Code Name: Ghost - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,69

through far worse in my life than a little stomach bug. On top of that, I’ve managed to keep Avery fed and in clean diapers all day, although she admittedly doesn’t like the face mask I’ve been wearing when I’m near her. I have no clue if I’m even contagious, but I’m not taking any chances with her.

When there’s a knock on my door, I’m worried it will wake Avery up. She’s been down for a few hours and while I love any time with my daughter, I’ll take the respite just now from having to change another diaper. The smell alone had me gagging behind my mask the last time, and I was barely able to hold it together before needing to dash to the bathroom.

I push up from the bathroom floor, ignore washing my hands in my haste to make it to the door, but pause to give them a squirt of sanitizer from the counter. I’m in a pair of wrinkled pajama pants and a stained t-shirt with a long cardigan over the top. I pull it close around me since I’m braless as I shuffle to the door.

Looking through the peephole, I’m stunned to see Malik. I had also texted him this morning. Just to say hello and to inform him I was taking a sick day, but I’d call him later.

I sigh, knowing I look the worst I could possibly look, but just admit if this doesn’t run the man off, nothing will. Swinging the door open, I put a feeble smile on my face. “What are you doing here?”

Malik’s eyes widen as he takes me in, eyes running my length quickly before locking back on my face. “Jesus, Anna… you look awful.”

“Thanks, babe,” I quip wearily with a chuckle as I turn from the door. “You look great, too.”

“You need to go to a doctor,” he insists, walking in behind me.

“I just need to lay down for a minute before Avery wakes up,” I counter, moving right to the couch where I collapse. Curling in on my side, I pull the blanket I’d been using over me, but Malik’s right there, squatting beside the couch.

His hand goes to my forehead, where I know he’ll find my skin cool and damp. “No fever,” he murmurs. “What’s going on with you?”

“Just a ton of vomiting and nausea,” I murmur, relishing the feel of his touch. It’s nice to have someone care, even though I know my mom would have been here had I not been so stubborn. Which makes me wonder. “What are you doing here?”

“When you called in sick, I got worried,” he replies, pushing up and sitting his butt on the edge of the couch. He puts his hand on my back. “So, I took a very early lunch to come check on you. Is Avery asleep?”

“Yeah,” I say, feeling so fatigued now Malik is here. “You think I could maybe take a little nap?”

“Of course, you can,” he says, his thumb rubbing along my spine. “I’ll handle Avery if she wakes up.”

“There’s some breast milk on the counter. I took it out about half an hour ago to come to room temperature.” My eyelids start to drift closed.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t get you to a doctor?” Malik asks.

“Honestly, the vomiting has slowed down, I think,” I mumble, feeling myself start to drift.

“Have you been drinking liquids?”

My eyes pop back open, slightly irritated he keeps asking questions. “I’ve been sipping on some ginger ale.”

Malik smiles. He can see and hear my annoyance. Without regard to his own safety, he bends and presses a quick kiss onto my temple. I’m slightly horrified because I know my hair is a rat’s nest and I’m pretty sure I smell like a toilet. But I’ll worry about that later.

“Get some rest,” he assures me, and my eyes fall shut. I barely feel him push off the couch and that’s the last thing I remember.

The sound of the door closing wakes me up almost instantly, and I sit up on high alert. I cut my gaze across the living room to see Malik coming in, carrying a bag of groceries.

Smiling, he asks, “How are you feeling?”

I can understand nothing but the fact he’s walking in my door, clearly having left while I was sleeping, and I snap my gaze over to my daughter’s bedroom. There’s a panicked, hysterical quality to my tone. “Where’s Avery?”

“She’s right here,” my mom says. I shift over toward the kitchen to see her

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