Page 118
Story: Heartless
Oh sweet heavens, having her head in the toilet wasn’t exactly how she had wanted to see Nic again. She had overslept this morning, and her morning sickness had come later than usual.
Without a word, he pulled her hair back with a large hand as his other hand gently patted her shoulder for comfort.
Deciding that it was over for the time being, Olivia flushed the toilet. A cool, wet hand cloth appeared before her eyes, and she gratefully accepted it.
“Okay?” he growled softly.
“Yes. Better. Thanks.”
When she went to stand, he tried to lift her in his arms. “No. Wait.” She went to the basin, rinsed her mouth, and then grabbed the mouthwash. Vomit breath was so not sexy.
Once that was done, she turned and smiled at him. “It hit later than usual.”
Without speaking, he picked her up and carried her back to bed. Laying her down, he pulled the covers over her and helped her get her pillows settled.
“I’ll be right back.”
She nodded and closed her eyes, too afraid for him to see the want and need in them. She told herself this was nothing. He had come out of concern, not because he had changed his mind. Getting her hopes up would be ridiculous.
Five minutes later, he was back with a cup of steaming chamomile tea and saltine crackers.
“You’re going to need new doors.”
She had heard him—how could she not? He’d busted down her doors to get to her. She decided it was good to be married to a man who could bust down doors.
“I’ll take care of it,” he added.
She took a sip of tea and nibbled on a cracker, trying to determine if her stomach was going to cooperate. And while she did that, Nic continued on as if it hadn’t been months since they’d talked to each other.
“Have you heard from Eve lately?” he asked.
“A couple of days ago. She sounds better…”
“But?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. She doesn’t sound like Eve. Something’s going on with her and Gideon, and I can’t get a fix on it.”
“Yeah, I agree. I talked to him last week, and he was more closemouthed than ever.”
“He’s apparently going to stay with her until she’s fully recovered.”
“Did she say where she is?”
“No. I asked, and she said it’s best for everyone if no one knows.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t know.” She smiled slightly. “Those two have been circling each other like prizefighters in a ring for years. It’s about time they finally admitted their feelings.”
“They’re both as stubborn as mules.”
She wasn’t going to point out that the epitome of stubborn was sitting on the bed in front of her.
“So you’re definitely staying with LCR?”
“Yes. There’s a satellite office in Tampa. I’ll go there if I need to, but for right now, I’m doing intel gathering, which I can do here at the house.”
“It’s a nice house.”
Without a word, he pulled her hair back with a large hand as his other hand gently patted her shoulder for comfort.
Deciding that it was over for the time being, Olivia flushed the toilet. A cool, wet hand cloth appeared before her eyes, and she gratefully accepted it.
“Okay?” he growled softly.
“Yes. Better. Thanks.”
When she went to stand, he tried to lift her in his arms. “No. Wait.” She went to the basin, rinsed her mouth, and then grabbed the mouthwash. Vomit breath was so not sexy.
Once that was done, she turned and smiled at him. “It hit later than usual.”
Without speaking, he picked her up and carried her back to bed. Laying her down, he pulled the covers over her and helped her get her pillows settled.
“I’ll be right back.”
She nodded and closed her eyes, too afraid for him to see the want and need in them. She told herself this was nothing. He had come out of concern, not because he had changed his mind. Getting her hopes up would be ridiculous.
Five minutes later, he was back with a cup of steaming chamomile tea and saltine crackers.
“You’re going to need new doors.”
She had heard him—how could she not? He’d busted down her doors to get to her. She decided it was good to be married to a man who could bust down doors.
“I’ll take care of it,” he added.
She took a sip of tea and nibbled on a cracker, trying to determine if her stomach was going to cooperate. And while she did that, Nic continued on as if it hadn’t been months since they’d talked to each other.
“Have you heard from Eve lately?” he asked.
“A couple of days ago. She sounds better…”
“But?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. She doesn’t sound like Eve. Something’s going on with her and Gideon, and I can’t get a fix on it.”
“Yeah, I agree. I talked to him last week, and he was more closemouthed than ever.”
“He’s apparently going to stay with her until she’s fully recovered.”
“Did she say where she is?”
“No. I asked, and she said it’s best for everyone if no one knows.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t know.” She smiled slightly. “Those two have been circling each other like prizefighters in a ring for years. It’s about time they finally admitted their feelings.”
“They’re both as stubborn as mules.”
She wasn’t going to point out that the epitome of stubborn was sitting on the bed in front of her.
“So you’re definitely staying with LCR?”
“Yes. There’s a satellite office in Tampa. I’ll go there if I need to, but for right now, I’m doing intel gathering, which I can do here at the house.”
“It’s a nice house.”
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