you not clean down there or something?”
“Of course I am,” she said defensively. “But piercings are really vulnerable.”
“Just wash it and you’ll be good.”
She turned off the water and the silence echoed in the bathroom. “Thanks for helping me shower.”
“No problem,” I said. “I always love a wet, naked woman.” I winked.
She rolled her eyes then stepped out with the towel. She tossed one at me. “I feel a little better.”
“The humidity should help you breathe.”
After she dried her hair and pulled on her pajamas, she immediately lay on the couch with a blanket over her shoulders. She coughed into her tissues every few minutes, but she did seem better than the night before.
I sat beside her on the couch. “What should we watch?”
“Porn?” A teasing smile was on her lips.
“I’m always down with that.” I nudged her in the side. “You know that.” I turned on the TV and changed the channel. When I came across the Disney movie, Frozen, she gripped my wrist.
“Leave it here. I love this movie.”
I gave her an incredulous look. “It’s a cartoon.”
“So?” she challenged. “It’s amazing.”
“If it’s amazing, then you’ve already seen it. So we shouldn’t watch it again.”
“Come on,” she said. “You’ve never seen it?”
“You tell me.” I shot her a glare.
“You’d love it if you gave it a chance.”
“Whatever.” I let her get her way. “I’m only doing this because you don’t feel well.”
“Thank you.” She clapped her hands in excitement.
I rolled my eyes and prepared to be bored to death.
***
The movie ended and the credits rolled. “Thank god that shit is over.”
“You really didn’t like it?” she asked sadly.
“No.” A talking snowman and a princess just wasn’t my thing.
“Not even the moose?” she asked. “So cute…”
“You act like a child sometimes.”
She glared at me. “You act like a child all the time.”
“Whatever.” I left the couch. “Ready for some Nyquil?”
“Yes, please.”
I grabbed the bottle off the counter and poured her the dosage. “Let it go…let it go…can’t hold it back anymore…” The words escaped under my breath as I put the lid back on the bottle. I returned to her but stopped when I saw the wide smile on her face and the gloating in her eyes. “Wow, you’re really excited for this Nyquil, huh?”
“What were you singing?”
“Nothing.”
“I heard you, Ash.”
The realization came back to me and I tried not to look guilty.
“You like that song, huh?” She was having the time of her life right now.
“No…it’s just catchy.”
“Uh-huh. Sure…whatever.” She couldn’t stop smiling.
“Like you’ve never had a terrible song stuck in your head,” I jabbed.
“Oh, I have,” she said. “But I don’t sing it out loud.”
I didn’t hand her the Nyquil. “You know, I can just keep this.”
“And I can wait a lifetime until you admit that’s a good song.”
I set the Nyquil down. “Then I guess you’ll be awake all night.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and didn’t budge. “Fine by me.”
I changed the channel to ESPN.
“I’m telling your parents you like that song.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” I narrowed my eyes on her face.
“Just admit it and that secret will stay between us.”
I sighed and shook my head slightly.
“Come on, Ash.”
“Fine…it’s not that bad.”
“That’s what I thought.” A triumphant look was on her face.
“Let’s move on now.”
“If you can stop singing to yourself.”
“I’ll manage,” I said darkly.
We watched TV for another hour and Alessandra started to doze off. Quiet sighs escaped her lips every few minutes, and a cough erupted here and there. I turned off the TV then scooped her into my arms and carried her into the bedroom. She stirred slightly and released a yawn.
I tucked her in the sheets then put the Nyquil by her bedside.
“Thanks for taking care of me…” Her eyes were closed.
“No problem.” I moved my fingers through her hair and watched her relaxed features.
“I guess I’ll see you later.” She pulled the sheets further over her shoulder.
“I assumed I was sleeping here.”
“Really?” She cracked her eyes open. “And sleep in a bed with a sick person?”
“I’m immune to everything.”
“I still have a bad cough.”
“It doesn’t bother me.”
“You aren’t a germaphobe?”
“Nope,” I said. “Believe me, I’ve seen worse. And you might need me for something later.”
“I feel like I have a nanny…a hot one.”
“Butler is a more appropriate name. And thank you.”
“Wow…you were humble for once.”
“Shut the hell up.” I stripped my clothes off and got into bed beside her. She was warm from her fever but I didn’t mind being close to her. I pressed my chest to her back and