Page 21

Killian

Joey’s the best nurse I’ve ever had.

When I wake up to her checking my temperature, I swear my heart flutters at the sight of her. She came back. Somehow I knew she would. I know she feels what I feel, so I refuse to let my insecurities get the best of me here. I figured if she left I’d have to mend my heart, and if she turned me in I’d have to do the same... just in jail. But she told me she’d come back and I believed her.

And here she is.

Another cough rattles through my chest when she’s done, a frown creasing her beautiful face as she shows me my 101.4 fever and removes the blankets.

Immediately I begin to shiver, my boxers not nearly enough to keep me warm, and when I notice I’ve been clutching her damn skunk to my chest, I find myself glad for the fever. At least she won’t notice my blush.

“Can you stand up? You need to eat.”

I mean to say no because I feel like I’m dying, but all that comes out is a pathetic groan. I really need to get it together or she’ll never sleep with me again. I’ll be a man baby in her mind forever.

Shivering, I drag myself out of bed and find the strength to stand. “I dunno if I can eat. My throat hurts.”

“That’s why women invented soup,” she mumbles, smiling at me as she helps me toward the table. “You’ll be back in bed before you know it.”

Looking at all the things she got me has my chest hurting for an entirely different reason. This woman has to be the most amazing woman on the planet and somehow I was lucky enough to stumble across her in the most unconventional way imaginable. I’ve always believed in fate, but I never imagined it was on my side until now. “Thank you. Damn, Joey... you got all this for me.”

It takes everything not to pull her in and kiss her, especially when she wiggles in her seat with a smug smile. “I’m good at what I do.”

It only makes me like her more. “But you’ll still sing and dance horribly with me, right?”

“Is there any other way to do it?”

Her little smirk has me almost forgetting how sick I am. “No, there isn’t.” I want nothing more than to crazy dance with her without a care in the world, but unfortunately I think I’d faint. I can hardly breathe as is. “One day.”

“One day. In the meantime, you need rest... and a shower,” she laughs. “I’ll help you.”

I pick up the bowl and start drinking the broth, then force myself to eat some of the chicken and noodles. I’m not hungry, but I feel myself get a little more strength as I eat so I force as much of it down as I can. “You’ll help me in the shower?”

“Of course. We can’t exactly waltz you into a hospital if you fall and crack your head open, and I can see how unsteady you are.” She reaches over to squeeze my hand. “It’s okay to let someone else take care of you for once.”

I’m gonna need you to take care of my heart while you’re at it, because by now it’s left me entirely and is making its way to you. Unrequited.

I should protect myself, but I’m not strong enough to fight it. She’s everything I didn’t know I needed. “Okay. Thank you, Roo.”

True to her word, she helps me shower when I’m done eating, then maneuvers me into sweatpants and a light tshirt before giving me medicine and laying me down with a heating pad and Gatorade next to the bed.

I feel more clingy than usual, so the second she stands up straighter, I reach out for her. “Don’t go.”

“Relax,” she says softly. “I was going to grab the remote.”

“Okay. Permission granted,” I joke, but when she comes back from grabbing it, I can tell something is on her mind. Something more than my little man flu.

“What’s wrong?” I hate the way my voice cracks with certain words, but I have to admit, it feels really good to be taken care of. “Talk to me. Pretend I’m not sick and needy and talk to me, baby.”

She bites the inside of her cheek, stalling. “I want to tell Violet about you, but I understand why I can’t. I just wish I could, that’s all.”

Oh.

Shit, I should have seen this coming. Of course she wants to tell her sister about me, and aside from the obvious reasons why I shouldn’t be on board with this, I find myself actually considering it.

Her wanting to tell Violet is a good thing. If she didn’t feel as off balance as I do she wouldn’t care at all, but the fact that it’s bothering her means she’s falling too, even if she’s a few feet behind. I can work with this.

“What do you think she’d say?”

“Knowing Vi? She’d cuss me out for having all the fun,” she admits. “We actually talked about you before you and I even met. We saw the manhunt on the news the night before I left San Francisco. She’s a fan.”

A fan. She’s shown me a few more things the last week, and I still don’t know how to feel about it. My actions weren’t as noble as people are making them seem, they were selfish. I wanted him to die and I killed him, making it hard to accept the praise I’m getting.

“So what would you say? The truth?”

“I’d like to. I’ve thought about it a lot and the truth would have to come out eventually, unless we go our separate ways at the end of the year. Is that your plan?”

“No.” There isn’t even a hint of doubt in my voice, and I hope she hears it. “I don’t plan on going anywhere, so if she can handle the truth, then tell her. I trust you.”

She leans in and kisses my lips softly. “Are you sure? I’ll be gossiping about you.”

“All good things, right? Are you going to tell her about how I make your toes curl?”

Or will she tell her how I was so clueless I had to Google periods to be helpful during that time of the month?

“Among other things.” Cryptic little minx. “I just hate lying to her.”

“I’m sorry you’ve had to. I’ve trusted you for a while... I should have shown you before now.”

Reaching out, I slide my hand through her hair and hold back another cough. “You should get some rest. I’ll at least wait to tell her until you’re feeling better.”

I hum a response because it’s all I got. My body is exhausted just from taking a shower, and I feel so warm, comfortable and safe I don’t have it in me to stay awake anymore. I’ll let Joey take the reins for now.