The thought makes me sick. I fired him on the spot, which unfortunately made it hard getting out of the tub alone. Do you know what a naked man sprawled out on the bathroom floor looks like after they slip and fall? It ain’t pretty.
“Sponge baths are your department.” Andre squeezes Felix’s shoulder. “There’s only one man I rub down nowadays.” I laugh. Felix blinks at Andre.
“Thanks, Andre.”
He stops in the doorway. “Soon, Grey.”
When he leaves, I lock the door. “I... I don’t know what to say.” Felix looks down at the floor. “Why are you doing this?”
I shrug. “You haven’t had a chance to go to the store. On my way to the doctor’s, Andre took me to get you some things. It’s no big deal.”
“This is a lot of clothing, and a blanket?” His brows pinch. “Why a blanket?”
“I figured you’d want your own. I have tons around here, but it’s nice to have one of your own.” I point at an end table against the wall with a stack of them on it. “Can never have too many blankets.”
The corner of his lip quirks. Why am I noticing now how red and full they are? “It has leopard spots on it.”
Stop gawking at his mouth!“It was the biggest and softest one there. Thought you could use it.”
Felix shakes his head. “Last night... I mean, I shouldn’t have?—”
Last night was a gift he didn’t know he’d given me. Being outside, doing something normal... it was like a mood reboot. “Would you mind helping me in the tub? I’m so sore.”
“Uh, yeah.” I just want to soak and then sit on the couch and rest my knee. My doctor nearly kicked my ass when I admitted how much I’ve been on it.
“Hey, Grey?”
“Yeah?” I watch Felix, his nervous eyes going over all the things.
“I’m sorry about the way I acted last night. That was unprofessional.”
I walk up to him, gently squeezing his shoulder. “I had a good time last night. It’s been a while since I’ve sat down and talked to someone. I needed that.” Maybe it’s Andre’s words, but he wasn’t wrong. Felix is kind of cute. I don’t know who the fuck Spencer Reid is, though. I’ll have to look it up. He runs his fingers through his damp hair, wearing the clothes I washed for him. “I’m sorry for the way I acted yesterday. I took my anger out on you. I won’t let it happen again.”
His shoulders relax. “Um, okay.”
“Come on. I need a bath. Then I have strict orders not to move for the rest of the day.” I smile. “My caregiver made me promise.”
That earns me a grin, and I try my best to ignore the flip in my belly when I see it.
EIGHT
Felix
I think I’m having a panic attack.
My chest feels tight. All these bags are making my brain squeeze. It’s too much. I want to be grateful, but I’m cautious. Why is he doing this? Alarms are ringing in the back of my skull. What happened last night? I’m not sure. I don’t know.
I’ll pay him back. That’s it.
He’ll show me the receipts, and I’ll pay him back. He can take the cost out of my paycheck. I don’t care how he wants to do it.
My fingers dip into the water, testing the temperature. Grey said that if I think it’s hot then make it hotter, so I let the heat pour out at full power until steam starts to roll over the top of the tub. I look under his sink and find bath salts for the swelling and pour some in with a minty milk mixture I found, turning the water opaque. “Almost ready.” I call out.
I hear footsteps and look up to see him in a pair of boxers, leaning against the door frame. Damn. My attentiondips to his broad chest. Dark blond hair dusts his pecs and trails down the lines of his abs. His arms cross over his broad chest as he watches me, the veins in his arms prominent, and the thin fabric of his boxers does little to hide his thick thighs. I have to peel my eyes away. I’ve never seen muscles like that before.
Stop checking out your client! I look at his knee instead... it’s really swollen. I’m happy he went to the doctor this morning. That’s a step in the right direction, I guess. Maybe our talk last night worked. Yes, this job is a means of escape, but that doesn’t mean I’m not taking it seriously. I want Grey to get better, and more than that, I think Grey is finallyreadyto get better.
“Yeah, it’s almost done.” He limps over, putting his hand in to feel it.
