Page 18 of Make Me Trust Again (Bluebonnet Creek #3)

I nod as I help her to the small bathroom.

Closing the toilet lid, I help her sit down, while I rummage through the cabinets until I spot some Tylenol and hand it to her before filling the glass with water.

She swallows down the medicine without protest and presses the cool glass against her cheek, letting out a relieved sigh. “This feels so good. It’s so hot.”

It wasn’t hot.

She is hot.

Because she is burning up.

Those hazy blue eyes flutter as she tries to focus on me. “It’s okay, you can go.” She pushes to her feet. “Just tell K?—”

Her whole body sways once again, and she crashes into me. I wrap my arm around her, pulling her flush against me.

“ Fucking hell, Rose,” I mutter softly, grinding my teeth in annoyance. Stubborn woman. “I’m not going anywhere. You can barely walk.”

Her forehead presses against my chest, and I can feel the burn of her skin through the material of my shirt.

Her fingers grip my tee as her face nuzzles into my chest. Warm breath tickles my skin, and I can feel her lips brushing against me.

My body freezes, thinking that she’s kissing me, but then I hear them.

Words spoken so softly, they’re barely a whisper. “I’m sorry.”

I close my eyes, letting out a shaky breath. My palm runs down her back, soothing over her tense muscles as my gaze fixes in front of me. To the empty shower.

A knot forms in my throat, but I push it down.

She needs help.

“C’mon,” I croak out, my throat feeling tight.

Pushing her at arm’s length, I grab the hem of her shirt and lift it over her head. Rose blinks, clearly surprised. “Cha?—”

I don’t let her finish. Fixing my gaze straight, I quickly slide my fingers under the hem of her shorts and push them down, trying my darndest to ignore the tiniest pair of pale pink lace panties covering her from my view.

Focus, Williams.

Holding onto her, I turn around and turn on the shower before shifting my attention to Rose.

“Let’s get you into the shower.”

Her throat bobs as she swallows. “I need to get my hair out of the way.”

She tries to reach for something on the counter. A clip of some sort. I grab it, eyeing it verily. Rose extends her hand to take it from me, but I brush her hand away and gather her hair in something that seems like a little bun before clipping it in place.

“There,” I murmur, my voice coming out raspy as I let my hand fall, the backs of my knuckles skimming over the collar of her neck.

A shudder goes through her body. “Th-thank you. I think I?—”

“If you finish that sentence the way I think you will, I swear I’ll strangle you.”

Rose lets out a shaky breath. “You’re so bossy.”

A tremor runs through her body, goosebumps rising on her skin.

I grunt my acknowledgment. “Get in the shower, Rose.”

Sighing in defeat, she does as she’s told. Her steps are slow, muscles stiff as she puts one leg in front of the other. I keep my eyes on her, making sure she’s steady as she gets under the lukewarm spray.

She sucks in a sharp breath at the first touch of cool water on her skin. Goosebumps spread over her flesh, but she doesn’t try to pull back. I grab the showerhead, running the water over her. From the corner of my eye, I can see the small droplets of water sliding down her body.

“Turn around,” I instruct; the words a low rumble.

Rose does as asked. Her eyes are closed, teeth sinking into her lower lip. Her cheeks are still red, a few strands curling around her face.

Putting my hand under the spray, I lift it to her face and cup her cheek.

Rose’s lip pops out of her hold, color rushing into the slightly chapped lip as her eyelids flutter open.

Neither of us says anything as I run my finger over her cheekbone. Her head tilts slightly, nuzzling into my touch as those big blue eyes watch me.

I suck in a sharp breath, unable to look away.

It’s like she’s holding me hostage with her gaze.

I’m not sure how long we stay like that. Eyes locked. Water cascading over her. My thumb sliding over her warm cheek.

She shivers slightly, her lips parting.

Shaking my head at myself, I turn off the water and put the showerhead in place as I take a step back.

The water is dripping from my wet clothes onto the tiles, but I ignore it as I grab a big fluffy towel hanging on the rack.

Walking back to the shower, I wrap it around Rose just as another shudder rocks her body.

“Cold?”

“A l-little,” she coughs out.

“I’ll go and grab some fresh clothes.”

Slipping out of the bathroom, I go to the bedroom, navigating the dark space to the dresser. I rummage through it until I find the first clean tee and underwear.

As I get out, I spot Kyle and Shadow entering the house. He looks around until his gaze lands on mine. “Where is my mom?”

“Bathroom. She’s not feeling well.”

Kyle’s eyes turn wide, and I curse myself for not phrasing it differently so as not to scare him. “What’s wrong with her?”

“She has a fever, but she took some medicine, and she’ll be better once she gets some rest. Why don’t you go to the kitchen, and I’ll be there soon, so we can get you something to eat? What do you say?”

Kyle’s lip wobbles, but he presses them together. “I wanna see her.”

“Once she gets out of the bathroom. Okay?” Crouching down, I bite down as the jab of pain spreads through my leg and into my spine. “Your mom will be fine. She just needs to rest, and she’ll feel like new in no time. I’ll look after her.”

“Promise?” Kyle lifts his pinky.

My throat feels tight as I stare at it.

I’m going to get you home, I promise.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I push back the memories and swallow the knot in my throat as I link my finger through his.

“I promise.”

The words feel heavy on my shoulders, but Kyle seems to be reassured. He calls out to Shadow, and the two of them disappear into the kitchen.

Pushing upright, I go to the bathroom. Rose looks up immediately, pulling the towel closer around her.

From the corner of my eye, I can see the wet underwear on the floor.

My throat bobs as I swallow, trying to get the image of Rose slipping out of that tiny lace out of my head as I close the distance between us and unfold the shirt, slipping it over her head.

“Arms.”

Rose slips her arms into the oversized shirt— thank fuck—my fingers wrapping around a new pair of lace. Seriously, does this woman not have any other kind of underwear? Color fills her cheeks, and I know this time it doesn’t have anything to do with the fever.

Crouching down, I bite back a groan as I help her step into her underwear, my gaze holding hers as I slide them into place under the shirt. My fingertips graze the soft skin as I pull my hands back, and she lets out a shaky breath, her fingers clutching tighter around the towel she’s still holding.

“Chase…”

My lips press into a tight line as I push to my feet. “Let’s put you to bed.”

Taking the towel from her, I toss it into the hamper before opening the door for her.

“I’m really feeling better, I should get Kyle?—”

I narrow my eyes at her. Seriously, how stubborn can one woman be?

Gritting my teeth, I go to her and lift her into my arms.

“Chase, what?—”

“You’re getting your ass into bed.”

“I can walk,” she protests, trying to push me back, but I’m not budging. “Let me down. This is ridiculous.”

“Damn sure is,” I mutter softly as I push the door to her room wide open and slip inside.

Crossing the room, I put her down on the bed. She took off that clip, and now her hair is spreading over the white pillowcase like a curtain of silky strands. Before I can think better of it or stop myself, I brush one runaway strand out of her face. “I’ll get Kyle. You try to get some rest.”

“But…” she tries to protest weakly; however, her eyelids are already closing. Hopefully, the medicine is starting to kick in.

“But nothing. You’re no good to your son if you’re sick, Rose. You need to take care of yourself.”

“Tell that to your sister. She was sick the other day, and whatever she had, she transferred it to me. Because that’s just my luck,” Rose mutters, clearly unhappy. She nuzzles her head into the pillow and blinks, her eyelids heavy. “You shouldn’t be here. You might get sick.”

“I have tough skin.”

“Hmm… I have tough skin, too,” she murmurs softly, and this time, when her eyelids close, I think she’s fallen asleep, but then she says, “I’m the one taking care of people, not the other way around.”

I can see that. I have seen that. That day when her tire burst. The way she takes care of her son. The way she advocates for him. She carries the weight of the world on her shoulders all on her own.

“Not tonight.”

I can understand that. I was like that. Always taking care of the people in my life ever since my dad died. My siblings. My mother. My unit.

And look how that turned out.

I push back the little voice inside my head. It’s been more insistent these days. Harder to ignore.

Rose is different. She deserves better—somebody to take care of her for a change.

And what makes you think you’re the right guy for that?

There is no ignoring the dull scoff.

No, I’m not the guy for that.

Clenching my jaw tightly, I pull my hand back and push to my feet, my gaze lingering on Rose. Her eyes are closed, breathing even. She fell asleep.

And then, turning on the balls of my feet, I get the hell out of there.