I tossed the phone on the edge of the bed and dropped to the foot stool to clasp her hand again. Staying here was my only choice, if I took my eyes off her, I couldn’t focus on my work, the laptop tossed on my dresser said as much.
She thrashed under the blanket again.
“Shhh, bunny,” I murmured. She calmed, her body relaxing and her face turning toward me, even in sleep. She whimpered and clutched my hand, curving toward me.
I sat, holding her hand as I scrolled my emails with my free one. I managed to read through another packaging contract with a new company Astor Industries was debating on working with by the time her shivers subsided.
I touched the back of my hand to her forehead, and she was no longer burning. Fortunately, as I was about to take her to the emergency room and then sue my brother for not caring for his patient properly.
I dialed Baron back.
All of her moving had loosened her bun. Sweat slicked her hair to her temples.
“She’s not burning up anymore, but she’s clammy,” I said before he could speak.
“Samuel,” Baron growled.
“Can I bathe her?” He let out a litany of curses. “Answer.”
“Yes, now can you?—”
I hung up. Gently pulling the blanket away to toss it off the bed, I swept her into my arms. My bedroom had a spacious bathroom so I had no problem cradling her to my chest as I stepped inside. I turned the dial, leaving the lights dim, so it didn’t hurt her eyes. Holding her tight, I reached to twist the knob to fire on the bath.
Propping her ass on the counter, I balanced her upright with one arm as I tugged at the buttons of her shirt until it gaped to reveal a light pink bra hiding the swell of her breasts. My cock immediately stiffened. I pinched the edge of the shirt and took a deep breath to remove the shirt efficiently. Then I leaned her on my chest and wiggled her skirt down, leaving her in her bra and underwear.
Lifting her again, I brought her to the tub and slipped her inside. She sighed, huddling into the warmth.
“Fuck,” I hissed, catching her head before she plunged her nose and mouth under. I arched over the bath, keeping one arm submerged while I gently wiped her face with my thumb, making sure to clean her temples. With me tending her she seemed calmer than she had been all night.
I didn’t move until the water began to cool and a pinch in my shoulder forced me to. I popped the drain and hoisted her out to wrap her in a towel.
Water seeped into my shirt and her wet hair stuck to the side of my neck. I carried her to my bed to set her down, pulling that half-propping move with one arm. She sighed, her cheek nuzzling into my shoulder. An odd and foreign sensation tookhold of my gut, squeezing it so tight it exploded a weightlessness in my chest. I cleared my throat, but it would not go away.
After drying her, I reached to unclasp her bra.
As I retreated, she drooped and my palm rubbed against a hard nipple. I exhaled harshly. My cock couldn’t possibly stiffen any more. I quickly removed her underwear, then wrapped her in the towel again. Once I lay her down, I collected the robe hanging in my closet across the room, and returned to her side, cupping the back of her neck to hoist her to her perky ass. Spreading the robe over her shoulders, I fed her arms through the holes, and wrapped her in it, closing it tightly at her front, and hiding those luscious handfuls. She seemed cripplingly shy; I didn’t want to give her a reason to run away. I tugged the towel free and dropped it to the floor.
Her fingers curled into my damp sleeves, bunching the fabric with her small hands. I unbuttoned the front to get the wet shirt off, but she didn’t let go of my arm.
I tugged again, but she clutched my arm, hugging me tight. As I tried extricating myself, she cried out, sniffling in with a half sob.
“Sh, sh, bunny,” I murmured, laying her back and going along with her grip until I hovered over her with both knees on the bed. I settled in beside her. She tossed her leg over mine, trapping it with hers, clinging to me like her life depended on me—and I fucking loved it.
I cupped the back of her head with my free hand and urged her face into my bare chest. She nuzzled my skin, making it damn hard for me to fall asleep.
I breathedin the smell of Alpha, humming in pleasure. A furnace lay against me. I’d never experienced such delicious heat. I cuddled closer to it and the large hand on my waist pulled me tight. Wait, a hand?
I slowly leaned back until I found the half-lidded gaze of my boss staring down at me. His face was shadowed, but I could make out those lips and the hair falling onto his forehead.
I gasped and tried to pull away but couldn’t because he wouldn’t let me.
“Mr. Astor,” I gasped, trying to pull away again, but his grip tightened and he gripped my thigh to force it back over his legs.
“Stop moving.”
My belly clenched with need, and I warmed. Good thing he couldn’t see how severely he affected me. I stopped fighting to get away. “I should go,” I said breathlessly.
“Is there anyone to watch you?” he responded abruptly.
