled at him. Taking the hint, he slipped off his shorts and moved close beside her where he could feel the warmth from her body and smell her fragrance.

It's incredible, he thought. She's been sweating and bleeding like a stuck pig. I couldn't wash off her body, but she still smells so lovely! Ignoring what must have been excruciating pain, she relaxed while snuggled close against him. Her screaming had stopped the instant she felt his body on the bed, and now she was again sound asleep.