Page 43 of Would You Rather
“What are you talking about?” She shakes her head. “The interview is today. Can we still make it? How long does it take to get there?”
A long fucking time.“Madeline, you’re not going anywhere,” I repeat. “Not like this.”
“Like what? I’m fine.” The way she coughs tells me she definitely is not fine. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous for looking out for you?” I tilt my head at her. “It’s okay to admit you’re sick, you know?”
“I am not sick.” She frowns before sneezing again. “I’m perfectly fine.”
“Yeah,” I scoff. “Real convincing.”
“I am not sick,” she repeats, her face hardening. “I don’tgetsick.”
I let out a laugh, thinking it’s a joke, but from the hardened look on her face, I can tell she genuinely means it. “What the hell are you talking about? Everyone gets sick.”
She shakes her head. “Not me. Now, can we go?”
My hand wraps around her waist, halting her when she tries to move past me again. Why the hell is she so adamant about this? “You are so stubborn,” I grit out, feeling her body heat up. She’s shivering, and it takes everything in me not to wrap my arms around her. “You’re not going anywhere but to bed.”
Her chest is an inch away from mine and her eyes drop with exhaustion. “But…” She shakes her head. “We can’t miss this. You said it’s important.”
Not as important as this.“It’s been cancelled,” I tell her, holding on to her when I feel her body melt into mine. God, she must be exhausted.
“It is?” she asks, peering up at me beneath her lashes.
I nod. “Yep.” At least, It’s about to be. “Come on.” I attempt to straighten her body enough so she’s able to walk before I grab her hand in mine. She doesn’t even try to push me away. That’s how I know she’s too out of it to argue.
Pushing open her bedroom door, I find her bed all crumpled up, her clothes scattered everywhere. My brows furrow at the mess, and I turn to her. “Are you sure this is your room?” I joke.
She sighs, closing her eyes. “I was in a rush, okay?” She coughs again, shivering as her hand sweats in mine, and she looks downright exhausted. I let go of her hand, heading toward her bed to pick up the pile of clothes and place it on the empty chair in the corner of her room. She drops to her bed, and reaches down to take off her heels.
I watch her fiddle with the straps for a second too long before I get down on my knees and place her foot on my leg. “What are you doing?” she asks.
“Helping you out.” I pull at the straps until the first shoe comes off, clanking to the ground.
“I can do it myself,” she says, reaching for her other shoe.
My chest shakes with a low chuckle. “You’re so stubborn. Always fighting me, even when I’m just trying to do something nice for you.” My hand wraps around her other ankle, working the straps off.
“Why?” she asks. “There’s no one around.”
I’m well aware.
My head lifts once both of her shoes are off, and I watch her swallow as she looks at me. Fuck, she looks so frail as she sniffles, shivering while her skin burns against mine. I lift off my knees, pulling off her covers. “Get in,” I tell her.
She doesn’t even talk back. She just slides into bed, letting out a relieved sigh when I pull the covers back up. “I’m not sick,” she reiterates. “I’m just… tired,” she says with a yawn.
“Yeah,” I let out a snicker. “I know. Just rest.”
I look down at her, buried in the covers, making little noises as she adjusts herself to get comfortable. I can’t take my eyes off her as I watch her cuddle the comforter. Reluctantly, I rip my gaze off her before I head out of her bedroom.
Opening up her bathroom door, I grab one of her face towels and run it under the hot water, soaking the material before I wring it out.
When I walk back into her room, I spot her on the bed, her eyes closed as she buries herself in bed. I watch with a smile until she cracks an eye open, glancing right at me. “Are you just going to stand there and stare at me while I sleep?”
I let out a laugh. “I can leave if you want me to.” I don’t want to leave her here when she’s like this, but if she tells me to go…
“No,” she says, closing her eyes again. “Stay. Please.” It’s stupid how much that one word makes me smile.
