“Yeah.”
“Micah said Katie’s sick,” Ensley said on the other line. “What’s going on? Is she really sick? What's going on? Are you making this shit up to get in her pants? I swear, Dry, if..."” She kept asking questions and not allowing me to answer.
“If you let me answer, I’ll tell you.”
“Fine. Talk.” She huffed into the phone.
A smile tipped my lips. She was the perfect spitfire for Micah.
Running down everything that had happened so far didn’t take long.
“I’m coming over,” she ordered.
“Ensley, I’ve got this. There’s nothin’ you can do right now. She’s sleepin’, and I’ve got my eyes on her. Gave her meds, and we’ve gotta let her sleep to get rid of it.”
“Dryerson! She’s my sister!” She yelled so loud I had to pull the phone from my ear.
“I know, and I’ll let you know if and when anything changes.” Even sick laying in bed, Katie was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on.
“I don’t like this, Dryerson.” Ensley was fierce in her tone.
“Settle down. Promise I’ll let you know. Besides, you don’t want to bring this home to Remy.”
It took a beat before she responded with, “Fine…” She paused. “Please take good care of her.”
“Absolutely.”
She hung up, and I chuckled. That woman. Perfect for Micah.
Pulling a chair from the dining room table into her room, I parked my ass on it and watched. Watched her chest move up and down. Watched her eye twitch every now and again. Watched her move her hands under her face as she rolled on her side. Watched her. Took everything in. Yeah, maybe beautiful wasn’t the word because she was beyond beautiful.
Yeah, Katie was it for me. She was mine. Now to make her see it.
12
KATIE
My head pounded and entire body ached. Swear, even the tip of my toes hurt. I felt cold like ice, even though there were blankets on top of me.
Wait. Where was I? Was I home? God, please let me be at home.
I cracked my eye open a bit as Dryerson, of all people, came into the room carrying a bowl and spoon.
“Hey there, sleeping beauty.” His smile was radiant, and I loved it. Too much. If you asked me what my dream would be when I woke up, it would be this exact thing. His smile and the loving way he looked at me. Minus the bowl, of course.
My voice croaked and cracked as I tried talking, “What’s goin’ on?”
“How are ya feelin’?” he asked, setting the soup on the nightstand, then sitting next to me on the bed without answering my question.
“Cold.” A full body shiver rolled through me, and I burrowed deeper into the blankets.
“Right. I need you to sit up and drink some of this broth. You need liquids in you.”
He made a move but paused when I responded. “I’m okay. Just cold.”
“This is warm and will heat you up.” He sounded like he was talking to a young child, but I didn’t have the energy to call him on it. I just wanted to sleep and get warm.
I tried to sit up, and my body screamed. Dryerson must’ve seen my struggles because his arm was behind my back, helping me. How did I get so weak?
“Take some sips of this,” he ordered, but I just wanted to lay down and sleep again.
Somehow, my mouth and throat worked, and I was able to get a little down with him holding the broth to my lips.
“Come on, Wild Kat, I need you to take some more.”
I let out a huge groan but did as asked. Or at least tried too. He was right, though, the soup did feel warm. That part of this I liked.
“Good. That’s good,” he said, setting the bowl down and then laying me back. As soon as he did the shivers returned in full force.
“Why is it so cold in here?” The question came through chattered teeth as I pulled the covers tighter to my body.
“Because you have a fever, and we need to get it broken. Take some more meds, and then you can go back to sleep.”
“Sleep sounds good,” I groaned, just wanting the feeling to stop. I’d never been this sick before. Ever. And at the time I didn’t think about the fact that Dryerson of all people was the one taking care of me.
Dryerson left the room, and I closed my eyes as sleep tried to grab me and pull me under. All too quickly he was back, making my aching body sit up once more to take the meds.
I felt it warm down my throat. “Is that booze?” I asked as he laid me back and covered me up.
“NyQuil.”
“It’s gross, and I’m cold.”
“Hang on, Wild Kat.”
The bed dipped behind me, and I could feel Dryerson’s heat warming me as he wrapped me up in his arms. It only took moments, and I was fast asleep.
The next time I woke it was to Ensley standing beside me, her hand on my forehead.
“Hey,” I croaked out. My throat was raw.
“Hey yourself. You’re a mess,” Ensley said on a smile.
My lip tipped. “What every woman wants to hear…”
“Your fever broke. Dryerson thought he’d have to take you to the hospital.” I didn’t realize I was that bad.
“How long have I been sick?” Suddenly I was burning up and tossed all the blankets off me. Sweat covered me from head to toe.
“Three days. Dryerson’s been hogging you.”
This confused me. “What?”
“Tried to come over yesterday, but he’s like a pit-bull and wouldn’t let me come. Me being me started on my way anyway, and Micah called—I’m a sucker and went back home.”
“Pitbull huh?” This made me smile.
“Yeah.”
“I really need a shower. I’m gross.” Lifting up, I swung my legs over the side and realized I had no strength. I needed strength.
I stood, wobbled on my feet, and then quickly sat on the bed.
“Hang on,” Ensley said, leaving the room only to come back seconds later with Dryerson following her.
“Hey to you,” I greeted him.
“She lives,” he teased, and secretly I loved it. Even gross and disgustingly sweaty, he made my heart skip a beat.
“I guess. I feel gross.”
His sexy smirk made my head spin more. “Lucky for you I give great showers.”
“Um … no. I’ll take a shower on my own,” I told him. He was not seeing me naked. I might’ve helped him before, but there was no way he was going to see the marks all over my body. No. Not happening.
My sister walked out of the room saying, “You get her cleaned up, and then I’ll get some food in her.”
“Ensley!” I yelled, but she didn’t reply.
“You’re not giving me a shower,” I told him directly, putting every ounce of force I could muster up into my words.
“No, I’m holding you up. Giving you support.”
I had to look to meet his eyes from my perch on the bed. “No.”
“Can you stand on your own?”
My stare turned into a glare because no I couldn’t. Standing caused a wave of dizziness.