Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 80391 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80391 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
I relaxed slightly and returned my back to the seat once more and felt Sebastian resume my pace. “Sounds like the flu. Did you get your flu shot?”
She snorted. “Yeah, right. I’ve had the flu every year since I started teaching and had the flu shot for half of those. What would be the point?”
“Umm,” I had the resist the urge to laugh. “Possibly not having the flu right now?”
“Shut up.” She sniffled. “Anyway, I need a ride home.”
I looked at the rig and the state of my clothing and knew immediately I couldn’t give her a ride. She’d probably have a heart attack.
“I’ll have to send someone over there. Don’t leave without someone from the club.” I said harshly.
Much more harshly that I’d intended, but I could just see the stubborn woman calling a cab because whoever was supposed to pick her up took too long.
“Fine,” she hissed and hung up.
“Fuck,” I groaned.
“Trouble in paradise?” Sebastian goaded.
“Up yours.” I said before calling the club to see who could pick up my woman.
Turns out there was only the president in residence; he’d have to do.
***
I walked in later that night to find Silas kicked back on my recliner, drinking my beer, and watching my DVR.
“Please, make yourself at home!” I said dryly as I dropped my duffel bag on the floor inside the door.
“Your woman started running a high fever on the way home, and I was worried to leave her alone. She started talking about her papa and thinking I was him.” Silas shrugged and took another swallow of beer.
I started stripping out of my clothes as soon as I made it past the hallway, and was down to my boxers by the time I entered my room.
The first thing I noticed as I entered was the TV that was playing Transformers, one of Adeline’s favorite movies. The second thing was Adeline clothed in only a pair of underwear that showed the swells of her ass and one of my fire department issued t-shirts.
She looked freakin’ awful.
Her hair was a matted mess, pieces here and there clung to the sweat on her forehead, and her face was the color of chalk.
Walking quietly as not to wake her, I felt her forehead and winced at the temperature. 104 at least.
Walking to my dresser, I grabbed the first pair of sweats I found and stepped into them before heading back out to the living room.
“When was the last time she had any meds?” I asked Silas as I walked past him into the kitchen.
“She had a hot toddy and some Ibuprofen at seven.” Silas answered.
Looking at the clock on the microwave, I realized that she still had over two hours before she could have that again; I reached for the Tylenol and shook out two pills.
Then I grabbed a glass of ice water before heading back the way I came.
Setting it down on the bedside table, I sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed Adeline’s hair back as I spoke quietly to her. “Addy? Honey? You need to wake up and take these pills. You’re fever’s too high.”
She groaned, sat up, and held her hand out for the pills.
Which she promptly dropped.
“Here,” I said as I scooted her closer to me.
With my arm around her back and my hand on her tummy, I held her still as I grabbed the pills from the table. I held them up to her mouth and dropped them in before giving her a sip of water.
She grimaced and then dropped back against me in a boneless slump. “Feel like shit.” She whimpered.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “I’ll bet you do.”
“I heard you had a bad day. Baylee sent me a text message a couple of hours ago. I’m sorry.” She whimpered, kissing my neck softly.
“That’s okay, honey. Coming home to you makes everything better.” I said softly.
“I know,” she whimpered, coughed, and then settle back into my arms. “I love you.”
Then she passed out, and I was as high as a fucking kite.
Chapter 11
Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman has to hold onto.
-Adeline to Viddy
Adeline
I woke at five in the morning six days later, finally able to breathe.
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Kettle’s tattooed back.
He was curled up on his side with his arms stretched up over the top of his head, and he didn’t look comfortable at all.
Smiling, I got up quietly and walked into the bathroom to get a quick shower that ended up lasting nearly half an hour.
However, it felt so good to finally be able to stand by myself that I got a little carried away.
When I got out, I dried off with my favorite towel that wrapped around me completely and turned off the light before exiting the bathroom.
Kettle was still asleep, only now he was on his stomach in the middle of the bed. It was almost as if he’d drifted over when he realized I was gone, and instead used my pillow as a substitute for my body.
Dressing quietly in sweat pants and Kettle’s fire department sweatshirt, I went out to the kitchen and had my first cup of coffee in nearly a week.
My sigh of bliss echoed in the empty alcove as I grabbed a blanket and walked out to the back porch. I took a seat on the lounge chair Kettle had set up for my viewing pleasure and sighed in happiness.
Pulling up the reading app on my phone, I read for nearly an hour before I heard the house beyond me starting to stir to life.
Kettle tapped on the window as he finally made it into the kitchen, causing me to look up and smile at him. When he waved his iPod at me and made the universal running sign, I held up my thumb in acquiesce and waved as he disappeared from sight.
I saw him twenty minutes later as he ran down the street that lined the back of our building, and of course, I had to whistle at him.