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“How long was I asleep?”
“About twenty minutes.”
“Oh.” Sipping more of the warm tea, she handed him the cup and pulled the blankets up to her chin.
Spencer bent and lifted her legs and laid them on the sofa. “Get comfortable. I’ll get you another blanket to warm you and pillows to prop up your head.”
She breathed through the pain as she moved, and settled herself on the sofa. For the first time in a few hours, she relaxed. She blinked a few times, then she didn’t blink again for some time.
* * *
Warmth. Ah, she finally felt warm and snug and wrapped in a cocoon and safe and it all felt so good.
Soft breathing near her ear made her eyes fly open and her own breathing halted as she tried to get her bearings. Fear rose inside her, but she forced it down. She was wrapped in a man’s arms. She was in her bedroom. In her bed. The sun had gone down, a while ago by the looks of it.
She felt the pain shoot up her ribcage as she lifted the covers. Blowing out a breath, she moved the arm wrapped around her waist and pushed herself up with her right arm.
Spencer rolled slightly, then sat up. His hands swiped down his face, then he turned to stare at her. “How do you feel? Do you need more ibuprofen?”
“How did we get in here?”
He blinked. Those impossible lashes captured her attention. The light from the hallway filtered in enough that she could see clearly.
“I carried you.”
“Why?”
“You were freezing. Shivering. I laid a couple more blankets on you, but you didn’t warm. I picked you up and carried you in here so I could use my body heat to help warm you. You settled down then.” He lifted his arm and looked at his watch. “About four hours ago.”
“I’ve been sleeping for four hours?” Her head spun. She didn’t remember him picking her up. Carrying her to her room or crawling in behind her. “Did I talk?”
“You said thank you.”
“Is that all?”
“I think so. Something about feeling safe. But you were mumbling.”
“I don’t mumble.”
He chuckled, and she stared. His smile reached his eyes. His lips were full and when they lifted in happiness, like right now, he was a sight. A wonderful sight.
“You do. You did last night anyway.”
She quickly raised her head and immediately regretted it. She raised her right hand to hold her head and felt the pain as she touched it. Spencer rolled and got up on the other side of the bed, while she let out a lengthy groan.
“I’ll get you more ibuprofen and some fresh tea.”
“It’s okay. Don’t bother.”
“Kenna, I know you’re used to being alone. I get it. Believe me. But I’m here and taking care of you and I’ve gotten my ass kicked several times. Enough to know you need painkillers, something to drink them down with, and maybe an ice pack for your swelling. How about you not argue every time I try to help and just let me do it?”
Well, now she just felt stupid and ungrateful. “I’m sorry.”
He left the room, and she heard the bathroom cabinet open, the pills in the bottle as he tilted it, then the cabinet close. His footsteps down her hallway were even and soft as he moved toward her kitchen. For such a big guy, he moved easily. Her small apartment must feel like a shoebox to him. But she loved it up here.
She huffed out a breath as she slowly stood. She was sore from head to toe. The punch she took stretched every muscle she had. Tensing up didn’t help.
Sliding one foot forward, then the next slowly, she got to the bathroom. She locked the door and, as slow as a turtle, she pushed her pants and panties down enough that she could use the toilet. Easing herself down was painful. Standing up afterwards was more so. She’d ease up on the tea for a bit.
