work, but it helps me to understand what they’re going through and how I can improve the efficiency of each project.”
She looked up into his dark eyes, noting the sincerity there. “You take good care of your employees, don’t you?” she asked, already knowing the answer. It was the complete opposite of what her father could say. There were employees of her father that just disappeared, never to be heard from again. Their families were worried, she knew. Whenever she realized something was wrong, she tried to send them money or food, keeping track of things so she could try and make things better. Even the men who disappeared with blood on their hands, she tried to help their families. She was one of those people. It could happen to her just as easily as it happened to the others in her father’s line of business.
A pain once again shot up from the back of her head and she closed her eyes as the pain tore through her.
“What’s wrong, Marissa?” he asked softly, his body tensing as he watched her face squint as if she’d just been hit with something.
She waited until the pain went away, then slowly opened her eyes and took a long, slow, deep breath. “Nothing,” she said, breathing hard after that last shooting pain. Her vision was starting to narrow, a sure sign that this would result in a full-fledged migraine. “I’m sorry, Zeke, but I really have to go.” She had to get out of here and take some medicine. She’d thought the pain would stop with food, but apparently, the migraine was intent on ruining a perfectly horrid day. Well, except for the lunch. That hadn’t been dreadful. It had actually been amazingly good. Even sitting next to him had been…Another pain shot up her neck, almost as if her brain were being squeezed.
Zeke knew something was very wrong and she was trying to hide it from him. He wasn’t going to allow her any secrets. In the short time he’d known her, she’d become important to him in ways he didn’t completely understand. “Marissa, you’re not leaving.” Zeke stood up and looked down at her, blocking her path into the house and eliminating her escape. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Another sharp pain hit her and she grabbed the side of the sofa, not realizing that it was actually Zeke’s arm instead. She gripped the only available surface since she couldn’t control the migraine that was coming on strong now.
“No sun,” she whispered through the haze of pain as it slowly receded.
Zeke barely heard her, but he quickly lifted her into his arms and carried her into the living room, sitting down with her in his lap. “Okay, you’re out of the sunshine. Tell me what’s wrong.” he demanded.
Marissa cringed as his voice caused another wave of pain to hit her. “Quiet,” she begged. She leaned down, her body curling into a ball and her fingers gripping his shirt as a new wave of pain slashed through her head, coming down the back of her head this time and radiating outwards. The pain was so intense she thought she might actually lose her lunch.
“Are you having a migraine?” Zeke asked softly, lifting her up once again, cuddling her slender body against his as he carried her into his bedroom. He laid her on the bed, about to cover her up but when her fingers refused to let go of his shirt, he turned around instead, settling her against him as he sat down on the bed.
“Yes,” she finally admitted. “Too much light.” She wanted so badly to just curl up into a ball, but she also wanted to stay by the warmth, the strength she wasn’t even aware was Zeke. All she knew was that she felt safe. “Medicine. In my purse,” she whispered, then cringed since talking hurt even more.
Zeke reached for her purse that she’d been clutching, searching through the contents until he found the small vial of pills. He took one out and handed it to her. “Do you need water?” he asked.
She didn’t answer, just popped the tablet into her mouth and swallowed, then curled back up, pressing her nose against his neck and inhaling his strong, masculine scent filled with his spicy aftershave.
Zeke pressed a button on his bedside table and the blinds came down from the ceiling, enclosing the bedroom in darkness. There was a small light coming from the hallway but he didn’t think that would bother