AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I press her shoulder, making her lay down again. “Calm down. I read it. Let’s not talk about work for now. You’re still on the mend.”
“I’m fine.”
“The nurse said you’re still a little dizzy and really tired.”
Her lips part, and I think she’s going to protest, but instead, she lets out the biggest yawn I’ve seen her take.
I lift an eyebrow.
“Shut up,” she mumbles and rolls over.
“Lunch is here when you wake up.”
She doesn’t say anything as she wiggles into a comfortable position on her side and rests her head against her mountain of pillows. I don’t realize how long I stand here, watching her sleep. Her breathing grows even, and something pulls at the inside of my chest.
I should leave at this point. She’s obviously feeling better. I have a shit ton of work I need to get back to. Hell, I even have a meeting scheduled to make up for a dinner meeting that I missed last night. Yet, my feet remain where they are. Watching her.
I brush a few strands of hair that’ve fallen over her face, and tuck them behind her ear. Riley stirs a little, making the cutest murmuring sound before going quiet again.
That’s when I realize that I don’t want to leave. I’m not just there to watch over one of Townsend’s assets or whatever bullshit line I fed her to keep her in bed. At this moment, I have no desire to do anything that would pull me away from her side.
“Dangerous,” I mutter before running a hand through my hair.
I start to reach for her again, to touch her and make sure she’s real, but her cell phone buzzes.
I lift it from the nightstand and read the name across the screen.
Ladybug.
I frown.What the hell kind of name is that?
As the phone continues to ring in my hand, I look from it to Riley. I can’t bear to wake her up, not when I know she’s not fully recovered.
A sane man would recognize they have no business answering Riley’s phone.
He’s not me.
“Hello?” I answer as I step out of her bedroom, closing the door behind me. “Hello?” I say more insistent when I don’t get a response the first time around.
“You’re not Aunt Riley. Who is this?” A young girl’s voice pushes through the phone line. “Oh my god, is she okay? What happened? Who is this?”
“My name’s Kyle,” I answer.
“Where’s my aunt? Is she hurt?”
“Your aunt’s fine,” I reassure. “She’s resting, so I answered the phone.”
“A-Are you sure?” The quiver in her voice unnerves me slightly.
“Positive. She wasn’t feeling well yesterday and earlier this morning. But she’s better now, just sleeping.”
“Did she have one of those headaches she gets?”
Obviously, this girl knows about her aunt’s condition. I wonder how frequently Riley gets these migraines.
“Yes.”
“Did her medication not work? She always tells me not to worry.”
