Page 14 of Single Mom’s Secret Diary (The Forbidden Reverse Harem Collection)

Ryder

A very has been out of it for the last few days, sleeping most of the time, eating and drinking a little, but falling right back into La-La Land. So when she opens her eyes at me with renewed clarity, it takes my breath away.

I slip to my knees at her bedside and push back the hair from her face. “Hey, beautiful. How are you feeling?”

Her grunt is sweet and makes me smile.

“That good, huh?”

“I want to get out of bed. I’m sick of it. My body hurts.” Her hand comes down on top of mine, where it rests behind her head, lightly grazing her cheek with my thumb.

“Well, you’ve just come out of being really sick, darling. I bet you’re hurting.” I lay my head beside hers on my arm, and I can see that ornery personality rearing its head. “What can I do to help?”

She huffs. “Help me sit up, and let me move around.”

Without waiting for my answer, she shoves herself up on a shaky arm. I slide mine under her to keep her upright, and my body burns as she leans into me.

“Are you sure you have the energy?”

Another soft groan, and her arm flexes around my neck, gripping me hard. I gather her in my arms and swing her off the mattress.

“Let me walk,” she insists, and the fanning of her breath across my collarbone sends a small shiver through me.

Slowly, I lower her feet to the floor and keep her stable with my hands cupping her waist. It takes us a few minutes to walk out to her couch, where she unceremoniously flops down on the corner cushion, breathing heavily.

I retrieve some water and crackers, which she munches on slowly. I slide under her feet, bringing them into my hands for a squeeze. A small, whimpering moan escapes her, stirring my dick to life. Fucking monster knows what it wants but is completely out of line.

Refocusing, I drag a knuckle up her arch and watch her eyes flutter closed, her face pinching from the pressure points I hit. Popping her toes makes her grunt.

“So, what happened?” Her voice is soft and small.

My ministrations move up to her ankles, and I earn another of her sharp intakes of breath.

God, she’s magnificent. Hair tousled and half falling from its ponytail, whisps stick to her cheeks and neck.

The side of her face is lined from her pillowcase, and her natural tan has dulled, but she’s still so fucking beautiful it hurts.

Another nibble on the cracker has her narrowing her eyes at me. Not even a stint in the ER can stop this woman.

“Someone poisoned the chocolates Wyatt made for you.” How it happened is still up for debate.

We haven’t found anything on the surveillance tapes, no fingerprints or clues as to who accessed them.

The finished product was kept in his office, but while the different elements came together, anyone in the lab could have messed with them.

“Who was it?” Her voice dropped lower, seemingly more tired than angry or indignant.

“We don’t know yet. We can’t find any evidence. Don’t worry about it. We’re looking into it. You just rest.”

Avery makes a noncommittal noise, watching me from where her head slides onto the back cushion of the couch.

I lean my head to stare back at her. Those hazel eyes are more beautiful every time I look into them.

“Where’s Charlie?”

That’s right, her son that she doesn’t talk about. That she hasn’t even shown off a picture of. Like she’s keeping him a secret. It’s the opposite of what I expect out of a proud momma, which I fully imagine she is.

“Your father has him. And Sophia is helping him out. I haven’t gotten to see him yet.” My hands squeeze her ankles and calves again, and I track the sharp intake of her breath.

“I need a shower.”

“Unless you want me in there with you, I don’t think that’s possible.

” It’s the best threat I can think of because I’m sure she can’t stand in there on her own long enough to get clean.

And I’m going to hell for every part of me that wants to get in the shower with her, clean her skin, wash her hair, feel her against me.

She stares at me for a long time. I swear she can read every dirty thought that flies through my imagination.

“As long as we keep our underwear on, fine. I need one.”

I nod and slide out from under her legs, heat lingering as I bend to scoop her up again.

“Ryder.” Her admonishing tone leans toward amusement, and I lift my brow in response.

“Miss Avery. If you think you’re able to walk to the bathroom and stand in the shower long enough to get clean, you are sadly mistaken. Save your energy for where it will be the most useful.”

I’m surprised by how easy it is for me to carry her. By how much I enjoy doing so.

Her bathroom is small, but not too crowded. We fit just barely. Luckily, her sink is sturdy enough to hold her weight, but she still leans into me as I pull her oversized shirt up her back. Goosebumps sprout up her back and shoulders when I remove it from her. I stroke my palm against them.

Avery shivers and presses her face into my chest.

She’s got a pale blue sports bra on, razor cut in the back and showing off the muscles of her shoulders. I drift my hand through her hair, taking too much time enjoying this rather than getting her in the shower.

Leaning her back, she slumps against the mirror on the wall, and I turn her hot water on.

“You have to turn it all the way up, no cold water, or it will never heat all the way.” Her eyelids are drooping.

“Yeah, your dad left us instructions. Are you sure you’re still up for this?” I tuck a knuckle under her chin so she can look at me.

“Mmm-hmm. Need to be clean.”

“Okay. I’m going to take your sweats off now. Alright?” I hook my thumbs in the stretchy waist of her pants and pause.

“Who changed me to begin with?”

I let out a soft laugh. “Your father did.”

Avery makes another noise in the back of her throat and nods. “Do I get to take off your clothes?”

A full, hearty laugh falls out of me this time, and I lean in to plant a kiss on her cheek. “You’re not making this very easy on me, beautiful.”

But her hands lift to the top button of my shirt. It takes her a second to undo it, and longer to do the next one down. I suck in a slow, stabilizing breath. My hands close around hers to stop her.

“You’re going to wear yourself out like that.”

Her chuckle graces me with a weak smile. “Take it off, baby.”

Fuck, she’s going to be the death of my restraint. “Are you going to objectify me if I do?”

“Mmm-hmm.” Avery undoes the last button, her fingers brushing my bare skin above my slacks.

Heat tears through me, and my cock stirs again as she strokes a lazy line below my belly button.

Her lip pinches between her teeth, and I shake my head, pulling away. I strip off my shirt and check the water temperature. It’s piping hot now, so I dilute it with the cold until it’s not too hot.

Getting her to her feet leaves her wobbly, but she’s able to step into the tub.

Avery moans in relief when she steps under the spray. She tips her head in, and I’ve still got her by the waist.

“Wash your body first. I can help with your hair when you inevitably tire yourself out.”

“Washcloth. Body scrub in the corner. Purple bottle.” Bracing herself against the tiles, she nods. “I’ve got myself.”

I rush to get her the cloth and soap it up. Avery keeps one hand on the shower wall as she rubs herself clean, and she lets me wash her back. But as I predicted, she’s running out of steam, so I help her down to the tub floor.

Taking down the showerhead and kneeling beside the tub, I make sure Avery’s hair is wet before I dollop shampoo in her hair and massage it across her scalp. She leans against her knees, closes her eyes, and hums under the pattering of water falling.

Her hair is soft, long, luxurious. It darkens in the water, and I take too much enjoyment in simply running it through my hands to clear the suds.

“You want conditioner, too?”

Avery makes a thoughtful noise. “Do you know how to comb out snarls?”

I mock gasp at her. “Of course, I do. I have a younger sister. About seven years younger. I was the only one who could get her to sit still.”

The corner of her smile peeks out at me, even half hidden between her knees. A nostalgic feeling overtakes me, but I like brushing Avery’s so much more.

“I think I’m ready for a nap already.”

Rinsing her hair and her back off, I can see the way she’s swaying, even while sitting. “I bet. Let’s get you dry and into some new clothes.”

I uncurl Avery and help her out of the tub. Drying her off, I cringe at how her wet bra and undies cling to her and make her shiver.

“Trust me to grab you new undergarments?”

Her peal of laughter lightens my heart. “My undergarments? Sure, just don’t mess everything up in there. And no thongs.”

I can’t fight my grin as I prop her on the toilet. “Don’t move.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

I grab her clothes, laughing at how neat her drawers are. To redress her, I wrap her in a towel and help her out of her undies before helping her into her new ones. It takes imagining she’s my Mimi to keep my blood from pumping too hard.

The slide of her skin is soft and warm, and I close my eyes when I snap the elastic around her waist. Her bra is a bit harder to strip off without brushing the sides of her breasts. We both suck in a soft breath, and I force myself not to react otherwise.

But once she’s covered again, it’s easy to slip her into an oversized T-shirt and tuck her back into bed. Avery’s eyes are closed before her head hits the pillow, but the moment I step away, her hand is around my wrist.

“Don’t leave.” Her voice is half garbled.

Fuck, my heart twists with so much longing that I’m frozen for a second. Then, I crawl in behind her, over the covers, and roll her into my side.

A quiet moan escapes her before she’s weighed down by sleep.

I haven't even kissed her yet, and I’m falling for her.