Page 20 of Just George

Once I was out, I heard him talking to someone and followed the sound back out to the kitchen, where he had his cell tucked next to his ear with a raised shoulder as he made tea. Between the reassuring tone and his repeated promises that I was fine, I knew it was Hannah.

“Is she okay?” I asked when he was done, placing his iPhone down on the counter.

“As expected, she was worried about you,” he apprised me, walking around the island to kiss my cheek. It was nice that he couldn’t seem to keep his lips or hands off me. That had never happened before, even at the beginning of things, and I found myself already—though I kept reminding myself not to—getting attached. “Why don’t you go lie down, and I’ll be right in. Do you want some tea or water or––”

“I’m not much for tea, more a coffee guy, but I would take some water and whatever pills you have.”

“I’ll bring you in some ibuprofen,” he promised and pointed behind me. “Now go. You look like you’re going to pass out.”

I turned for the bedroom.

“And by the way, I like those pajamas, very cute.”

“Doctor Who is not cute; he’s a very serious man.” People thought military guys all slept in their skivvies, but what the hell? Why couldn’t we be whimsical too?

“Of course,” he agreed, chuckling behind me.

“I need drugs, Doc. You promised me some since you didn’t like the looks of my medicine cabinet.”

“Your medicine cabinet should be illegal,” he called after me. “You have too many pills, and at least half of them were expired.”

I scoffed as I turned the corner.

His bed was a king, and the side closest to the door was turned down for me. I appreciated that he knew I had to sleep there. My instincts were far too honed for me not to be able to protect him. I had to be positioned between him and danger. Not that the dogs would allow me to be first, and they’d eat anyone who came in the house… but still. I heard him set the alarm, saw the green light go red on the panel on the wall next to the bathroom, and closed my eyes for a second. Everything hurt all of a sudden, and I felt like a piece of tenderized meat.

“Hey, drink some water.”

I must have dozed off because the light in the room looked different. “What time is it?”

“Around five,” he answered, and gave me a horse pill, then slipped a straw into my mouth so I wouldn’t have to tip my head.

“In the morning?”

“Yes, dear, in the morning.”

“Man, I’m sorry. I wanted to talk to you.”

“You’ll have lots of time to talk to me,” he mused, kissing my forehead. “But you were whimpering in your sleep, so I think you went from achy to actual pain.”

“Whimpering?” I whined, feeling like crap. “That’s not manly.”

He laughed softly, kissing my temple and then my ear. I leaned into his kisses, wanting more. When he brushed my hair back so he could reach more of my skin, I sighed deeply.

“Oh, he likes that.”

I grunted.

“You’re a snuggler too, did you know?”

“People don’t like to sleep all wrapped up together. Nobody likes it.”

“I think perhaps you’ve been spending time with the wrong people.”

There was that possibility.

“Lie back down,” he ordered. “Stop arguing with me and simply do what I say.”

“That’s not healthy.”