Page 16 of Everything After

“Drew told Lennie that he thought you and I needed some time away from the limelight.”

I frowned. “He did?” I was surprised Drew had done that without my knowledge. “He never had a conversation with me about that,” I said, disappointed with him. “What did Lennie say?”

“He thought Drew was hinting that XrAid should take a break at the same time as your band.”

“Well, you know I would be ecstatic about that. However, I have no idea why Drew would push for that. I mean, I’ve said I missed you, but I’d never interfere with your commitments. If you took time off with me, that would be your choice, not Drew’s or anyone else’s for that matter. You need to do what’s right for you and your band.”

Lily nodded, a look of relief on her face. “I was surprised when Lennie told me that because what he said, it didn’t sound like you at all.”

“Thanks, although if you could manage to wrangle some time off, I’d be super-stoked, but I’d never demand that of you.”

Standing, Lily lifted her foot onto the dressing table stool and began unfastening the ankle strap of her stiletto.

“Fuck, baby, how do we have a serious conversation when you’re bent over, flashing a gorgeous pale thigh, dressed in a sexy lace garter and unfastening a fuck-me heel?”

Lily chuckled. “That might be how you see it. All I know is that my feet are killing me, so I’m taking my shoes off.”

“Come here.” I dipped and swept her off her feet, strode over to the bed and sat her on the end of the mattress. Dropping to my knees, I lifted the second, still shod foot onto my lap and unfastened the strap.

Gently, I peeled it from her foot, then slid both hands across her foot, up her ankle, over her knee until I reached the top of her garter. Lily watched me intently and I heard a soft gasp when my fingertips skimmed over her creamy flesh.

She flashed me a seductive smile as I slowly peeled the stocking down her leg and plucked it from her foot. Lily’s breath hitched in her throat when I rose up on my knees, leaned over her and wrapped it around her eyes.

After tying it securely behind her head, partly blindfolding her, I lowered her onto her back and took off the other stocking.

“You might have let me bathe first,” Lily muttered, scrunching her cute little nose up in disgust.

“Why? You smell delectable to me,” I admitted, wrapping the other stocking around her left wrist then the right, binding them both together, then tied the loose ends into a bow.

Lily sat up, jumped to her feet, cupped her bound hands to her mouth, and ran into the bathroom. By the time I’d caught up with her, she had missed the toilet bowl and vomited twice. She dropped to her knees and felt for the rim of the toilet.

“Oh, God,” she complained, the sound of her voice echoing inside the porcelain toilet.

“Jesus, are you okay?” I asked, eyeing her with concern as I slid the stocking from over her eyes and scooped her hair behind her back. I untied the stockings from around her wrists and sheimmediately hugged the toilet. “Where did that come from?” I asked, scooping her hair to one side.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, like she had been sick on purpose.

“Why are you apologizing? You should have said you were feeling nauseous.”

“I wasn’t, it just… happened.”

“And now?”

“I feel better,” she mumbled, shrugging. I grabbed a hairband from a small bowl next to her vanity and tied her hair back in a ponytail.

“Let me run you that bath,” I offered, immediately forgetting the sexy scene I’d been creating and focusing on Lily’s welfare.

Leaving her side, I turned on the faucet, then filled a small glass full of water. “Here, just take sips to clean your mouth out,” I ordered.

Lily took two sips from the glass, then vomited again.

“Damn,” she grumbled in frustration. She grabbed some toilet tissue off the roll and wiped her mouth. “It must have been that chicken wrap I ate on the plane,” she suggested.

“That would do it,” I agreed, frowning, but oddly relieved to think it was only a little food poisoning and nothing more serious. “Are you sure you want to get into a hot tub?”

“Yeah, I think I’m fine now.” She climbed to her feet, flushed the toilet and sat on the closed toilet seat.

I readied the bath and picked the stockings off the floor while she watched me.