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“Will you stay with me?”
“I have a feeling that tonight’s going to be busy, and I don’t want to disturb you. I can find a bed somewhere else.”
“I’d really like you to stay here, even if it’s just for a little while.” It felt as if Rick had come home to her. A temporary home, but for tonight it was their home.
He nodded. “I’d like it too.”
* * *
Rick had been called back to work almost as soon as they’d finished their hot chocolate. He’d kissed her, telling her to go to sleep, and he hadn’t returned. Fleur woke early, washing as best she could in the small closet attached to Rick’s office, and went to find him. He was busy with a man who had been brought into the clinic after slipping on the ice when he’d gone out to clear last night’s snowfall, and Fleur went to find him some coffee.
By the time she’d refilled the reservoir of the coffee machine in the patients’ lounge and found some milk from the kitchen, he’d finished his examination and pronounced the man bruised but otherwise unhurt. They sat together in the clinic’s reception area, watching the early morning bustle of the clinic begin to gather momentum.
“Busy night?”
“Yes. The storm kept a lot of the clinic’s patients awake too, so I had my hands full.”
“Are you hungry? I’ll get you something.”
“No, thanks. I’d like to get home and see Ellie for breakfast before she gets brought back here to the daycare center. Then I’ll get some sleep.” He grinned at Fleur. “Are you coming with me?”
She had nothing else to do today. And even if she had, she’d cancel it. Fleur reached for her coat. “Yes. I’m coming.”
* * *
Rick had been awake and alert for the drive home, and mostly awake and alert as Ellie had chatted to him over breakfast. But as soon as the childcare assistant shepherded Ellie out of the front door, his fatigue caught up with him and he walked into the sitting room, tipping himself down onto the sofa.
“Don’t sit down.” Fleur took hold of his hand, pulling his arm. “You need to go to bed.”
“Yes, I do. With you.”
“And you need to sleep for a few hours.”
“We can do that.” He grinned, getting slowly to his feet. “Afterwards...”
“No. Sleep first.” Fleur propelled him out of the room and up the stairs. Rick walked into his bedroom seemingly on autopilot now. “When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep, Rick?”
“When I was with you.” He sat down on the bed and pulled her onto his lap.
“Well, you can sleep now.” She might join him for a couple more hours as she hadn’t slept well for the last three nights either.
She pulled his sweater over his head and unbuttoned his shirt, while Rick kicked off his boots. Then she rolled him back on the bed, undoing his pants and pulling them off.
“You’re undressing me. Sure you don’t mean to have sex with me?” He was grinning sleepily.
“You’re no good to me like this.” Fleur pulled the covers to one side, and he slid under them. “I want you alert.”
“I can be alert. Any time you give me the word...”
“The only word I’m giving you is sleep.” Fleur undressed quickly, slipping under the covers next to him, and he wrapped his arms around her.
He twined his fingers in hers, drawing her hand to his lips for a kiss. “I could get used to this. Going to sleep with you.”
Fleur could get used to it too. She could get used to the way he’d made her feel when he’d told her that she was beautiful, calling the scars on her legs badges of courage when she’d confessed she thought them ugly. She could get used to relying on Rick and having him rely on her, then falling into bed, too tired to do anything other than sleep but wanting to do it together.
Rick’s passion was dizzying, spectacular, capable of taking her to places that she’d only dreamed about. But the busy, flawed everyday with him was just as good.
He let her settle comfortably, her head resting on his chest, and as Fleur snuggled against him he mumbled something, his words slurred and incomprehensible.
