“Aiden, oh my God.”
He tossed me a wicked grin. “I’m planning to hear that several more times tonight.”
Launching myself into his arms, I hugged him with everything I was worth.
“Thank you. I can’t believe you did all this. For me.”
He leaned back and looked me in the eyes. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
He meant it. I could feel how much he meant it in the weight of each syllable.
“Do you want me to leave you alone for a bit so you can work? Try out the new stuff? I didn’t know exactly which brands and types of—”
“I want you to fuck me on that table,” I broke in boldly. “Please.”
Without hesitation, he did exactly as I’d requested.
Jars of paint spilled around us as we made love on the table before moving to the floor.
My hands were smeared in blue while a burnt tangerine acrylic ended up on his neck and back.
When we came, we came together.
Hours later, we showered together. As soon as I was clean, he set to dirtying me up all over again.
When he fell asleep, I snuck out to what I had affectionately named my she-shed studio and began to paint what falling in love felt like.
Saturday morning I woke up feeling like death.
My head pounded, my body ached, and I was certain I was going to throw up.
“No,” I groaned when Aiden took my temperature and it was 101.9. “I can’t be sick. I have to get to the museum.”
He frowned. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”
At some point, he called them and told them I was sick. I prayed he hadn’t talked to Jecca.
He brought me soup, mostly chicken broth, medicine, and kept rewetting the wash rag on my head so it would stay cool.
I never threw up, thank goodness, but I spent the better part of twenty-four hours feeling like I was rocking on a boat in the middle of a turbulent sea.
Aiden was the sexiest nurse I’d ever seen.
He never complained. He never bailed on me.
I might have hallucinated during my feverish spell, but I could’ve sworn I heard him talking on the phone to someone about me at some point. I only heard bits and pieces but they sounded like not fair to her, deserves better, and it’s time you took responsibility.
But I wasn’t anyone’s responsibility. Was I?
I dozed on and off, only waking once we were riding in his Jeep.
“Where are we going?”
Aiden glanced over at me. “Just rest, sweetheart. You’re going to be okay.”
I believed him. Trusted him with all my heart. So I went back to sleep.
