“Miss Burton?” She looks up from her clipboard. “I can see you’ll have no problem getting a ride home. Who can I hand over your care to for the next twenty-four hours?”
“Me,” Sterling replies in his deep baritone. “I’ll take care of her.”
The doctor looks at me. “Great. So, no alcohol or exerting yourself. Get plenty of rest, and any worsening headaches, come back in.”
“I’ll bring her straight back if there is, Doctor,” Sterling says.
The impulse to argue that I don’t need babysitting fires inside me. But the authoritative command in his voice as he fixes his eyes on me makes the flames die out.
“You’ll let me look after you, won’t you, Hallie?” he rasps.
I nod reluctantly, but he lifts his brows.
“Yes.” I sigh.
He lowers his voice so only I can hear. “Good girl.”
Then he turns to the doctor.
“Can I take her home now?”
18
HALLIDAY
“It’s ready,”Sterling calls as he walks out of the bathroom, a billow of lavender scented steam following him.
I look up from where I’m perched on the end of his bed.
“You can make yourself at home,” he says, frowning at the unpacked bag by my feet.
He sent Denver over to collect some of my things for me that Sinclair kindly packed.
“Get in the bath, it’ll help with the aches.” Sterling stops in front of me.
I let my lower lip go from where I’m biting it. “Thank you.” My gaze tracks around the bedroom. “Isn’t there a guest bathroom I should be using?”
“Mine has the deepest tub.” He takes my hand and helps me to my feet. “And my room is the only one that has a bed and a couch.”
I look past him at the giant velvet couch against the wall.
“You’re not sleeping in another room, Hallie. I need to know you’re okay.”
“I’m fine.” I sigh. “But you’re going to watch me like a hawk for the next twenty-four hours anyway, aren’t you?
“You’re a fast learner.” He winks at me before leading me to the bathroom, stopping at the door to let me enter first.
The tub is filled with bubbles, and the room is bathed in a soft light from multiple lit candles placed on every available surface.
“Take your time.” His warm breath flows over the back of my neck, making me shiver before he closes the door with a soft click and leaves me alone.
I stare around the room, taking in the floor-to-ceiling windows with views over the city.
Something tightens in my chest, and I push it as far down as I can as I strip off my clothes and sink into the heavenly water. It comes up to my neck and every tightly coiled muscle in my body slowly starts to unravel as I soak.
This feels so normal. Like I belong here. With Sterling. In his apartment. In his bed. But there’s too much at stake if I let myself dream like that.
I lose track of time, finally stepping from the tub once the water has cooled. I reach for a towel on the rack to dry myself, but stall as I spot the familiar fabric of my pajamas hanging amongst the white fluffy towels. Sterling must have placed them here when he was getting the bath ready, making sure they’d be warm for me to put on.
