Rogue Beast (The Rourkes #12) - Kylie Gilmore Page 0,73

the way he took care of me, I’ll just make it worse.

I wait until I hear him stumbling into the bedroom. I hope he doesn’t collapse. There’s no way I can lift him.

He climbs into bed. “Definitely a virus. Otherwise, mine wouldn’t have been so delayed. Put the trash can by my side.”

I quickly do as he says. “I’m sorry, but I can’t hear you get sick because it triggers me to get sick. I’ll sleep in the living room, but call out if you need me. I’ll try to help.”

He grunts.

It’s a long night. I can hear him stumbling to the bathroom and staying there for a long time. I listen for a crash. If he goes down, it’s going to be loud. But he doesn’t. He just lumbers back and forth all night. Hopefully, he’ll be better by tomorrow, and I’ll order him chicken soup just like he did for me. I’ve never had to take care of someone before. My grandmother never got sick when I was a kid. At least not that I ever knew about. Maybe she hid it well. And I’ve never lived with someone who was sick before either.

He rises at noon and makes his way to the living room. “I’m starting to feel human again. Did you miss another day of work?”

“Yes. I didn’t want to leave in case you needed me.”

He collapses on the sofa next to me. “Nasty virus. I just hope we didn’t give it to anyone at the party.”

“It’s possible we got it from someone at the party.”

“Or it could’ve been from someone in the cast of Wicked. I shook a lot of hands. Who knows? I’m gonna check in with my family.” He pulls out his phone, sends a few texts, and leans his head back on the sofa a few moments later. “Everyone’s fine.”

“How did you find out so fast?”

“It’s lunch hour at work. I’ve got my brothers on a group text. Then I just checked in with my mom. Thank God. I didn’t want the newborn twins to be exposed. They’re home now.”

“Do you want to watch TV?” I ask.

“Sure, I could use a distraction.”

I hand him the remote, and he switches it to a car channel, where the mechanics are fixing up a car and telling the viewer how to do it. Such a guy way to relax.

He slides an arm around my shoulders.

I feel so close to him. No one has ever taken care of me like he did. Except my grandmother, but she had to. She loves me in her way. It’s just not the way I needed. I need to forgive her for that. We’re like oil and water. Just the way we’re made.

But, Garrett, we’re like mud, sticking together. How romantic, Harp!

“You were so good at taking care of me,” I say.

He gives me a wry smile. “You’re a shitty nurse.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Empathy nausea was too much for me to function.”

“It’s okay. I survived. I’m used to my mom, who’s like an ER doc and Florence Nightingale wrapped in one.”

“Would you have preferred your mom?”

“Nah. I prefer a shitty, sexy nurse any day.” He kisses me and slides a hand under my shirt.

I push him away with a laugh. “Next weekend. No way I can manage sex after what I’ve been through. You too. Aren’t you feeling exhausted and weak?”

“I’ll make you do all the work.” He lifts me to straddle his lap and kisses me tenderly. “You can nurse me back to health this way.”

Who would’ve guessed? I’m a fantastic nurse after all.

19

Harper

The next three weeks are a blur of work and seeing Garrett every chance I get. I’m on a roller coaster of emotion like I’ve never felt before. I’m flying high when I’m with him and irritable when we’re apart. It must be love—exhausting and exhilarating at the same time.

I finish filming Living Gold on Friday, our second to last taping, and drag myself back to my trailer, stretching out on the sofa. I should be getting home, but I need to lie down first. I can’t remember ever feeling so exhausted before. It must be lingering fatigue from the stomach virus combined with truly being in love for the first time. Those other times were more about me telling myself I was in love. This is the real deal.

There’s a knock on my trailer door.

“Come in,” I call. Joe’s out there, so he would’ve cleared anyone first.

The door pops open, and Josie steps inside.

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