Page 50 of My Fiancé's Brother

“The kiss,” I whispered.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I told you, that was not your fault.”

I blurted, “I feel bad because I liked it.”

He put his hands on his hips and took a deep breath before blowing it out slowly. “Emily, you're going to hurt tomorrow.”

“I already hurt.”

I bolted to the toilet.Sometime in the middle of the night, I had taken off my blouse, and now I shivered in just my bra and panties, as I clung to the toilet bowl, and repeatedly spewed my guts.

“Matt,” I called weakly. Then I barfed some more. I flushed the toilet. Acid burned my throat. Tears streaked down my face. “Matt.”

The hallway light turned on, and then a figure in the doorway blocked out the light.

“Matt?” I turned my face back into the toilet and retched some more. The night light went on in my bathroom. A soft glow flooded the room.

“No, it’s Jackson.” Two big hands pulled my hair back, while my body worked to cleanse itself.

“Can you go get him?” I gasped. He walked to the sink, wet a face cloth and crouched down beside me. I struggled to lift my head. He gently wiped my face.

“Where is Matt?” I stammered.

“He left.”

My head jerked up. “Where did he go?”

He shrugged. “I think he went out with some of the guys. I don’t know.”

I wiped my nose. “I feel sick, and I threw up in my hair.”

He laughed. “Yeah, I know.”

“You don’t have to help me,” I said, wanting to cry. “This goes way beyond the call of duty.”

He stood up, and I heard the shower door open. Water turned on.

“Come on,” he said, “You’ll feel better after a shower.”

I shook my head. “I’ll just stay here.”

Two hands went under my arms, and he hauled me onto my feet. “In you get.”

He pushed me into the walk-in shower. Clad in only my bra and panties, I staggered and clutched the wall, feeling incredibly dizzy.

He stepped in behind me and reached around me to adjust the water temperature. He pushed me to stand beneath the warm water. I shut my eyes and let the water pour over me. His big hands slicked my hair back off my face.

“Turn around,” he said.

I faced him, my eyes still shut. Strong hands shampooed my hair before tilting my head to rinse. I dropped my forehead, leaning it against his chest. Strong arms wrapped around me. I sighed as I leaned against his warm, hard chest.

“Do you feel better?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Come on,” he took my hand and led me out of the shower. I shivered, my arms crossed over myself. He wrapped a big towel around my shoulders and started to rub me dry. I trembled with cold.

I stared at him in a fog. He was dripping wet. Rivulets of water ran down his huge chest. His drawstring fleece shorts were soaked and clung to his body.

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