The sun hits my face and I groan. Cole quickly hops out of bed and pulls the blinds.
“Sorry, sweets. I didn’t think about closing them last night when we got in.”
“Thank you,” I croak. Gah! My throat is killing me.
Cole climbs back into bed and snuggles under the covers. He pulls me to him. “Don’t talk. You don’t have to thank me. I want to take care of you.” He places a feather-soft kiss against my temple. “Are you hungry?”
I shake my head.
“Okay, but you need to at least be drinking something. I’m going to call downstairs. You want coffee?”
Another shake of my head. Coffee doesn’t sound good to me.
“How about some hot chocolate?”
Again, I shake my head. Reaching over, I grab my cell phone from the nightstand and quickly type out a message.
Me: Milkshake
“Milkshake. Why didn’t I think of that?” he asks. “Flavor?”
I type out another text.
Me: Vanilla
“Anything else sound good to you?”
Me: No, thank you.
“I’m going to call downstairs and order it, and then I’ll get your medicine.” He reaches for the phone on the nightstand and orders himself some breakfast and me a milkshake.
Once he’s finished, he pulls me back into his chest and I snuggle up to him. I hate being sick, but it’s nice to have this, to have someone who is there to help. Not that I’m not capable of taking care of myself, but it’s the thought that he wants to. That he hasn’t left my side.
“I need to get your medicine,” he finally says, releasing his hold on me.
I move into a sitting position and watch as he pulls on his jeans, then gathers my medication. He pulls a bottle of water from the mini fridge and hands everything to me.
“This one”—he points to a horse pill that will be hell on my throat—“is your antibiotic. The other three are Advil for pain.”
I take them from him and swallow them one at a time. I’ll be glad when they kick in. I hate this. We were supposed to have three days together to just hang out, and here he is taking care of me. I feel guilty.
Room service arrives not long after and the milkshake feels and tastes like heaven. Cole dives into his breakfast, sitting beside me in the bed.
“You want to try some eggs?”
I grab my phone and send him a text.
Me: No, but thank you.
He reads his message and continues eating. Once he’s finished, he sets his plate on the floor and rolls over to face me.
Picking up my phone, I send him another text.
Me: You don’t have to stay with me today.
I watch as he reads it.
“Where else would I be?”
Me: Call the guys. Go have some fun. This is your time off.
“You’re right, it is. I’m also spending it just as I would have, even if you weren’t sick—with you.” He taps the end of my nose. “I cherish this alone time that I get with you. We’re usually on a crowded bus, so this”—he waves his hand around the room—“is exactly where I want to be.”
Me: What if I get you sick?
“Then I do. I don’t have to sing backup. The guys can cover me, and I can play the guitar without talking. Besides, you’re being treated, so it’s a chance I’m willing to take.”
Sweet Cole is still going strong. I still see his cocky side, but when it matters, when it’s important, he never lets me down.
Me: Watch a movie with me?
He hands me the remote. “Your choice.”
Me: I don’t care what we watch. I’ll just fall asleep
He chuckles as he reads my message. “Okay, sweets, come here.” He holds out his arm, and I slide closer and rest my head against his chest. His fingers automatically begin to run through my hair. He scrolls through the stations until he lands on some show about drag racing.
I don’t bother to even pretend that I’m paying attention; I close my eyes and let the steady beat of his heart lull me to sleep.
I wake up to Cole talking on the phone.
“Yeah, she’s good. She’s been sleeping all day.”
A pause and then, “Will do.” He ends the call.
“Hey.” My voice is raspy, but I feel a little better than earlier.
“Hey, sweets, you feeling any better?”
“Yeah.” My stomach growls.
“How about some soup? Maybe a grilled cheese?”
“That sounds pretty amazing, actually,” I say, holding my throat.
Cole smiles and makes the call then brings me my medicine. “I brought more Advil, every six hours for pain,” he explains.
“What time is it?” I ask after taking a drink of the ice-cold water he handed me.
“It’s after five.”
“I’m sorry I slept all day. You should have called the guys.”
He rests his hands on my shoulders. “Stop. This is where I want to be. I got to hold you all day. What’s better than that?” He shrugs as if he really doesn’t know what would be a better way to spend his day.
I don’t bother to argue with him, just take my medicine and drink the entire bottle of water. “I need a shower.”
“How about a bath? You can soak until our food gets here. They said forty-five minutes since it’s the dinner rush. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect.”
Reaching out, he offers me his hand. I take it, allowing him to help me up from the bed. My body aches.
Once in the bathroom, Cole turns the water on while I brush my teeth. That alone makes me feel human again.
“There’s a new toothbrush for you to start using after you’ve been fever-free for twenty-four hours. I picked one up the other night at the urgent care.”
“What made you think of that?”
“Chloe. Mia had strep a while back. When I called to see if she needed anything before I stopped by, she said she needed a new toothbrush for Mia. I looked it up online while you were sleeping to see if there was a suggested time frame.” He tests the water temperature. “It’s ready for you. Sorry we don’t have any bubbles.”
“Bubbles not required,” I rasp. I finish stripping out of my clothes before joining him beside the tub. Resting my hand on his arm, I hold on as I step into the hot water. Both legs in, I sink down into the warmth. “Will you get in with me?” I ask as he turns to leave.
“I ordered food.”
“You said yourself that it will be a while before they get here. Please.” I think it’s my pathetic voice combined with the pouty lip that causes him to cave.
“Naked time with my girl.” He smirks.
I watch unashamed as he slowly strips out of his jeans and boxer briefs.
“Don’t look at me like that, sweets.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to devour me.” He points to his hard length. “This is what happens when you do that. You’re sick, so there is no action happening.”
He leaves no room for debate. I know that as long as I still feel like I do and sound like I do, there will be no sexy time with my man.
Cole steps into the tub and settles in behind me, his legs surrounding mine. “Lie back,” he says, his voice soft.
I do as he asks and rest my head on his shoulder. He grabs a washcloth that he must have lain on the side of the tub and dunks it into the water. Gently, he runs it over my body.
“Your skin is so soft,” he murmurs.
“Mmmm.”
It’s not until I feel his hands on my breasts that I realize he’s lost the washcloth. He uses his hands to cup water and release it over my chest before running them over my breasts and down my stomach. I may be sick, but having his hands on me is a spark that will always find a flame.
Trailing kisses down my neck, his hands continue their path. “You okay with this, sweets?”
“Don’t stop,” I pant.
He doesn’t until those long, slender fingers of his find my center. “Fuck,” he hisses.
I grip onto his thighs and hold on for the ride as he slowly works me over until I fall over the edge.
We’re both breathing heavily. I can feel his every breath, can see mine as my chest rapidly rises and falls.
“I can’t get enough of you.”
Turning my head, I place a kiss on his chest.
“Every fucking second that I spend with you beats the one before it. I look forward to those seconds, every damn one of them. I miss you when you’re not in my arms. I long to kiss you, to touch you, and to show you how much you mean to me.”
I’m glad he’s sitting behind me because I couldn’t stop the tears if I tried. Somehow, he’s found a way into my heart and is expressing everything that’s there, right beside the big neon sign with his name on it.
He wraps both arms around my chest and hugs me close. “I should get out and get dried off. The food should be here soon.” He kisses my cheek and climbs out of the tub.
I wait until he leaves the room before I climb out on shaking legs. I release the drain on the tub and hop in the shower to wash my hair. It gives me the time I need to get my emotions in check before facing him again.
This damn strep throat kept me from kissing the hell out of him. I wanted to tell him that he has all of me, that I’ve fallen in love with him, but I refuse to do that if I can’t kiss him. If I can’t follow my declaration with actions to show him what he means to me.
My sweet Cole.