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“My stomach’s a bit sore.” I don’t like the uncomfortable feeling.
“Let me get you food.”
He begins to leave, and I feel the same stirring of panic again. What the hell? “I don’t think I can eat,” I say before he’s able to step from the room. I don’t want him leaving my sight. My howthings change in a short period. I have to remind myself I’m not a clingy, needy woman. I blame the drugs.
“Let’s just get some soup and bread into you. Then you can rest.”
“Do you have to leave?” Why am I so scared?
“I’m not going anywhere, Cori.” He leans down and gently kisses my lips before he stands and walks from the room. Well, for someone not going anywhere, he walked off awfully fast, my foggy mind thinks.
I know I shouldn’t get too comfortable in this place, but I can’t help it. Normally when I’m sick, I’m alone in my small apartment, suffering in silence. If it weren’t for my siblings and best friend dropping in and checking on me, I’d be a complete hermit outside of work. I’ve pulled away from most people in my life. Maybe it’s time to stop that when this adventure’s over. It’s too easy to grow depressed while watching the world go by instead of actively participating. I don’t want to wake up one day and regret every decision I’ve ever made.
I hear Blaze rattling around in the kitchen and lean back against my pillows and close my eyes, enjoying the sound of another person in the house with me. It’s something I could most certainly get used to, a frightening thought, but I don’t care. The meds are doing their job and I feel free and uninhibited.
When he returns, the smell of the soup should awaken my appetite, but as he places a tray in my lap, I can’t muster a desire for food. I look at it, disinterested.
“I know it’s hard to eat, but you need to make an effort.” He carefully sits on the bed next to me and leans back on a pillow, looking pointedly between my food and my face. I don’t want to seem ungrateful for the effort he’s put into making me something.
“Thank you.”
“I like taking care of you.” He reaches over and plucks a piece of fruit from my tray and munches on it. A bit of juice escapes his mouth and he catches it with his tongue. Even in my drug-induced stupor, something stirs within me at the sight.
I certainly have a problem if I’m on my sickbed and the only appetite I can muster is for the man next to me. To not give myself away, I quickly pick up my spoon, taking a tentative bite of the soup. I can barely taste it, but at least it doesn’t upset my stomach. With much effort I force myself to take small sips between bites of crusty bread.
“You know, you scared the hell out of me,” Blaze admits after a few moments.
“How so?” I push the food away. I ate at least half. For not consuming much in the past day or two he’s got to be impressed with this. If not, too bad.
“I don’t like seeing you hurt.”
“We all get hurt.”
“Can you eat a bit more?”
“No. I’m stuffed.” He sighs but takes the tray and sets it on a table in the room before joining me on the bed again. This time when he sits, he pulls me against him so I’m leaning on him.
Though he’s much harder than the pillows, he’s also warm and comforting and I cuddle into him, feeling sleepy and taken care of. His fingers reach into my hair and I allow myself to relax against him as he caresses my head.
“I’ll make sure nothing like that ever happens to you again.” His voice sounds like it’s coming through a tunnel. It’s oddly nice.
“You’re Mr. Adventure. You put yourself at risk all of the time.”
“That’s me.” His voice is confident and makes me smile.
“So it’s okay for you to scare the people who love you, but it’s not okay for me to go on an adventure and take a risk?”
“Taking a risk is one thing, but getting an injury that could permanently affect you is another.” I have to admit, if only to myself, that I love this protective side of him. It truly feels like he cares about me. I think I’ll relish in the feeling for as long as I can. Maybe it’s the drugs, or maybe I’m falling for him all over again. Whatever it is, I’m not in a hurry to pull from him. I’m so close to being a goner, it’s most likely too late for me already.
“It’s not like I sought the snake and told it to come and bite me.” I’m too warm and comfortable to argue very effectively. I do, however, love hearing the sound of his voice as I lean against him. I don’t want him to stop talking.
“No, but you have to be more careful. You were tired all day before we even stepped onto the island. Maybe if you’d gotten more sleep you’d have been better focused and wouldn’t have gotten bit.”
“It was a snake, Blaze. There’s nothing I could’ve done about it. One second I was walking and the next it was there. But I promise I’ll be as careful as possible from this moment on. Believe me, I don’t want to tangle with a snake again.”
“I know I’m being ridiculous. It’s just that youreallyscared me.”
“I like that you were worried about me.” I snuggle in a bit closer and my pain and worry drift away. It might be the medicine, or it might be his fingers rubbing my head. Whatever it is, it’s a magic formula and I’m in no hurry to move.
