Because of Kian (8 page)

“Thank you,” I whispered with my eyes half closed
.

I fought to keep them open, to see the
gentle concern in his eyes as he turned to pick up the washcloth again. But one touch of the heavenly chill upon my heated skin, and I couldn’t do it. They fell closed with relief as he began to stroke my face and neck with the cool cloth. At one point, I even moaned with the sensation. If I’d have been in my right mind, I probably would have been mortified, but at that moment, I didn’t care.

His fingers slipped apart the buttons on the front of my pajama shirt and I felt the coolness stroke lower, softly pulling the heat from my body.
Down my chest, across my stomach. The fabric of my shirt only just covered my breasts, and I felt my nipples peak as the cool cloth swept over my bared skin. Soothing and erotic, even as awful as I felt, I could feel my body responding to his touch, and a slight gasp sprang forth from my throat. Hearing him chuckle lightly, I looked up at him through sleepy eyes.

Kian still
appeared somewhat worried. His brow was knitted and he had a stern look about him. Yet, there was a shadow of a smile that touched his lips. “You seem to like this. I’ll have to remember that when you’re feeling better.” He lifted his hand away and softly blew down over my abdomen causing my eyes to close with the sensation.

He began to sweep the cloth over my skin again, up over my breastbone, across my shoulders, back up my cheeks and over my eyes, pausing intermittently to blow cool air over my body
.

I was in
a heavenly hell. I was sick as a dog, yet somehow also horny as hell, which was a really crappy combination. Rather tortuous, actually. But I could have laid there forever.

Finally, Kian lifted the cloth and pulled my pajama shirt back
together, buttoning it partway, yet leaving it fairly open at the neck. His fingers smoothed the hair back from my temples and I slowly felt the world begin to slip away, lost in the comfort of his touch.

“Get some sleep, baby
,” he whispered softly.

So I did.

Like I had a choice.

Brynn

When I woke up, it was nearly dark. A faint light shown from my little kitchen, just enough to see that my little apartment was clean. The tissues and empty cold medicine packages were gone. All the dirty bowls from soup and the empty and half-empty glasses of juice had disappeared.

And Kian was fast asleep in the
recliner across from the couch, barely covered with fleece throw that was way too small for his stout frame.

As I propped myself up on my elbows, I took stock of my physical state. For the first time in a few days, my throat didn’t
feel like it was going to crack. My head wasn’t pounding. My joints didn’t ache. I felt far from well, but I certainly didn’t feel like I was dying anymore. Although I had to pee like a son-of-a-bitch.

Quietly, I climbed off the couch and made my way to the bathroom. As I was washing my hands, I glanced up in the mirror.
Oh my God, I looked atrocious.
And I didn’t smell much better. And for some reason, it mattered.

I shouldn’t have cared
. I should have wanted to look like shit, to show Kian what a wreck I was, that he was so much better off without me in a ten-mile radius. He’d been worried when he’d showed up today…
about me
. He’d been thinking about me. He felt responsible for me and wanted to protect me. Just like Sage had told me way back before the incident in the gym. Just like he’d admitted as he taped my hands.

He was really way too good for
me. It was bad to want him, even a little. So, I knew I shouldn’t care. But I did, so I flipped on the shower and undressed, quickly tossing my stinky jammies in the hamper. The water felt amazing as it coursed over my skin, drawing away all the ick of being ill. I shampooed my hair twice and soaped myself in every nook and cranny. I scrubbed my skin with a loofah until it felt almost raw.

N
othing like getting super clean after feeling super gross.

For a long time, I simply stood in the heavy stream of water, feeling it beat down on my shoulders and neck. Almost lost in the sensation, I about jumped out of my skin when I heard Kian’s voice
.
Oh my God
. In the room
with me
.

“Brynn?
You okay?” he asked.

Fuck. I was naked and wet.
I gingerly peeked around the curtain to see him sticking his head just inside the door.

“Um, yeah.
I just… um…” I was so very aware that I was so very naked. And, honestly, he looked amazingly fucking hot with his messy hair and sleepy eyes. “I just really needed a shower. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

He nodded and slipped back out, closing the door behind him, so I finished up and got out of the shower. Drying off quickly, I slathered myself with lotion
before pulling on a soft deep eggplant-colored chenille robe and pressed some of the water from my hair. Although it was quite fine in texture, there was a ton of it, and it seemed to take forever to dry. I combed it back from my face and brushed my teeth. Feeling halfway human again, I stepped out of the bathroom.

The recliner was empty, so I peeked into the kitchen to see
Kian standing at my stove stirring something in a small soup pan.

“Chicken noodle okay?” he asked. “You haven’t eaten since I got here
earlier today, so I’d imagine you’re a bit hungry.”

“
Ohhh… yeah, fine,” I nodded, a little astonished at my kitchen. It was spotless. I was generally pretty good at keeping my apartment clean, but I hated dishes to the point that I rarely ever cooked. With no dishwasher, I’d decided long ago that it was better to eat out of a paper wrapper than wash a plate. Since I’d been sick, though, I’d been eating a fair amount of soup and crackers. Drinking gallons of orange juice. Making dirty dishes that I’d even less desire than usual to wash. “You cleaned my kitchen…” I murmured in a little wonder.

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “You’re awful cute, but you’re also kind of a slob.”

“I’m not normally, but this cold…” I trailed off a little defensively.

He pulled a bowl out of
the cupboard and ladled some soup into it. “Go have a seat on the couch, and I’ll bring you some soup.”

“Kian, I—”

I barely got the sound out, though, before he turned to look at me, one brow lifted. My words caught in my throat as he stared me down. Finally, I nodded, whispered a quiet ‘
okay’
and made my way back to the couch to allow him to wait on me.

Kian spent the rest of the evening fussing over me, making sure I’d eaten enough chicken soup
before feeding me grape popsicles he’d picked up at the store. He ensured that there was plenty of medicine in my system to keep the cold symptoms at bay. He rifled around through my linen closet until he found some fresh blankets and pillowcases and swapped out everything I’d been cuddled up with on the couch. It was getting rather late, so I figured he was planning to take off before long.

Therefore, it surprised me when he sat beside me on the couch and pulled me up against him, grabbing the remote and aiming it at the television
as he propped his feet up on the coffee table.

He apparently had no plans to leave any time soon.

But, somehow, it felt so natural to curl up against him, to rest my head on his shoulder and breathe him in. And to hide my eyes from time to time since he’d decided on watching
The Walking Dead
, and it was so nasty and gory.

I abhorred horror flicks and scary shows.

But sitting there tucked up against his side, even with a hellacious cold and watching a zombie apocalypse playing out before me, life suddenly seemed sort of…
perfect
.

Kian

Brynn’s eyes started drifting closed towards the end of the show. She wasn’t clutching my arm anymore or hiding her face in my shoulder.

Dammit
.

I
had been enjoying that.

“Let’s get you in bed,
Brynn,” I gruffly murmured, brushing my lips over her forehead. I had no desire to leave. Not so much because I was worried about her at this point. Her fever was gone, she’d eaten, and I had her well-stocked with just about every cold remedy I’d found at the store. But I didn’t want to leave because she just felt too fucking good in my arms.

Right now, she was docile
, which was a nice change. Snuggly. I’ve never really been the snuggly type, but it all just felt awesome. Her soft, warm little body curled up against me.

But
, things were kind of fragile yet between us, and I didn’t want to freak her out. So it would really be best to tuck her into bed and leave. To let her sleep.

And then I could work on her again when she was feeling better. Because
every minute I spent with her made me want her even more. Made me want to be there for her. To hold her and take care of her. There was no fucking way I was going to just let her go now. I’d wanted her for too long, and the pull was stronger than ever.

I lifted her sleepy form and rose, taking her into her small,
surprisingly fluffy bedroom. While the rest of her place had very little personality, her bedroom was obviously a haven. Lots of pillows and throws, a frou-frou plushy light purple blanket. Some framed photos of who I figured were her parents sat next to a small lamp that cast a dim, warm glow throughout the room. Sheer white curtains that filtered the twinkling city lights in the distance. The whole room just screamed estrogen. In comparison, the blandness of the rest of her apartment made me think this was the only room she decorated. Probably the girliest room I’d ever seen.

This room was
so very Brynn.

I pulled back the blankets
and the satiny smooth sheets, and tucked her underneath, brushing a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Get some sleep, Brynn. I’ll
come check on you in the morning.”

Her sleepy eyes opened halfway, catching my gaze
.

“
You’re leaving?” she breathed with a knitted brow.

“I probably should. You need some sleep.”

She bit at her lip and was quiet for a minute before she whispered quietly. “I can sleep with you here.”

My hand cupped her cheek, the soft, smooth skin like pale silk in the dim light
.

“Do you want me to stay?”

Brynn nodded almost imperceptibly. “I do…”

She certainly didn’t have to ask twice. Knowing I should leave, I nodded instead before shucking off my shoes and
jeans, pulling my t-shirt off, and sliding into the warm bed beside her.

Good God, her mattress was like sleeping on a pillow.
So incredibly soft as I sank down into it, spooning her body tightly against me. Her familiar perfume surrounded us. I curled my large frame around hers, pressing my face against the skin of her neck and inhaling deeply. As my arms tightened around her, her fingertips traced along my bicep.

It
was all so calm and quiet and wonderful.

“Thank you,” she sighed.

“Anytime,” I smiled into the crook of her neck.