I spend the drive back to my apartment trying to figure out if I’m doing the right thing by bringing him home with me. Stopping the car in front of my building, I wonder how this will work. I think I have some cans of soup in my cabinet. I’ll let him sleep in my bed and I’ll take the couch. Ugh, my nerves are shot. What if he hates this idea?
I turn off the ignition and glance over at him. Softly, I touch his forehead. He’s still warm. My touch causes him to stir.
“Hey,” he says with a smile, opening his eyes to me.
“I’ve made up my mind and I don’t want to hear a single argument from you about it.”
“O—kay…”
“You’re spending the night with me.” Oh shit, that came out wrong.
“Huh?” he manages to sit up a bit.
“What I mean is that you’re far too sick to drive home and I’m worried about you, so you’re going to have to spend the night at my apartment because I don’t want to wonder if you made it home safely or fell in your driveway or died in your sleep and it will be easier if I can check on you and make sure you’re alive because we need you.”
“You need me?” he asks with a grin.
I roll my eyes. “So you’re staying.”
“Yes, boss.”
Smiling at my win, I fish my keys out of my purse and walk around to his side. He sticks his feet out and sits for a minute. It’s as if it’s hard for him to stand. Holding out my hand to him, he lifts his eyes to me and smiles.
He takes my hand and I help him up. He places his arm around my neck.
“I’ll come back out for our stuff after I get you settled.”
He nods his head. I hit the button on the remote to lock the door and we make our way inside. I’m only on the second floor, but we still take the elevator. I open the door to my apartment and flip on the light.
“It’s nice. It suits you,” he says as I close the door behind him.
He starts to make his way to the couch. “No, you get the bed,” I tell him.
His head turns and he scowls. “Absolutely not. I will not take your bed. It’s bad enough I’m imposing as it is.”
I stomp my foot. “This is my place and I make the rules. If I say you’re sleeping there, you’re sleeping there.”
He shakes his head and leans on the wall for support. “So damn bossy. You just want me in your bed, don’t you Eliza?”
“Stop calling me other names. And say whatever you want, you’re not going to piss me off and make me change my mind.”
I place his arm around my neck again and help him to my room. I pull back the covers of my bed and he sits. I bend down and remove his shoes. Glancing up, I see he’s grinning at me. It’s not cocky or contrived, it’s soft and appreciative. I stand and begin to remove his tie. I slide his suit jacket off his shoulders and start to unbutton his shirt. He’s sitting and I’m standing so I have to bend over at my waist to reach him. I slide his shirt off his shoulders, revealing a t-shirt.
“On or off?” I ask, pulling on the material.
“Off please. I’m hot.”
“Yes you are,” I say instinctively and his eyes meet mine. I sigh. “That’s not what I meant. I meant you have a fever and you’re hot, not that you’re gorgeous and you’re hot. I mean, you are attractive, but that’s not what I meant… when I said it.”
I shake my head at myself, reach for the material at his waist, and pull his shirt over his head. I gasp lightly when I see his sculpted abs and muscular arms. He has a tattoo on his chest with a date. It says “The Journey 3-11.”
Trying my best not to stare at him, I turn and begin folding his clothes. He pushes himself up and I hear a clanking sound. He’s undoing the buckle on his slacks.
“Whoa… what are you doing?” I ask.
He gazes up at me. “Did you want me to sleep in my dress pants?”
I pause nervously at the idea of him naked in my bed. Shirt didn’t seem bad, but pants too? Can I handle that? “I guess not,” I respond. “But you’d better not even consider commando.”
