What feels like only moments later, the sudden jolt of my chin hitting my chest jerks my head up. Blinking groggily, I glance around the dim room and at the clock on the bedside table. It’s two hours later. I must have fallen asleep.
I turn to look at Alyssa. She’s tucked into a shivering ball. “Shit!” I bound from the bed, run around to her side, and cup her face in my hands. Fuck, she’s hotter than before. “Alyssa, wake up.” I shake her shoulder.
Her eyes slowly blink open. “I’m so cold. I need a blanket.”
“What you need is a doctor.”
She shakes her head. “No. I want to get warm and sleep.”
Raking my hands through my hair, I blow out a long breath. “We need to get your fever down. If you don’t want to see a doctor, then you need a shower.”
She frowns. “A shower?”
“A cool one.”
Shivers rack through her body. “No, thanks.”
“The Tylenol didn’t work. It’s that or the hospital.”
She gives a heavy sigh. “Fine.”
Taking her by the hands, I help her to her feet, and we slowly walk into the bathroom. It doesn’t go unnoticed that we’ve been in a similar situation before. That time did not end well. With Alyssa in this condition, there is no way I am tempted to touch her again. This is about getting her better. Nothing more.
I turn on the cold water. “Maybe you should…arhhh…take off your clothes.”
She smiles and props a languid hand on her hip. “Hayden Alessi, are you trying to get me naked?”
Heat creeps up my neck. “No… You’re sick…this will help.”
She laughs. “I’m joking. As gorgeous and tempting as you are, I’m in no condition for a make-out session.”
“You think I’m gorgeous?”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t pretend you don’t know you are.”
I put aside how her comment makes me feel. I’ve got more important things to focus on. Like getting her temperature down fast.
Leaning into the shower, I adjust the water temperature while she strips out of her cargo pants and t-shirt. When she’s down to her bra and panties, she steps into the shower, hissing as the cool water covers her body.
Worried that she’s not steady on her feet and might slip, I kick off my shoes and step into the shower fully clothed.
Her eyes widen. “What are you doing? You’re getting saturated.”
I brush water from my face and slick my hair back out of my eyes. “I don’t want you to fall.”
Standing under the rain-showerhead, her teeth chatter. “I’m fine. You don’t have to do this.”
During her nap, and with water in her hair, the bun on top of her head has fallen into a haphazard mess. I find the pins, pluck them out, and drop them onto the floor. Her hair tumbles past her shoulders, and I run my hands through it to untangle it.
“Someone needs to take care of you.” And I’m glad it’s me.
“Thank you.” As soon as the words leave her mouth, her head falls on my chest like she needs support.
I anchor an arm around her waist, another around her shoulder, and draw her in so our bodies are plastered together. Her body trembles, and I rub my hand along her shoulder and arm to comfort her, tucking her head beneath my chin.
This is different from the last shower we took together. Then I was filled with lust and longing and wanted to get my hands on every part of her body. I wanted to taste her. Fuck her. Do everything that plays in my dreams. Now, with her so vulnerable in my arms, I want to comfort her. Protect her. Take away the pain and discomfort she’s experiencing. Like she—apart from Lily—is the most special person in the world.
Fuck! What’s come over me? How have I gone from not looking at a woman to having one consume my every thought? Alyssa has made me feel things I never thought I would. She’s not only woken up my body, but my heart is also beating a different tune.