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Panic invades me when I start to think about what’s happened over the past few days. Has it all been nothing more than a dream? This doesn’t sit well with me. Our time together has been so beautiful; there’s no way it can all be in my head.
“You slept well. I’m glad to see you awake.” I jump at the sound of Blaze’s voice. He walks into the room, balancing a tray on his hand with a lazy smile resting on his lips. It’s a mostbeautiful sight. Yep, the wall’s certainly down, and I have no desire to rebuild it.
He helps me sit up, and I quickly grab the blankets, realizing I’m naked. He smiles knowingly, as if able to read my mind, and places the tray on my lap. The eggs, toast, and coffee smell heavenly. My stomach growls. I haven’t eaten much for days and now that my body isn’t in excruciating pain, it wants to be fed.
“Thank you for this.”
He moves over to the window and opens the curtains, the morning light almost too bright for my eyes. But when he opens the pane and fresh air blows in, I’m in heaven. I wouldn’t mind waking up like this each and every day.
“It’s been a pleasure taking care of you while you’re weak and pathetic.” He sits in a chair beside the bed and sips his coffee.
My fork pauses halfway to my mouth, and I glare at the man. “I’m certainlynotpathetic.”
Blaze chuckles as he smiles at me. “Okay, I take that back. You aren’t pathetic, but you’ve been weak and adorable.”
“I feel weak. I’m not used to it,” I grumble.
“Eat all of your food and you’ll get some of your energy back.”
I put some of the scrambled eggs on a piece of toast and lift it to take a bite. It’s utter perfection. “This is good.”
“I make a few things well.” It’s odd to see him so relaxed, leaning back in his chair as if he has nothing better to do than sit and visit with me all day. “How did you sleep the rest of the night?”
“I slept well,” I mumble before diving back into my food.
“Good. I don’t want to see you retreating again.” Something in his tone alerts me and I look up. He gazes at me, his eyes intense. Maybe he isn’t as relaxed as I thought.
“I don’t retreat.” I finish the food too fast, wishing I still had something to focus on besides Blaze.
“Do you need more medicine?” I’m thankful for the change of subject.
“I don’t think so. I’d like to do something other than stay in this bed all day, and if I take more pills, it’ll knock me out again.” His eyes change as his gaze skims my body. Even beneath the protection of the blankets I feel as if he sees every inch of me. This leaves me far too vulnerable. Now that the drugs are wearing off, I realize how raw I truly am when it comes to this man.
“I can think of worse places to spend a day than in bed.” He winks.
He rises and my heart races as he steps forward. He leans down and kisses my lips just long enough to have me melting against the pillows propping me up. This man is so damn dangerous — and I love every second of it. The kiss ends too soon. He grabs the tray and begins to walk from the room.
“Where are you going?” I hate how rattled I get when he leaves. I blame the injury and the medication that’s surely still coursing through my system . . . at least partially.
“I’m going to clean up our breakfast dishes. Why don’t you take a quick shower and then join me in the living room for a while? I’m sure it’ll feel good to move around.”
He stands in the doorway and waits while I clutch the blanket to my chest. “That sounds perfect. I’ll come out in a little while.”
He stands in the doorway like he has all day to wait right here. I send him a look that speaks volumes and finally he chuckles and walks away. I don’t know why I don’t want to stand up naked in front of him. It isn’t as if there’s anything he hasn’t seen. He literally cradled me naked in his arms in the middle of the night. Maybe it makes me feel vulnerable and I’m already too indebted to him to feel any other weak emotion.
Whatever it is, I wait a few more seconds to be sure he isn’t coming back, then I hop from bed and move as quickly as I canacross the room to the bathroom. I only limp a little. My leg’s sore, as is the rest of my body, but it’s no longer unbearable.
The shower saps my energy, and I struggle to dry off. My pain grows but I fight against it. I don’t want more pills to make me feel groggy, but I’m not sure if my pride will cause me unbearable pain later.
I sit on the edge of the tub with the towel wrapped around me, trying to talk myself into walking back into the bedroom. There’s a tapping on the bathroom door a second before it cracks open.
“How are you doing in there?”
“I’m fine.” But my voice comes out weak.
He pushes the door open and walks inside. “You’re hurting, aren’t you?” He kneels in front of me and places his hand on my forehead. “And you’re a bit warm.”
“I want to go to the living room.” I’m on the verge of tears. I don’t want him to make me get back into bed again.
