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She groans and coughs a deep barky cough but manages to sit up. I hand her two tablets and the bottle of water, and she takes them without complaint. “Now, cough drop?”
“Yes. Thank you.” She unwraps it, then pops it into her mouth.
“This will help with the congestion. You can put it under your nose and on your chest. That’s what the pharmacist told me. My mom used this stuff on us when we were kids, and it’s a miracle worker. It smells bad, but it works.”
“We used that too.”
“Do you want me to put some on you?”
“Please.” She nods and eases back down on her mound of pillows.
After opening the jar, I place a tiny bit on the tip of my index finger and rub it along the top of her lip under her nose. “Want some on your chest?” I ask.
“Might as well,” she says over a cough.
This time I use two fingers to swipe through the container, getting a bigger glob. Pulling back the covers, I lift her shirt and begin to gently rub the salve onto her chest. She’s wearing nothing but cotton panties and a T-shirt. I know she’s sick, and thinking about her in any other way than to take care of her is a dick move, but she takes my breath away. I’ve missed the feel of her smooth skin beneath my fingers.
“There,” I croak. “I’m going to go wash my hands, and then I’ll set up the vaporizer.”
“Conrad.” She rasps my name when I get to the door.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for taking care of me.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
After washing my hands, I put the Sprite, 7UP, and orange juice I brought in the fridge. Opening the three-pack of tissues, I pull out a box and take them back to her. Next, I tackle the vaporizer. Unpacking it from the box, I take a seat on the chair to read the instructions. It’s not complicated, but I don’t want to mess it up. Filling it to the appropriate line with water, I add the liquid-vapor and head back to her room. She’s resting, so I try to set it up on the nightstand, being as quiet as I can.
“You think that will help?” she asks.
“I’m not really sure. My mom says it will, and I remember her using one for us as kids when we were sick.”
“My mom did too.”
“Can I get you anything?” I ask, sitting on the edge of the bed once the vaporizer is running.
“You’ve already done too much.”
I smooth her hair back out of her eyes. “I’ll be in the living room if you need me. Just yell for me, or your phone is on the nightstand.”
“You’re not going to work?”
“No. I’m going to be right here in case you need anything.”
“Conrad, it’s just a cold.”
I nod. “I know, but I want to take care of you.”
Her eyes well with tears. “Will you lie with me?” she asks. “I-I miss you.” Her whispered confession in her scratchy voice is like music to my ears.
Standing from her bed, I kick off my shoes and slip out of my suit jacket, shirt, and tie, then drape them over the chair in the corner of her room. Next, I remove my pants and socks, place them over the rest of my clothes before rounding the bed and sliding under the covers. I pull her into my arms, and as soon as our bodies touch, it’s as if two pieces of a puzzle are finally in the right places.
“I missed you. I missed this,” I confess, kissing the top of her head.
“I’m weak.”
“I know, babe. A few days and you’ll feel good as new.”
“No. Well, that too, but I meant I’m weak when it comes to you.”
“You’ve been putting up a pretty good fight.”
“I don’t want to resist you anymore.”
“Then don’t.”
She turns to face me. “Don’t break my heart, Conrad Riggins.”
“Never.” I hold her close as she rests her head on my chest and falls back to sleep. I don’t know if it’s the cold medicine, the cold, or maybe a little of both that was talking, but I can’t help but hope that it was her. That I’ve finally proven to Aspen that she’s the only woman for me. With her in my arms, I too drift off to sleep.
Chapter 23
Aspen
This has been the longest week. I hate being sick, but I must admit that having Conrad take such good care of me has been a perk. He stayed with me Monday. We lay in bed all day until Aurora came up to check on us when the bakery closed. She came with a huge pot of homemade chicken noodle soup that Lena dropped off. Aurora offered to stay, but Conrad ushered her out the door. We ate soup and went back to bed.
