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Before I can answer her with a guess of my own, the front door clatters open. “Olivia! Why is Quinn here?”
I give her a startled look. Before I even say anything, she gathers up all the tests in a hurry and darts out of the bathroom. If nothing else, Quinn always has my back. She knows innately that I don’t want to confront this with Reese right now. My mind is too chaotic for that.
I realize too late that she’s left one behind.
Reese’s steps are close. He practically bounded up the stairs. I’m only able to swipe the last remaining pregnancy test onto the floor and hope he doesn’t notice it when he comes in.
“What’s going on?” He’s alarmed. Frustrated, too, if the furrow of his brow is anything to go on. I know that he’s nowhere near being alright with Quinn, but at this moment, his feelings about her aren’t the priority.
“I was still feeling sick,” I explain honestly. “She came over to bring me soup.”
Right on the dot, she comes back around the corner. Her shoulders brush against Reese’s when she pushes past him into the bathroom with me.
“Sorry, girl. Tried to find you some Ibuprofen. Faeries must’ve stolen them,” she jokes.
Reese rolls his eyes. His territorial aura flares up again and he comes closer to me than Quinn is. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I didn’t want to interrupt your day.”
“It wouldn’t have been an interruption. Not for you.” His hands cradle my face. There’s a flood of warmth and love rushing through me…
And then I shove Reese off me, just barely getting on my knees in enough time to throw up in the toilet.
Reese holds my hair out of my face as he addresses Quinn. “I got it from here,” he says, his voice gruff.
“Olivia…?”
I let the last heave out before turning my face towards hers. “I-It’s okay, Quinn. Go home. Don’t want you to catch anything spooky,” I mumble weakly.
Quinn hesitates, but nods anyway. “Just let me know how you feel tomorrow, ‘kay?”
She gives Reese one last meaningful look before slipping out of the bathroom. When she’s gone, Reese turns to me. “I’m taking tomorrow off,” he says. “I’m gonna stay here and take care of you.”
“You don’t have to do?—”
“I know I don’t have to. I want to. I’m going to.”
19
REESE
I’m not letting Olivia talk me out of taking care of her. She looks terrible—skin pale, eyes sunken. I thought yesterday it was just nerves like she said, but this is actual sickness.
I’ve never been in the position to take care of someone before. My past girlfriends didn’t last long enough for us to get into the “being domestic with each other” phase.
So last night’s argument and the annoyance of Quinn being in my house is pushed aside. Before Olivia can tell me no, I scoop her up and help her stand.
“You’re gonna catch whatever I have, getting so close to me like this,” she jokes weakly.
“Nah. I got a solid immune system. Never been sick a day in my life.”
I get her some Listerine and a disposable cup. She swishes it in her mouth, sighing gratefully. “Thanks.”
I scoop her up again and cart her into the bedroom. Ours, not the guest one. She starts to protest. “Reese?—”
“My bed is more comfortable. Unless you really just crave those springs digging in your back.” The look on her face is enough answer for me. “Thought so.”
A beautiful flush reddens her nose and cheeks. It could be a fever—she does feel a little warm—but I’d rather believe that it’s because of me.
