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“No, thanks.”
She stood up ram-rod straight. “You’re going without underwear?”
Her back was still toward me so I couldn’t see her face. “Do you go without a bra when you’re sick.”
“Touché.”
I watched as Clare set the rest of my stuff on the bed, then made her way to the bathroom. I laid back and closed my eyes only to have her gently shake me and wake me up.
“Wes, the bath is ready. Can you stand up okay, or do you need help?”
“Nah, I got it,” I said as I stood, then promptly reached for her when the room spun.
“Come on, let’s get to the bathroom.”
Clare quickly worked at getting my T-shirt off and my sweatpants. The food had given me a temporary reprieve from feeling like shit until I had fallen asleep and Clare had woken me up to take the bath. I now felt like a freight train had slammed into me.
I wanted to tease her about seeing me naked, but Clare was so focused on helping me into the bath, and I was so weak all I could think about was how good the water felt.I sank into the water up to my neck while Clare knelt next to the tub. She had a washcloth and wet it gently, then washed my face.
“Do you want your hair wet?”
I slowly shook my head. “Fuck this feels good.”
Clare rested her chin on her hand which was resting on the edge of the tub. I looked at her and attempted to smile. “Tell me what you’re thinking about.”
Letting out a slow breath, she said, “How handsome you are and what a fool Mandy is.”
It felt like someone kicked me in the stomach. “You think I’m handsome?”
Clare chuckled. “Wes Ward, you know you are.”
Leaning my head back, I exhaled. “I think you’re beautiful, Clare Monroe.”
“Mmm…you must still have a high fever.”
“Why?” I asked.
“To say something like that.”
I jerked my head up, something I regretted the moment I did it and frowned. “Why would you say that?”
She shrugged. “I’ve seen the women you go out with. Not just Mandy, who looks like she could be on a Paris runway. I’m nothing like them.”
Anger suddenly consumed me that she would think she was less than any other woman. “Clare, you are beautiful. Both inside and out. And you outshine all those women. Besides, they don’t mean anything. They’re not like you.”
She scoffed. “How so?”
“You’re the kind of woman a man wants to marry. Have kids with. Not spend a night with having meaningless sex.”
When she didn’t say anything, I opened one of my eyes and peeked at her. She was staring off into space, a slight crease between her brows.
“Clare?”
Her eyes jerked up and met mine. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “That’s probably long enough. Let’s get you out before the water gets too cold.”
I nodded.
“Do you need help getting up?”
