It wasn't too cool tonight, and luckily for me, the doors were open.
I waited for a sound, and when I didn't hear one, I tiptoed inside. I didn't make it five steps before a bedside lamp clicked on. I stopped mid-step, caught in the act.
"You must be the man my granddaughter is all twisted up about."
I turned and faced the bed, seeing what looked like a much-older Sheryl White. She and her grandmother were nearly identical, her grandmother just having a few soft lines.
She was in the bed, but wearing a hospital gown and robe, her long hair braided and falling down one elegant shoulder.
She folded her hands across her lap, patiently waiting for me to speak.
"She mentioned me to you?" I didn't know why these were the first words out of my mouth.
"No, but she and I share a close bond. I know when something is troubling her, and you, my dear, are trouble."
I held my hands up and started to make my case, but she cocked her head to the side and smiled at me. She reached out and patted the chair next to her bed, and I walked over, taking a seat.
"Do you love her?" My mouth fell open at her direct questions. "Listen, when you get to be my age, things become simpler. If you want to know something, you ask. So I'm asking you. What is it that's got you sneaking in here in the middle of the night?"
I felt a half-smile dance across my face. This was my kind of lady.
"She's something special to me, and some things got mixed up tonight. I'm here because she won't answer the phone and let me explain myself. She's upset, and it's because of a misunderstanding.
I'm here to tell her the truth. And if you don't mind, I'd like to tell her how I feel directly to Sheryl White. I think it's only fair that she hears it first."
"Are you going to let her marry that idiot Sam Peterson?"
"Absolutely not, ma'am." My answer was fast and fierce. "She's mine, and I promise you that I'll protect her and cherish her for the rest of our lives. I don't know what happened tonight, but I will fix it, and then I'll never let her leave my side. I may not be able to give her all this," I waved my hand around to indicate the hospital room, "but I'll treat her better than anyone ever could. There's not a man alive who will take care of her better than I will."
She gave me a soft smile and leaned her head back against her pillow. After a second, she closed her eyes and then opened them again. She looked a little teary-eyed as she reached over to her bedside table and opened a drawer. She pulled out a small ring box and passed it to me.
"You remind me of my late husband, James. We started out with nothing but love, but damn if he didn't love me enough that I never needed anything else." She let go of the box and wrapped my hand around it. "She's down the hall, fourth door on the right."
I clutched the box and then slid it into my pocket. I knew what it was, and I knew what it meant.
As close as Sheryl White was to her grandmother, I was relieved to have her blessing.
Standing up beside the bed, I looked down at her, seeing how tired she looked. Leaning down, I laid a small kiss on her cheek, and her hand came up to touch my beard. When I pulled back, she was smiling and then held her cheek where I kissed her.
"I forgot how much I missed my James's beard. Go get your girl."
With that, I turned and left the room, making my way quietly down the hall. I counted off and when I got to the fourth one, I put my ear to it and listened. I heard slight snoring, and smiled. That's my Duchess.
Opening the door, I saw her silhouette on the bed. I could make her out from the moonlight streaming in. I walked over to the bed, stripping down all my clothes as I went. When I was completely naked, I stripped back the covers and climbed in behind Sheryl White.
She was wrapped up in a hospital gown that had wriggled its way up her hips, and I could see she was naked underneath. I moved on top of her, and she came awake, her gray eyes growing big. I put my hand over her mouth as she started to shout, and I held my finger over my lips.
"Quiet, Duchess. You need to listen to me. Don't panic."
She was shouting at me from under my hand, but I leaned in, kissing her neck to help calm myself. I could still feel her struggling against me and calling me a few names.
Leaning up, I looked into her eyes, and I could see she was furious with me. "You can call me every name you want, My sweet Duchess. I'm not leaving until you hear me out."
She tried to move her legs and kick at me, but all it did was open them further. The action also pushed my cock against her naked core.
I held her tightly and waited her out, kissing her neck and collarbone. "You've gotten yourself all worked up, and you haven't even asked me if any of this is true. You heard something from someone, and you immediately assumed the worst of me. Why, baby? What have I done to you to make you think my words aren't honest?"
Looking into her eyes, I could see she was starting to hesitate, some of her anger falling away.
"Sheryl White, you mentioned I had a pregnant girlfriend, which is simply not possible. I haven't been with anyone but myself in years. An embarrassing number of years, in fact. So I don't know who told you what, but it's all completely false."
I felt her deflate completely under me, and I slowly took my hand away. I didn't move my body off hers. Instead, I pressed against hers harder, letting her feel the ridge of my cock against her warm, open pussy.
"You really think I'd lie to you about something like that?" She looked me in the eyes, and after a second, shook her head. "That's right, Sheryl White. I would never do anything to hurt you. I'll always tell you the truth, and I would never keep something like that from you."