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"You'rethe sick one, remember?" Katie said trying desperately to keep herself in the now. "If you don't let yourself rest, it will take you forever to get over this."
Isaac struggled against her. Either he wasn't trying very hard or this virus had taken a greater toll on him than either of them realized.
"I'm already up with the coughing fit and probably will be for a while. Until the cough medicine kicks in again. There's no reason for you to be up too."
He swung his legs over the side of the bed. Katie stood firm and pushed him back down. A move she should not have been able to do so easily.
"Stay," she said. "I mean it. You can barely stand. What am I supposed to do with you if you fall? You're so worried about me getting enough sleep. I won't get any if I have to worry about you falling down the stairs and cracking your head open. If you need something, you ask me for it."
Isaac sat back against the headboard, his arms crossed over his chest and pouting like a child. "Fine."
"Thank you." Katie stood back with her hands on her hips. "I'll be right back."
???
Isaac couldn't argue with her, no matter how badly he wanted to. She'd barely touched him putting him on his back again before leaving the room.
No big deal.
When she came back, he'd have everything he needed. She could go back to sleep and when she woke, she could work while he slept this thing off once and for all. Then, they could ride out the rest of the week alone… Together. Further proving they could be together without him getting in her way.
Though, he had to admit he loved her take-charge approach to taking care of him. Even as sick as he was, he still sported a semi from when she pushed him back into bed. He wished he could have pulled her down with him. If he'd had the strength and hadn't thought it would gross her out or piss her off, he might have.
But it was better for him to keep his distance. Whatever he did, it had to show her he knew how to give her the space she needed.
Katie appeared in the door walking toward him. The combination of his blurred vision from the headache his coughing fits gave him and the light from the hallway created a yellow halo around her. Her angelic form glided to his bedside with her arms full of supplies.
Isaac reached out for the cough syrup.
She smacked his hand. "You can barely hold yourself up. If you try pouring that on your own it will end up in your lap." She set everything except the cough syrup on the bedside table then unscrewed the cap and poured a dose in the little plastic cup. "Here," she said holding it out to him.
Isaac took the cup. Their fingers brushed before completing the exchange. A heat beyond his fever flushed through his body. At least the fever already heating his cheeks would mask the blush coming over him. To cover it further, he put the cup to his lips and tipped it back.
"Thank you," he said. His words muted behind inflamed sinuses.
Katie set the cup on the table and picked up a blue container with a teal lid. Isaac reached out to take it from her like he had the cough medicine. She smacked his hands back again. "You're impossible. This will go a lot faster if you'd just cooperate and let me help you. Unless you want me to leave. I'd be more than happy to go about my business and let you suffer through this on your own if that's really what you want."
It wasn't what he wanted. But he’d been right. She didn't want to be here. She only stayed because she'd taken pity on him.
"Well? Should I go? Or are you going to behave?"
Isaac slumped into his pillow. "I'll behave." He couldn't bring himself to tell her to go. He wanted her to stay. All he'd ever wanted was for her to stay.
"Good."
Did she mean that? Or was that just her relief over not having to fight him anymore?
Katie took the teal lid off the blue container and dipped her finger into the ice blue salve. "Your medicine cabinet is surprisingly well-stocked," she said pulling the blanket down exposing his bare chest.
Was she shaking?
Katie leaned forward. With a tender yet firm touch she drew a line with her salve-covered fingers from the base of his throat down his sternum.
Sheisshaking.
His breath came more quickly even through the congestion and her hand stilled before their eyes met.
The sharp scent of mint and eucalyptus reached his nose and filled his lungs easing their struggle to take in air.
