Chapter Fourteen
Esme
Draco and Asher had walked me home after my hospital visit. Asher gave me a hug goodbye, and I made Draco give me one. He wasn’t really a hugger, but I had to thank them for helping me today.
As soon as they left, I went straight for the shower.
My body had an intense, all-over ache, and I was really dirty. I stayed in the shower for a half hour, and then stepped out to dry.
My arm wasn’t too happy lifting above my head, so I slid one of my knee-length nightgowns up from my feet pretty easily without much pain.
I was tired, the events from today were finally catching up with me. But as I snuggled into my bed, Dorian’s scent hit me, and I can admit I burrowed my nose in further to relish the smell.
It was clear as day that Asher and Draco were not fans of Dorian, but they had dealt with him on few occasions, as far as I knew. He probably pissed them off at some point. It wasn’t hard to imagine.
He came back to the hospital to check on me. I was trying not to read into that, but it was difficult.
Maybe he just wanted to check on his fuck buddy. Can’t have sex if I had to be hospitalized from an explosion. That was it.
My mind had settled with that explanation, but then my heart did a little flip as I fell asleep, remembering the warmth on my cheek when he touched my face and said he was glad I was okay.
The next morning, my body didn’t feel any better. In fact, it felt worse. I guessed being thrown a few feet to the ground from an explosion would make you feel like shit. I rolled out of bed to take care of myself in the bathroom and swallow some anti-inflammatory pills to help with the ache.
I called Melissa Ann to see if she could cover my shift tonight, and she said she’d be happy to, needing the extra money to help pay for baby stuff. So, I grabbed myself some fruit from the kitchen and went back to my bed, lugging my laptop along for entertainment.
My face scrunched up in surprise when a knock on my door came at dinnertime. I left my bed, where I had stayed almost all day, to take a look through my little peephole.
Dorian was standing there, with bags in his hands.
I opened the door and gave him my best attempt at a smirk.
“You’re a delivery boy, too? Is being a doctor not exciting enough for you?” I teased. Whatever he had in those plastic bags and to-go boxes would be welcomed. I had been thinking about what I wanted for dinner when he knocked.
“I like to live on the edge,” he commented and set the bags down on the table then turned to me. In a matter of seconds, his hands were wrapped around my waist and his lips connecting with mine.
It didn’t take long for that urgent start of a kiss to turn into a need for more. His hands roamed up my body, feeling me as if he had missed touching me.
I winced when his hand passed over my arm.
He pulled back instantly.
Shoot.
“You should ice it.” He took a step back and let his hands drop from my skin.
“I did about twenty minutes ago.”
He wasn’t the only one with a medical background in the apartment.
“I’m surprised to see you here. Just getting off?” He looked like he had a long day at work, but then again, he sometimes pulled two shifts, working like a maniac. His hair was messy, and his top button was undone.
“I was hungry. There was a buy-one-get-one special.” He started unpacking the bags. I was surprised he cared to use that free meal on me. A small part of my wall I’d erected started to shake.
“Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t buy you a puppy—it’s food. Simple. You eat, then we fuck. I’m not your date.” And the shaking wall stopped.
“Bad day?” I sat down at the table and looked at what he got. Sushi? It was buy-one-get-one from the expensive-ass sushi place a block over from here? Methinks Dorian has strayed from the truth in his story. I loved that place, and if they ever had buy-one-get-one on sushi, I would be as big as a sumo wrestler.
He sat down and let out an exhausted sigh that I wasn’t sure I was truly meant to hear. He sounded tired.
