“I don’t regret the kiss, baby. I regret taking it while you’re hurt and vulnerable.” What now? “I shouldn’t have forced you to kiss me while you’re…”
“You didn’t force me.” Saying it that way bothers me. It makes it sound like…like Luka is a bad person. And he’s not! “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you, sweetheart.”
“You didn’t. You…I…I liked it.” It comes out a little shaky, but I don’t want him to think he is in the wrong. “I…wish I were better at it.”
“Sweetheart, are you serious?” The look he gives me is one of surprise.
“Yeah, I don’t really know what I’m doing and…”
“Baby, you did everything right. There’s nothing you could have done better because you were fantastic.” He takes me in his arms, wrapping me in warmth. I can’t fight the urge to burrow into him and take the comfort he is offering me, even if I am in only a bra and panties. “God, when I came back in and saw you lying on the floor I…,”
He doesn’t finish his thought, but I can guess what he was about to say. It must have been scary for him to find me like he was talking about. I can’t remember what I was doing before or how my accident happened, but finding anyone on the floor bleeding would be upsetting. The way he is hugging me…is something more than just worry for a friend…isn’t it?
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you in bed.”
Or maybe I’m just seeing things that clearly aren’t there. I let him help me work the borrowed shirt over my head, so I don’t mess up the bandage and climb into bed. When he leaves to find something for us both to snack on, I reach up and take my bra off. If I am going to rest, I can’t do that in a bra. I stuff the thing, made of mostly lace, in between the bed and the nightstand before bringing my hands to my hot cheeks. He saw me in next to nothing. The panties aren’t any better than the bra, with lace being the only material there.
When he comes back in, my cheeks are still pink. He has cookies, milk, and chips as well as several kinds of dip.
“Mom made you cookies. She said you needed something soft that wouldn't jar your head around. I still bought chips, just in case you wanted something else. And it’s time to take more meds.”
“You don’t have to do all this. You don’t have to take care of me. I’m sure you have places you need to be and things you need to do. I’ll be fine…”
“Actually, I don’t have anything I would rather be doing than be here with you. And I want to take care of you.”
“Do you feel guilty about what happened? Because it’s not your fault.”
He doesn’t answer me, and I can’t help but wonder if that is why he is doing all of this. It makes everything a little tainted. I don’t want him to stay with me out of a sense of guilt, especially when he has no need to feel that way.
“I’m just going to be here resting most of the day. You could…,”
“I could , but I’m not going to.” He interrupts me. “I’m not going anywhere. Now, scoot over.”
He pushes my legs over and takes a seat on the bed beside me. “I have a whole list of Christmas movies I’ve never seen before that I want to watch with you.”
Oh! Wow! He wants to watch Christmas movies with me, and I can't fight the smile that tilts my lips up. He asks which one we should start with, and over time, with my belly full and the meds kicking in, I drift off wrapped up in his arms. He wakes me every hour to make sure everything is alright. He gives me meds periodically and wakes me to eat dinner; otherwise, lets me rest. Every time I wake up, he is there with me. It makes me feel safe and taken care of in a way I’ve never really felt since my mom died. It's really nice, and I know I am going to miss it when it has to end.
Chapter Eighteen
Lumi
When I open my eyes in the morning, it’s to find myself wrapped around a sleeping Luka. At some point during the night, he must have joined me in the bed more fully because we are pressed together, and my head is lying on his bare chest. A chest covered in tattoos.
My head comes up too fast, and I nearly moan out loud as the room spins. Not as bad as yesterday, but still bad enough that I don’t want to jump up and run. I also don’t want to wake him up just yet. It might be wrong, but I really want to take a long pause and check out the art that’s been laid out in front of me. Do most CEO’s have this many tattoos?
They seem to cover his entire upper body, all the way down to his elbows, but not below. He moves in his sleep, causing me to cover my mouth so the gasp that falls out won’t wake him. He doesn’t wake, though, and just rearranges himself, snuggling against me even more. He whispers, and it sounds like he says my name, but that might be wishful thinking on my part.
Either way, I need to get out of here and check in with the Agency. Hopefully, they’ll be understanding about my accident, and I’ll be able to keep my job. The very thought has me slinking my way out of his grasp, which is no easy feat considering everytime I think I might be getting close, he moves and wraps me up tighter.
I finally make it to a standing position and dress quickly. To hide the bloodstain on the front of the green dress, I borrow one of Luka’s sweaters and throw it over my top. I think this is the one he wore last night because it smells like him…or maybe that’s me, since I was all wrapped up in him.
I look back one last time at the man lying in the bed with his chest bare and his face softer than I’ve ever seen it before. He looks so different from any other time I’ve seen him. Not that he looks any less commanding or eye-catching. In fact, getting to see him like this makes me fall a little more…Oh God!
I quietly close the door and tamp down the fear that rises inside of me. There is no way I am in love with this man! I can’t be. Nothing could be worse than stupid me taking his kindness and sweet nature as something it isn’t and idiotically falling in love. I don’t even know this man.
I make it down to the first floor, completely caught up in my own thoughts. And nearly run into a big, tall man standing in the way of me and the door. He’s almost as tall as Luka and seems vaguely familiar.
