“Better. God, this is delicious. Thank you so much.” I take in another spoonful, bringing my hand to wipe a bit of broth that’s dripped down my chin. “How long have you been here?”
“I came last night. Abby called. She said you asked for me.”
My dizzy spell comes rushing back, and I sit up straighter. “You’ve been here since last night?”
With gentle hands, Tyler steadies the soup bowl that threatens to slosh down my front.
“Shh. I came as soon as she called.” Tyler dips the spoon into the bowl, putting it to my lips. “Here. Eat some more.”
Allowing him to feed me, I’m enveloped in warmth from this sweet caring man. He not only showed up, but he took care of me…and he stayed. All it took was a phone call and he was here in an instant, no hesitation, all because Abby said I needed him.
My stomach flips weightlessly, my heart thumping inside my chest. Why am I so afraid, when all he’s done is show up and stay, time and time again? Another chink of my armor falls to the wayside, leaving my heart exposed to this man, who I’m starting to believe truly isn’t going anywhere.
Then another memory floats to the surface.
“Tyler, did you bathe me?”
“I needed to get your fever down. It—Jo, for a second, it scared me. You were burning up.”
Tyler presses his hand to my cheek, and I smile, leaning into his touch. His hands are so big and strong. Long fingers that know how to rip an orgasm from my body until I’m left seeing stars. Aching for more. And now my thoughts are on sex with Tyler. More orgasms with Tyler. Oh, and maybe restraints? Yes, please. Wouldhebe into restraints? When I’m better we’ll have to test that out.
Lord have mercy, I think this sickness has turned me to a horny little sex kitten. And sex kitten is not a word I’ve ever thought in all my thirty-six years, so I’m clearly still feverish.
“Where in the world did your mind go, woman?” Tyler asks, his lips tipped up.
I shoot him a devilish grin. “Complete and total debauchery.”
He cocks a brow. “Is that so?”
Setting the bowl of soup on my nightstand, I rise to my knees.
“Very much so.”
Tyler’s hands go to my shoulders as he gently pushes me back down.
“You’re still feverish.”
A hand goes to my forehead to check again. I take the thermometer from my nightstand and aim it at my forehead. 100.8.
“Well, maybe you’re right.”
Tyler reaches for the Tylenol on my nightstand and shakes out two, dropping them into my palm. Then he hands me the drink he brought with my soup. Taking a sip, I realize it’s sweet tea, with the perfect amount of sugar.
“Take these, finish your soup, and rest. Can you do that for me?”
Swallowing down both pills, I reach for the unfinished soup and nod.
Tyler moves to stand, but I catch his arm. “Stay with me? Tell me about your week. It feels like I haven’t seen you in days.”
So he lowers back down to the bed, and tells me the ins andouts of the last two days since I last saw him. It’s nothing special, mostly to do with the upcoming awards show Austin and Penny will attend. Part of his job includes scheduling all the way down to what time Austin and Penny should arrive at events. My lids start to grow heavy from Tyler’s calming voice, and he takes the bowl from my hand, urging me to lie back down. Mawmaw always said sleep is when the body heals, so maybe another nap isn’t such a bad idea.
Yawning, I murmur, “I like that my bed smells like you.”
I’m nodding off when I feel Tyler’s lips against my temple and he’s whispering, “Sweet dreams, love.”
I awake with renewed vigor, sunlight streaming through my window. The time on my phone reads 9 a.m. and it appears I have, quite literally, slept my life away. But my body aches seem to be completely gone, and when I press my hands to my cheeks they don’t feel warm to the touch. Perhaps my fever has finally broken.
The thermometer reads 98.7, and I breathe a sigh. I only get sick once or twice a year, but this was the worst I remember feeling in, I don’t know how long.
